The Excerpt Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife are in US custody
Jan 6, 2026
Bart Jansen, a USA TODAY White House correspondent, discusses the dramatic capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife by U.S. forces. He covers the charges against them, including narco-terrorism and allegations of extensive drug trafficking. Jansen explores the legality of the U.S. action and the global response, drawing parallels to Manuel Noriega's case. He also shares insights into future U.S. plans for Venezuela's oil industry and the mixed public reaction within Venezuela, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding leadership and foreign involvement.
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Broad But Vague Drug Conspiracy Allegations
- The indictment accuses Nicolás Maduro of leading a 25-year criminal conspiracy to ship massive quantities of cocaine to the U.S.
- The indictment lists broad allegations but provides limited specific acts tying Maduro personally to the scheme.
Scale Claimed Is Extremely Large
- The indictment estimates 200–250 tons of cocaine per year by 2020 coming from Venezuela, signaling a massively scaled operation.
- Specific operational details and Maduro's direct acts are sparse and expected to be clarified in later court filings.
Military Arrest Sparks International Pushback
- Using U.S. military forces to seize a foreign head of state has prompted scrutiny and diplomatic pushback from regional neighbors and global powers.
- European allies are studying legality while Russia, China and nearby Latin American leaders criticized the action as a dangerous precedent.