- The US Department of Justice has unsealed a grand jury indictment accusing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of leading a large-scale cocaine trafficking operation.
- The four-count indictment alleges Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, along with other Venezuelan officials, enriched themselves through "narcotics-based corruption" by importing cocaine into the United States.
- The indictment alleged that the drug-trafficking conspiracy “lines the pockets of Venezuelan officials and their families while also benefiting violent narco-terrorists.”
- Other charges include cocaine importation conspiracy and possession of machine guns and destructive devices.
- Maduro's capture follows a military campaign by the Trump administration against his regime, which involved naval actions and strikes off Venezuela's coast.
IN FULL