Venezuelan politician and lawyer, longtime figure in PSUV politics
On March 26, 2026, Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores appeared in a New York federal court for the first time since their January capture by US forces. They pleaded not guilty to narcoterrorism and drug trafficking charges. The hearing focused on whether Venezuela's government could pay their legal fees, blocked by US sanctions. Judge Alvin Hellerstein questioned the national security rationale for the sanctions but did not dismiss the case.
Venezuelan ex-president Maduro and wife Flores appeared in a US court over drug trafficking and narco-terrorism charges. Their legal team disputes the legality of their abduction, while prosecutors detail a decades-long conspiracy involving Colombian groups. The case highlights rare prosecution of a former head of state.
The US has removed sanctions from Venezuelan official Rodriguez, signaling improved relations. She is now recognized as Venezuela's interim leader, and US-Venezuela diplomatic ties are being restored, including reopening the US embassy after seven years. The move follows the US military operation that detained Maduro and his wife in January.
A U.S. Army special forces soldier has been charged after using Polymarket to bet on events tied to a Caracas operation that led to Maduro’s arrest. Authorities say he profited by leveraging classified information, prompting calls for stricter oversight of prediction markets that attract large wagers on current events.
Two Marine Corps Osprey aircraft have flown over the recently reopened U.S. Embassy in Caracas and landed in the parking lot as part of a drill for medical emergencies or catastrophic events; the exercise follows the embassy’s reopening and ongoing U.S. plans to stabilize Venezuela.