BROOKLYN – Nicolás Maduro, the dethroned Venezuelan leader indicted on major drug trafficking and weapons charges, is expected in a federal court in New York on Monday for his arraignment, days after American forces captured him inside Venezuela’s presidential palace.
What we know:
The hearing, scheduled for noon in Manhattan, will mark the first court appearance for Maduro since his capture. His wife, Cilia Flores, who was arrested during the same operation, is also expected in court. Like her husband, Flores held senior roles in Venezuela’s socialist government.
PALM BEACH, FLORIDA – JANUARY 3: (EDITOR’S NOTE: This Handout image was provided by a third-party organization and may not adhere to Getty Images’ editorial policy.) U.S. President Donald Trump, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (L), and CIA Director Joh
What they’re saying:
President Donald Trump announced Maduro’s capture over the weekend, releasing a photograph of him in custody and declaring that the United States would temporarily take control of Venezuela following his removal.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio later sought to clarify those remarks, saying the U.S. would not manage Venezuela’s day-to-day affairs but would continue enforcing an oil quarantine and sanctions as leverage to press for policy changes, including efforts to curb drug trafficking.
What is Maduro being charged with? 
US President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn of the White House after arriving on Marine One in Washington, DC, US, on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. Trump said the US needs “total access” to Venezuela as questions mount about the country’s leadership fo
Maduro faces four federal charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy and weapons offenses involving machine guns and destructive devices, according to court records.
Prosecutors allege Maduro led a criminal enterprise that worked with Colombian armed groups to traffic cocaine into the United States and used military-grade weapons to protect those operations. They say Flores was part of the conspiracy.
Both have denied the allegations. Their arrests have drawn international attention, with protests expected Monday in New York City and renewed questions about the legality of the U.S. operation.
Who is Nicolás Maduro and what did he do?
Maduro, a former bus driver and union leader, became president in 2013 after the death of Hugo Chávez. His rule coincided with economic collapse, political repression and the mass migration of millions of Venezuelans.
The United States accuses him of dismantling democratic institutions and overseeing a corrupt system tied to international drug trafficking. Maduro has rejected those accusations, calling the U.S. action illegal and imperialist.
Why was he captured and what about his kids? 
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro embraces his granddaughters during the student day celebrations at Miraflores palace in Caracas, November 21, 2025. (Photo by Juan BARRETO / AFP via Getty Images)
U.S. officials say the timing of the capture followed intelligence and military planning tied to enforcing the existing indictment. While several Maduro allies and relatives have been implicated in past investigations, his children are not charged in the current case.
Legal scholars continue to debate whether the use of military force to detain a foreign leader complies with international law.
Where Maduro is now? 
SkyFOX flew over the motorcade transporting Nicolás Maduro from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn to federal court in Lower Manhattan early Monday morning.
Maduro is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, according to people familiar with the matter. The federal jail has housed numerous high-profile detainees over the years and is known for its restrictive conditions and past operational failures.
The facility previously held music executive Sean “Diddy” Combs for more than a year before his trial, a detail that underscores the seriousness and visibility of Maduro’s detention as he awaits court proceedings.
SkyFOX flew over the motorcade transporting Nicolás Maduro from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn to federal court in Lower Manhattan early Monday morning.
Did Biden issue a warrant for Maduro?
There is no indication that President Joe Biden issued a new warrant related to Maduro’s arrest. The charges stem from a long-standing federal indictment, and warrants are issued through the judicial system rather than directly by the president.
The operation was carried out under Trump’s authority, relying on existing legal actions already underway in federal court.
Bounty questions after capture
For years, the United States had offered a reward of up to $50 million for information leading to Maduro’s arrest, one of the largest bounties ever announced for a sitting head of state. The reward reflected Washington’s efforts to pressure the Venezuelan leader amid accusations of corruption and drug trafficking.
The bounty is no longer relevant following Maduro’s capture.
Maduro capture brings Venezuela crisis to New York City
The capture of Maduro represents one of the most aggressive actions taken by the United States against a sitting foreign leader in decades. Legal experts say the Venezuela attack goes beyond even the most high-profile historical examples of American interventions in Panama, Iraq and elsewhere, raising significant international law concerns.
After the raid, Maduro and Flores were transported to New York, where federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York are pursuing a case first unveiled in 2020.
Protests expected Monday in Manhattan and Brooklyn
Local perspective:
In New York City, protest groups are expected to gather Monday morning outside the federal courthouse at 500 Pearl Street in Lower Manhattan ahead of Maduro’s arraignment, according to organizers. Demonstrators have called for Maduro and Flores to be released and returned to Venezuela and for U.S. sanctions to end.
Additional demonstrations have already taken place outside the Brooklyn jail where Maduro is being held, highlighting how a geopolitical conflict thousands of miles away has moved directly into New York’s streets and courtrooms.
The Source: This report includes information from The Associated Press.