UN condemns U.S. Maduro raid as captured Venezuelan leader held in Brooklyn jail and Trump vows to 'run' Venezuela and 'keep the oil'
The U.S. carried out a coordinated campaign of strikes and maritime interdictions that seized sanctioned oil tankers and — in a high‑profile raid — captured Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife, who were flown to New York, charged in a superseding SDNY indictment with narco‑terrorism and related offenses, pleaded not guilty and are being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn pending further proceedings. The operation, framed by the Trump administration as law‑enforcement and sanctions‑enforcement tied to counter‑drug efforts (and accompanied by Trump’s vow the U.S. will “run” Venezuela temporarily and “keep the oil”), provoked widespread international condemnation — including from the U.N. — and legal and political debate over its lawfulness and consequences.
📌 Key Facts
- On Dec. 10 the U.S. seized the sanctioned oil tanker M/T Skipper (formerly Adisa/The Toyo) in international waters near Venezuela after a Coast Guard‑led helicopter boarding launched from USS Gerald R. Ford; the 332–333m vessel carried roughly 1.8–2 million barrels of heavy crude (including cargo tied to Venezuelan and Iranian buyers) and U.S. officials say the ship and oil are undergoing a legal forfeiture process and the U.S. intends to keep the cargo pending that process.
- The tanker seizure is part of a wider Trump administration maritime campaign — a declared "total and complete" blockade/quarantine of U.S.‑sanctioned Venezuelan tankers, multiple boardings and at least two seized tankers, and an interdiction/strike campaign on suspected drug‑smuggling boats since September that U.S. officials say targets narco‑terrorist networks and that independent counts put at 30–35+ strikes and more than 100 fatalities.
- On Jan. 3 U.S. forces conducted strikes in and around Caracas and carried out a nighttime raid that resulted, according to the U.S., in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores; both were flown to the United States, processed by law‑enforcement agencies and transferred to federal custody in New York.
- The Justice Department unsealed a superseding indictment in New York charging Maduro, Flores and others with narco‑terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine and related weapons offenses; Maduro and Flores pleaded not guilty at an initial appearance before Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein, with the next scheduled court date in March and prosecutors preparing voluminous discovery.
- The administration frames the tanker seizures, strikes and the Caracas raid as law‑enforcement, sanctions‑enforcement and counterdrug operations (Coast Guard/DOJ/DEA roles and court warrants), but legal scholars, many members of Congress and U.N. officials have challenged that framing — saying the use of force raises international‑law, war‑powers and human‑rights questions — and some lawmakers are pursuing legislative measures and oversight.
- President Trump and senior U.S. officials have publicly said the United States will "run" Venezuela temporarily, use an "oil quarantine" to control or seize sanctioned Venezuelan oil, rebuild Venezuelan oil infrastructure with U.S. companies and "keep the oil," comments that have intensified regional and international debate and prompted both praise from some right‑leaning governments and sharp condemnation from others (including the U.N., Mexico, China and Russia).
- The campaign and seizures have disrupted Venezuela’s shadow‑fleet oil traffic (many tankers idling or diverting), prompted a large U.S. naval and troop presence in the Caribbean, and raised humanitarian and regional concerns — including risks to Venezuela’s already fragile food and fuel supplies, migration pressures, and knock‑on effects for Cuba (which relies on Venezuelan oil).
- Maduro and Flores are being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, a high‑profile federal facility with a documented history of overcrowding and poor conditions; defense lawyers say both require medical attention for injuries allegedly sustained during the raid, and observers expect a lengthy, complex legal and diplomatic dispute over immunity, the seizure’s lawfulness and the broader U.S. strategy.
📊 Relevant Data
Approximately 57 percent of Venezuelan immigrants ages 25 and older in the US reported having a bachelor's degree or higher in 2021, compared to 35 percent of the overall US population.
Venezuelan Immigrants in the United States — Migration Policy Institute
In 2023, about 75 percent of Venezuelan immigrants ages 16 and older were in the civilian labor force in the US, compared to 67 percent of the overall foreign-born population and 63 percent of the native-born population.
Venezuelan Immigrants in the United States — Migration Policy Institute
Households headed by a Venezuelan immigrant had a median annual income of $64,000 in 2021, compared to $70,000 for all immigrant-led households and $77,000 for native-led households.
Venezuelan Immigrants in the United States — Migration Policy Institute
Venezuela's population is composed of about two-thirds mestizo (mixed European and indigenous ancestry) or mulatto-mestizo, with significant European, Afro-Venezuelan, and Amerindian populations.
Venezuela - Immigration, Ethnicity, Diversity — Britannica
Inflows of Venezuelan migrants to particular locations in the US led to increased employment and income among locals, decreased reported crime, and improved reported community conditions.
Immigration, labor markets and discrimination: Evidence from the Venezuelan refugee crisis in Peru — ScienceDirect
📊 Analysis & Commentary (4)
How Trump changes the world
"A critical, big-picture take arguing that recent actions — exemplified by the U.S. seizure of a sanctioned tanker off Venezuela — reflect a fast, risky remaking of American foreign policy that pairs aggressive regional militarization with transactional engagements with rivals, sidelining allies and producing deep global uncertainty."
No More Platitudes: Reflections on Bondi
"An explicitly critical opinion piece arguing that Pam Bondi’s prominent public role in the recent U.S. seizure of a sanctioned tanker exemplifies the politicization of law‑enforcement and raises legal, oversight and diplomatic concerns that require congressional and judicial scrutiny."
JONATHAN TURLEY: Maduro operation was legal, but Trump makes it complicated
"Turley argues the Maduro seizure could be legally justified as a law‑enforcement extraction (citing precedents like Noriega) but contends President Trump’s public talk of running Venezuela and seizing oil needlessly complicates and risks turning a defensible operation into an act of war."
GREGG JARRETT: No, Trump's order to snatch Maduro was not illegal or unconstitutional
"A pro-Trump legal-defense arguing that the U.S. seizure of Nicolás Maduro was constitutional and lawful under the president’s commander-in-chief authority, framing Democratic objections as partisan rather than grounded in law."
📰 Sources (94)
Trump administration thanks the media for keeping quiet before the strike that captured Maduro
New information:
- Provides granular account of pre‑raid information handling: some U.S. outlets received leaks about the coming strike and agreed not to publish until after U.S. forces were safe.
- Documents that President Trump’s Truth Social post in the predawn hours was the first official confirmation of U.S. involvement, following local reporting of explosions in Venezuela.
- Highlights internal tension between Rubio’s praise for responsible media behavior and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s restrictive press-access policy at the Pentagon justified by mistrust of journalists.
From palace to prison: Venezuelan strongman Maduro locked in troubled Brooklyn jail
New information:
- Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores are being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, New York, a federal pretrial facility that currently houses more than 1,300 inmates.
- A Bureau of Prisons representative confirmed to Fox News that Maduro and Flores are among the inmates at MDC Brooklyn.
- Maduro is likely housed in the east-side 'VIP section' used for high‑profile inmates, according to defense attorney Renato Stabile, who previously represented former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández there.
- The article details that the 'VIP section' on the east side is where high-profile defendants like Juan Orlando Hernández, Sean “Diddy” Combs, and Sam Bankman-Fried have been held and where inmates can mingle, watch TV and play ping-pong together.
- MDC Brooklyn houses both male and female inmates but they are segregated by sex, so Maduro and Flores may have limited ability to interact except in joint attorney meetings.
- Maduro is represented by New York-based attorney Barry Pollack, who previously represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
- Maduro and Flores pleaded not guilty in court on Monday and their next court date is set for March 17.
600,000 Venezuelans face U.S. deportation after Maduro raid
New information:
- Details that two separate TPS designations for Venezuelans — covering about 348,000 people (2023 designation) and 268,000 people (2021 designation) — were terminated by the Trump administration in April and November, respectively, leaving roughly 600,000 Venezuelans without TPS protections.
- Quote from USCIS spokesperson Matthew Tragesser framing Maduro’s removal as a 'turning point' and saying Venezuelans can now return to rebuild the country they love.
- Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Venezuela is 'more free today than it was yesterday' after the raid and that former TPS holders can apply for 'refugee status.'
- The article notes a December USCIS memo that ordered a pause on all asylum applications, meaning asylum is currently not an option despite the suggestion of applying for refugee status.
- It highlights that Venezuela is on the Trump administration’s expanded travel‑ban list and that all immigration decisions from such countries are currently paused, affecting Venezuelans seeking visas or status changes.
- Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) said after an unannounced ICE detention oversight visit that a supervisor told him DHS is looking at ramping up deportation flights to Venezuela following Maduro’s capture.
- A DHS spokesperson told Axios that deportation flights to Venezuela 'were never paused,' even as Venezuela had previously been considered non-cooperative and deportees were often sent to third countries like Mexico.
Trump tells Scarborough US will keep Venezuela oil when pressed on Iraq comparisons
New information:
- Joe Scarborough recounts a phone call with President Trump in which Trump explicitly says the U.S. is going to 'keep the oil' in Venezuela following the operation that captured Nicolás Maduro.
- Trump, as quoted by Scarborough, contrasts Venezuela with the Iraq war by saying 'the difference between Iraq and this is that Bush didn’t keep the oil. We’re going to keep the oil.'
- Trump reportedly told Scarborough, 'We’re going to rebuild their broken-down oil facilities, and this time we’re going to keep the oil,' tying U.S. involvement to rebuilding and controlling Venezuelan oil infrastructure.
- Scarborough notes that Trump took his remarks 'off background,' allowing them to be quoted on the record, and frames this as heralding 'a new era of geopolitical engagement.'
Pelosi heir-apparent calls Trump’s Venezuela move a ‘lawless coup,’ urges impeachment, slams Netanyahu
New information:
- California state Sen. Scott Wiener, widely viewed as Nancy Pelosi’s likely congressional successor, issued a detailed public statement labeling Trump’s capture of Maduro a 'lawless coup' and 'illegal invasion of Venezuela' and explicitly calling for Trump’s impeachment over the operation.
- Wiener argued the raid was aimed at enriching Trump’s donors, distracting from slumping poll numbers and the Epstein document release, and seizing Venezuela’s oil, and warned it would embolden China, Russia and Netanyahu to pursue aggressive actions elsewhere.
- The White House, via spokeswoman Anna Kelly, responded that the operation was 'lawfully executed' pursuant to a federal arrest warrant and accused Democrats of taking the side of 'indicted drug smugglers.'
- Rep. April McClain-Delaney, D-Md., is cited as saying Democrats should 'imminently consider impeachment proceedings,' arguing Trump acted without constitutionally required congressional authorization and improperly voiced an intention to 'run' Venezuela.
- The article notes that a handful of other Democrats referenced impeachment or impeachable offenses in connection with the Venezuela operation, but so far without formally demanding proceedings as directly as Wiener.
Cuba, reliant on Venezuelan oil and support, faces uncertain future after U.S. removes Maduro
New information:
- Cuba reports that 32 of its security officers were killed in the U.S. weekend strike in Venezuela, saying they died either in direct combat against U.S. attackers or from bombing of facilities.
- Cuban officials held a dawn flag‑lowering ceremony on Monday to mourn the 32 dead and publicly denounced the operation as 'state terrorism.'
- Experts estimate Venezuela had been shipping an average of 35,000 barrels of oil per day to Cuba over the last three months, roughly a quarter of Cuba’s total demand.
- The article raises a key unresolved question for U.S. policy: whether Washington will allow Venezuela to continue supplying oil to Cuba after Maduro’s removal.
- Analysts note Cuba lacks the money to buy oil on the open market and currently relies on about 2 million barrels per year from Russia; both a Cuban energy expert and economist doubt Russia will easily increase support because deepening involvement with Cuba could complicate its negotiations with the U.S. over Ukraine.
- President Trump publicly said Maduro’s ouster means Cuba’s ailing economy 'is going down' and 'going down for the count,' underscoring the administration’s stated goal of weakening the Cuban government by toppling Maduro.
- The piece documents grassroots Cuban reactions—fear of worse blackouts and shortages, and some citizens expressing willingness to fight—illustrating the population‑level impact of the raid and likely instability.
Maduro's son gives 'unconditional support' to newly sworn in interim Venezuela president
New information:
- Identifies Nicolás Maduro Guerra’s explicit political response: he backs Delcy Rodríguez’s interim presidency and commits his and his family’s support to her.
- Provides direct quotes from Maduro Guerra describing the U.S. capture of his father as a 'kidnapping' and a broader threat to global political stability.
- Clarifies that Maduro Guerra appeared at the National Assembly’s swearing‑in ceremony for a term lasting until 2031, signaling ruling‑party institutional alignment behind Rodríguez.
- Reinforces that Rodríguez is positioning herself between condemning the U.S. strike and signaling willingness to cooperate with the Trump administration.
Maduro's wife suffered 'significant injuries' in dramatic capture, attorney alleges
New information:
- Cilia Flores arrived at her first U.S. court appearance in New York City with visible bandages on her face and complaining of rib bruises, according to her lawyer.
- Her attorney Mark Donnelly told the court that Flores suffered 'significant injuries' during the U.S. raid on the couple's Caracas compound and requested a full X-ray to determine if she fractured a rib.
- Both Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty to narco-terrorism–related charges at their initial appearance on Jan. 5, 2026.
- The article specifies the charges Flores faces: cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.
- The piece identifies Donnelly’s background as a former senior DOJ official and fraud-division head in the Southern District of Texas, and notes he has now formally moved to serve as Flores’ counsel.
Nobel Peace Prize recipient Machado pledges to return to Venezuela, sees 'alarming' internal crackdown
New information:
- Maria Corina Machado, recently awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, says she plans to return to Venezuela 'as soon as possible' after more than 16 months in hiding, following Maduro’s capture.
- Machado claims a sweeping executive/state-of-emergency decree signed by Maduro before his capture is now being used to persecute Venezuelans who support Trump’s actions, and alleges at least 14 journalists have been detained in the last 24 hours.
- Reuters-cited decree text orders police to 'immediately begin the national search and capture of everyone involved in the promotion or support for the armed attack by the United States.'
- Machado publicly thanks President Trump for 'bringing Maduro to justice' and says the transition away from Maduro 'should move forward' but must be closely monitored by the United States and Venezuelans.
- She sharply criticizes interim president Delcy Rodríguez as an architect of 'torture, persecution, corruption, narco trafficking' and a key liaison to Russia, China and Iran, arguing Rodríguez cannot be trusted to lead a transition or attract international investors.
Maduro held in NYC jail as Trump administration plans for Venezuela's future
New information:
- The U.N. human rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said the U.S. operation in Venezuela 'undermined a fundamental principle of international law' and warned that states must not threaten or use force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.
- U.N. Secretary‑General António Guterres stated he is 'deeply concerned that rules of international law have not been respected' regarding the operation.
- Maduro spent Monday night at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn following his seizure in Caracas and transfer to New York.
- In an NBC News interview, President Trump said Venezuela will not hold elections until 'we have to nurse the country back to health' and 'fix the country first,' asserting that 'there's no way the people could even vote' now.
- Trump said a group of U.S. officials will oversee Venezuela in the interim and reiterated his intention for the U.S. to 'run' Venezuela, while threatening interim President Delcy Rodríguez with a 'very big price, probably bigger than Maduro' if she 'doesn't do what's right.'
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio told 'Face the Nation' the administration plans to maintain economic leverage primarily by restricting Venezuelan oil exports.
- After a classified briefing, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the administration’s Venezuela strategy as 'vague' and based on 'wishful thinking,' while House Speaker Mike Johnson praised the operation as 'decisive and justified.'
Venezuela strategy remains 'vague' after Trump admin briefing, says Rep. Adam Smith
New information:
- Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, attended a Monday briefing with senior Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine, on the Venezuela operation.
- Smith says the administration’s long‑term plans for Venezuela after removing Nicolás Maduro are 'vague,' with officials offering general talk about avoiding chaos and working with interim President Delcy Rodríguez but 'not any specifics.'
- Smith warns that Venezuela’s dire economic situation risks devolving into 'armed gangs fighting with each other in a chaotic situation,' potentially worsening the problems the raid was supposed to address, and raises legality and scope-of-involvement concerns in his NPR interview.
Latin America fractures over Trump’s Maduro capture as regional allies shift right
New information:
- Latin American regional diplomacy around Maduro’s detention has fractured, with an attempted CELAC statement condemning his capture failing due to opposition from nine member states.
- Argentina, now led by a right‑leaning government, has publicly described Maduro at the UN Security Council as a 'dictator' and 'leader of the Cartel of the Suns' and lauded President Trump’s role in the operation.
- The article situates Maduro’s case in a broader shift of some Latin American electorates and governments toward right‑of‑center positions that align more closely with the Trump administration’s framing of Venezuela’s crisis.
The criminal prosecution of Nicolás Maduro is underway. Here's what to expect
New information:
- Confirms that Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores have both formally pleaded not guilty in their initial appearance in Manhattan federal court.
- Specifies the four charges in the superseding SDNY indictment: narco‑terrorism conspiracy, cocaine‑importation conspiracy, and possession of and conspiracy to possess machine guns.
- Identifies Maduro’s U.S. defense lawyer as Washington‑based attorney Barry Joel Pollack, and Flores’ lawyer as Houston‑based Mark Donnelly, including Donnelly’s statement that there is a 'long road ahead' and they will challenge the government’s evidence.
- Explains that prosecutors and experts expect a lengthy pretrial phase with motions and possible plea talks, and that a trial is unlikely to occur in 2026 due to the complexity, evidence, and security issues.
- Highlights that a likely early defense argument will center on head‑of‑state immunity, with experts noting the Noriega precedent where a U.S. court rejected similar immunity claims by a foreign leader.
- Clarifies that the indictment alleges Maduro’s drug‑trafficking conduct began as early as 1999 and spans various positions he held in the Venezuelan government, not only his time as president.
Bondi says Trump 'saved countless lives' in Venezuelan dictator Maduro capture operation
New information:
- The article recounts that in a brief exchange reported from court, Maduro called himself a 'prisoner of war,' compared himself to Jesus, and reiterated in open court that he is 'innocent,' 'a decent man,' and 'still president' of Venezuela.
- It specifies that Bondi and DOJ are portraying the operation as targeting 'narco‑traffickers' who allegedly used Venezuelan diplomatic passports and cover to aid drug trafficking and money laundering, reinforcing DOJ’s framing of the indictment’s conduct.
Inside Maduro's defiant first courtroom appearance
New information:
- CBS specifies that Maduro and Cilia Flores were flown under heavy guard from a federal jail in Brooklyn to Manhattan by helicopter, then driven in an armored vehicle to the courthouse.
- The article describes protests outside the courthouse, noting opposing groups of demonstrators both cheering Maduro’s downfall and opposing his capture.
- In court, Maduro declared through a translator that he is a "decent man," "innocent of all charges," and that he is still president of Venezuela, before Judge Hellerstein cut him off to focus on identity and rights.
- CBS confirms both Maduro and Flores pleaded not guilty and that they waived their right to a speedy trial, signaling potentially lengthy proceedings.
- The piece notes that in Caracas, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president following Maduro’s capture.
- Flores’ attorney Mark Donnelly told the court she may have suffered a rib injury during the capture operation and she appeared with a bandage on her forehead; Judge Hellerstein promised full medical attention.
- Maduro’s attorney Barry Pollack told the court that Maduro has unspecified health issues requiring attention, and Hellerstein likewise assured medical care.
- The article reiterates that the superseding indictment unsealed Saturday accuses Maduro, Flores, their son and others of partnering for decades with violent drug traffickers and narco-terrorists to ship tons of cocaine to the U.S.
Trump admin asks Boasberg for more time to detail CECOT plans after Maduro ouster
New information:
- Reveals that DOJ lawyers have asked U.S. District Judge James Boasberg for a seven‑day extension to file a plan detailing how the Trump administration will provide due‑process protections to a class of Venezuelan migrants deported to El Salvador’s CECOT prison in March.
- Clarifies that roughly 150 of the original 252 Venezuelan migrants remain at issue in Boasberg’s class action after a July prisoner exchange removed the group again to Venezuela.
- Notes that Boasberg issued a minute order pointing out DOJ failed to comply with a local rule requiring consultation with opposing counsel before seeking an extension, leaving the extension request unresolved for now.
- Details that Boasberg’s prior order requires the administration either to return the CECOT migrants to the U.S. for in‑person hearings or set up hearings abroad that still "satisfy the requirements of due process."
- Reiterates that Trump officials had labeled the migrants as Tren de Aragua gang members, but that evidence for those designations has been disputed and found lacking in many cases, complicating the due‑process review.
Judge in Maduro's case has previously been a thorn in Trump's side
New information:
- Identifies Judge Alvin Hellerstein, 92, as the SDNY senior judge presiding over Maduro’s case and notes he has handled related matters since 2014, including the 2020 superseding indictment naming Maduro.
- Details Hellerstein’s prior role in Donald Trump’s New York hush‑money case, where he rejected Trump’s attempt to remove the case to federal court and wrote that reimbursing Michael Cohen for hush money to Stormy Daniels was not a presidential duty.
- Reports that after a 2024 Supreme Court immunity ruling, the Second Circuit has ordered Hellerstein to re‑examine Trump’s removal/immunity arguments in light of the new standard.
- Notes Hellerstein previously granted a temporary restraining order in an ACLU case blocking deportations of Venezuelans under the Alien Enemies Act until they received due process.
- Recaps that Hellerstein recently presided over the 2025 fraud trial of Charlie Javice involving a $175 million JPMorgan Chase acquisition of her company, Frank.
Venezuela swears in interim leader, seeking to show it operates free from U.S. control
New information:
- Links Maduro’s first New York court appearance more explicitly to simultaneous political developments in Caracas, including Delcy Rodríguez’s swearing‑in as interim president by the National Assembly speaker.
- Provides additional detail on the Venezuelan government’s messaging that it remains independent from U.S. control, using the National Assembly ceremony and Rodríguez’s remarks to underscore that narrative.
- Adds quotes from Nicolás Maduro Guerra warning that ‘if we normalize the kidnapping of a head of state, no country is safe’ and framing the raid as a threat to ‘global political stability.’
- Introduces Marco Rubio’s explanation on U.S. television that the U.S. will not run Venezuela’s day‑to‑day affairs beyond enforcing an ‘oil quarantine,’ and that Washington expects changes in the oil sector and drug‑trafficking behavior.
Defiant Maduro declares he is a 'prisoner of war' in first US court appearance
New information:
- Describes Maduro’s courtroom behavior in detail: repeatedly tried to stand, interrupted Judge Alvin Hellerstein, and made personal declarations of innocence and of still being Venezuela’s president.
- Reports that Hellerstein entered not‑guilty pleas on all four counts for Maduro after cutting off his statements, while Flores verbally pleaded not guilty herself.
- Quotes Maduro calling himself a 'kidnapped president' and a 'prisoner of war' to a bystander in Spanish as he exited the courtroom.
- Identifies Barry Pollack as Maduro’s defense attorney and notes his prior high‑profile clients, including Julian Assange.
- States that neither defendant sought bail at the arraignment, but Flores’s attorney signaled an intent to seek her release later.
- Reveals that both defense teams told the judge their clients need medical attention from injuries allegedly sustained during the U.S. raid, with Flores’s lawyer citing a possible fracture or serious abrasion.
- Confirms prosecutors expect to provide discovery in about 60 days and that both sides agreed to reconvene on March 17, with defense counsel waiving speedy‑trial rights due to expected 'voluminous and complicated discovery.'
The lawyers involved in the case against Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores
New information:
- Confirms that Cilia Flores appeared alongside Nicolás Maduro in federal court in lower Manhattan and pleaded not guilty to three offenses related to drug trafficking and weapons.
- Details the specific counts: Maduro faces four counts including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine/narcotics import-export conspiracy, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices; Flores is charged with three offenses.
- Identifies U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein (age 92, on the federal bench since 1998) as presiding over the case.
- Names Barry Pollack of Harris St. Laurent & Wechsler LLP as Maduro’s defense attorney and notes his prior representation of Julian Assange and an acquitted Enron executive.
- Names Mark Donnelly of Parker Sanchez & Donnelly as Flores’ attorney, outlines his background as a former DOJ senior adviser in SDTX and Harris County prosecutor, and notes he is a proficient Spanish speaker.
- Confirms that U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton, as head of SDNY, signed the indictment against Maduro and Flores.
- Provides a defense statement from Flores’ lawyers that she is in good spirits and prepared for a long legal road, and that the defense looks forward to challenging the government’s evidence.
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