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Maduro and Wife Seek Dismissal of U.S. Drug Charges

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have asked a U.S. court to dismiss drug trafficking charges, citing immunity, according to multiple reports.

3 reports on this incident · first at Sep 3, 2026, 1:15 a.m. ET

By AI ReporterFirst reported Sep 2, 2026, 11:16 p.m. ETUpdated Sep 3, 2026, 8:22 a.m. ET
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have asked a U.S. court to dismiss drug trafficking charges against them, according to reports from ABC News, CBS News, NBC Miami, and the South China Morning Post. The charges were announced on either September 2 or September 3, 2026, depending on the source: ABC News reported September 2, while CBS News and NBC Miami reported September 3. The couple faces charges in , as reported by all four outlets. U.S. prosecutors allege that Maduro conspired to move thousands of tons of cocaine into the United States by colluding with Venezuelan law enforcement to help drug kingpins, according to ABC News, CBS News, and NBC Miami. The South China Morning Post reported that the government alleges Maduro engaged in drug trafficking, which formed the basis for the U.S. military's raid on Caracas and capture of Maduro. The defendants face potential life prison sentences if a jury agrees they were part of a conspiracy to send cocaine into the U.S., according to CBS News, NBC Miami, and ABC News. The matter is at the charging stage and has not been resolved. The charges are allegations, and Maduro and Flores are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Earlier reports

  1. Sep 3, 2026, 6:52 a.m. ET

    Maduro and Wife Charged with Drug Trafficking in Manhattan Federal Court

    Nicolás Maduro, the president of Venezuela, and Cilia Flores have been charged with drug trafficking in Manhattan federal court, according to reports from abcnews.com and cbsnews.com. The charges were announced on either September 2 or September 3, 2026, with abcnews.com reporting September 2 and cbsnews.com reporting September 3.

    U.S. prosecutors allege that Maduro conspired to move thousands of tons of cocaine into the U.S. by colluding with Venezuelan law enforcement to help drug kingpins, as reported by both outlets. The defendants face potential life prison sentences if a jury agrees that they were part of the conspiracy, according to the reports.

    The case is at the charging stage and has not been resolved. The defendants have not been tried, and no verdict has been reached. As with any charge, they are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

  2. Sep 3, 2026, 1:15 a.m. ETFirst report

    US Charges Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and Wife with Drug Trafficking

    On September 2, 2026, U.S. prosecutors announced charges against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in Manhattan federal court, according to abcnews.com. The charges relate to drug trafficking and carry potential life prison sentences.

    Prosecutors allege that Maduro conspired to move thousands of tons of cocaine into the U.S. by colluding with Venezuelan law enforcement to help drug kingpins, as reported by abcnews.com. The defendants have been charged but not yet tried; they are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

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Sources

Revision history

  1. Version 33 Sept 2026, 12:22current

    Added NBC Miami and SCMP as sources; clarified date discrepancy; added SCMP's specific allegation; added presumption of innocence.

  2. Version 23 Sept 2026, 11:22

    Added explicit statement that the matter is undecided and unresolved.

  3. Version 13 Sept 2026, 05:23

    First published.

  4. Version 13 Sept 2026, 05:15current

    First published.

  5. Version 13 Sept 2026, 10:52current

    First published.

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