With Maduro, wife in custody, Bondi says they will be tried on U.S. soil

By Sarah Roderick-Fitch
The Center Square

Following U.S. strikes against Venezuela resulting in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Attorney General Pam Bondi said Saturday the Maduros have been indicted in the Southern District of New York and will be tried on U.S. soil.

In a social media post, Bondi confirmed Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted, charged with “narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the United States.”

The attorney general underscored that the couple “will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts.”

In President Donald Trump’s announcement of the strikes and captures, he said Maduro and Flores have been flown out of Venezuela, but he did not indicate where the couple was taken or is currently being held.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio reposted a message from July, reiterating that “Maduro is NOT the President of Venezuela, and his regime is NOT the legitimate government.”

Rubio called Maduro the head of the “Cartel de Los Soles, a narco-terror organization” that took “possession of the country. And he is under indictment for pushing drugs into the United States.”

Nicolas Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima. pic.twitter.com/omF2UpDJhA— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 3, 2026

In the president’s early morning confirmation of the strike, Trump said the operation was “done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement.”

The Caribbean region, specifically off the coast of Venezuela, has been a hotbed of action in recent months, with the U.S. carrying out dozens of strikes on suspected narco-trafficking boats. The U.S. also seized control of oil tankers accused of illegally transporting oil that was subject to sanctions.

Last week, Trump confirmed the first strike on Venezuela was carried out on a facility the U.S. claims was used to load drugs.

The U.S. Southern Command, which encompasses the Caribbean and the Latin American region, has witnessed a significant military buildup, including the deployment of the USS Gerald Ford and its carrier strike group in the area, in support of Operation Southern Spear.

In the wake of the capture of Maduro, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez is demanding proof of life of Maduro. As of Saturday morning, it is unclear who is currently in control of Venezuela.

Trump said a news conference will be held later in the morning.