The U.S. military conducted a large-scale operation on Saturday morning that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. An unsealed Department of Justice indictment, released by Attorney General Pam Bondi, charges Maduro with multiple crimes and highlights an alleged decades-long partnership between Maduro, Venezuelan officials and violent transnational criminal networks.
Key Allegations in the Indictment
The indictment accuses Maduro — who succeeded Hugo Chávez after the 2013 election — of narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and related weapons conspiracies against the United States. Prosecutors say Maduro and co-conspirators used state power to shield and promote drug trafficking operations that moved tons of cocaine toward U.S. markets since at least 1999.
In this handout photo provided by the Salvadoran government, guards escort inmates allegedly linked to criminal organizations at CECOT prison March 16, 2025, in Tecoluca, El Salvador. The Trump administration deported 238 alleged members of the Venezuelan criminal organizations Tren De Aragua and MS-13.
Tren de Aragua And Transnational Networks
The filing focuses on alleged ties between the Maduro regime and violent criminal groups, including Mexico's Zetas and Sinaloa Cartel, Colombia's ELN and FARC dissidents, and Venezuela's Tren de Aragua (TdA). The indictment asserts TdA has expanded its criminal network across the Western Hemisphere and established a presence in U.S. cities — including New York — engaging in drug trafficking, human smuggling, firearms trafficking, commercial sex trafficking, kidnapping, extortion and violent enforcement.
Defendants Named
Six defendants are named in the unsealed indictment: Nicolás Maduro, his wife and son, and Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores — identified in the charging documents as the alleged leader of Tren de Aragua. The January 2025 indictment expands earlier 2020 charges that targeted Maduro and several current and former Venezuelan officials.
President Donald Trump speaks to a gathering of top U.S. military commanders at Marine Corps Base Quantico Sept. 30, 2025, in Quantico, Va.
U.S. Response and Political Reactions
President Donald Trump praised the operation, calling it "an amazing thing" and saying at a Mar-a-Lago news conference that the mission was executed by unmatched personnel. Trump said Maduro and his wife were flown by helicopter to a U.S. military ship — naming the Iwo Jima — and would be transported to New York to face trial.
"All political and military figures in Venezuela should understand what happened to Maduro can happen to them," Trump warned, stressing the administration's goals to halt drug flows and seek accountability.
Domestically, the strike and capture provoked partisan debate: Republican supporters rallied behind the president, while some Democrats criticized the administration for not notifying Congress in advance of the operation.
Pictured are 17 alleged members of Venezuela's Tren de Aragua gang and members of the MS-13 gang, who were deported to El Salvador.
International Fallout
Venezuela denounced the action as a "very serious military aggression," saying civilian and military areas in Caracas and the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira were affected. The Venezuelan government accused the U.S. of attempting to seize strategic resources and of violating national sovereignty.
China's Foreign Ministry said it was "deeply shocked" and strongly condemned the use of force against a sovereign country and its president. Russia also condemned the strike, calling it an act of armed aggression and disputing the U.S. justifications.
Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolás Maduro.
Context: Maritime Strikes and Drug Interdiction Campaign
The capture follows months of U.S. strikes on suspected narco-trafficking boats that began in September. The Trump administration has characterized the campaign as part of an "armed conflict" with transnational narco-terror groups and argued the strikes were necessary to reduce opioid deaths in the United States. Critics and some experts have warned about legal, strategic and diplomatic consequences of sustained kinetic operations.
Next Steps
Attorney General Bondi said Maduro and his wife "will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts," and U.S. officials indicated the accused will be transported to New York for prosecution. The legal process and broader geopolitical fallout are likely to unfold over months, with significant implications for U.S.-Venezuela relations and regional security.
Reporting Note: This article summarizes the unsealed January 2025 indictment and public statements from U.S., Venezuelan and international officials. Details in charging documents and government statements form the basis of the allegations; defendants are entitled to legal process and the presumption of innocence.
