US forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, on Saturday, flying them out of the country after months of US pressure over migration and drug trafficking. Attention now turns to the president's son, Nicolas Ernesto Maduro Guerra, also known as “The Prince,” whose alleged role in Venezuela's drug operations is detailed in newly unsealed US indictments.
The Trump Administration has charged Maduro, Flores, and Maduro Guerra with drug trafficking, narco-terrorism, and weapons offences. Prosecutors allege all three conspired to traffic large quantities of cocaine into the United States to benefit or support Colombian guerrilla groups, Mexican cartels, and Venezuelan gangs.
Who Is Nicolas Maduro's Son?
Nicolas Ernesto Maduro Guerra, 35, the son of the Venezuelan president, has long been a rising figure within the ruling Chavista movement. Born to Maduro's first wife, Adriana Guerra Angulo, in 1990, he was widely regarded as a potential political successor. A member of Venezuela's National Assembly, Maduro Guerra was also known by the nicknames “Nicolasito” and “The Prince”.
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How Maduro's Son Smuggled Drugs To The US
US Federal prosecutors portray him as a key orchestrator of a sprawling narcotics network that allegedly leveraged state assets, military personnel, and political influence to transport cocaine from Venezuela to the United States.
Between 2014 and 2015, he reportedly travelled twice a month to Margarita Island aboard a PDVSA Falcon 900 jet, a state-owned aircraft. Before each flight, the plane was allegedly loaded with large, tape-wrapped packages of cocaine, with military personnel fully aware of their contents. One affidavit claims Maduro Guerra boasted the plane could fly “wherever it wanted,” even into US airspace.
The indictment alleges that in 2017, Maduro Guerra coordinated shipments of hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Venezuela to Miami, Florida.
Prosecutors detail discussions about shipping low-quality cocaine to New York, as it could not be sold in Miami, along with plans to unload 500-kilogram shipments from cargo containers and smuggle cocaine using scrap metal containers into US ports.
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Maduro's Son Operating With Drug Cartel
“The Prince” is accused of operating within the Cartel de los Soles, a Venezuelan drug organisation allegedly led by high-ranking government officials.
Prosecutors claim the cartel used PDVSA planes, presidential hangars, and diplomatic channels to shield shipments from law enforcement and facilitate international trafficking.
The indictment also suggests that drug proceeds were funnelled into political campaigns, including financing initiatives for Maduro's wife, Cilia Flores.
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What Are The Charges Against Nicolas Maduro
The indictment names Maduro, Flores, and Maduro Guerra as co-conspirators in
- Narco-terrorism conspiracy - allegedly trafficking cocaine to benefit terrorist-designated organisations.
- Cocaine importation conspiracy - moving significant quantities into US markets.
- Weapons and destructive devices conspiracy - allegedly using firearms and heavy weapons to protect operations.
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