Venezuela-Trump latest: Maduro charged with drugs and weapons offences after capture as Caracas reels from airstrikes

The Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores have been indicted in New York.

Mr Maduro has been charged with Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States.

It follows claims from the US president Donald Trump that he was leading drug cartels.

Maduro has continuously denied the allegations, and said the US wants to force a government change in Venezuela and gain access to its vast oil reserves through its campaign.

There have also been claims made against the legitimacy of Maduro’s leadership.

He was sworn in for a third term in January 2025 following a 2024 election that was broadly condemned as fraudulent by international observers and the opposition, leading to the imprisonment of thousands who protested the declared victory.

The Independent’s Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:

Keir Starmer said he had yet to speak to Donald Trump about the events in Venezuela but added “we should all uphold international law”.

He told broadcasters: “It’s obviously a fast-moving situation and we need to establish all the facts.

“What I can say is that the UK was not involved in this operation. As you can expect, we are focusing on British nationals in Venezuela and working very closely with our Embassy.

“And so I would want to talk to the President, and I would want to talk to allies for the moment. I think we need to establish the facts.”

He said that “hopefully more information will come out” when President Trump holds a press conference later.

Asked if he condemned the US’s actions, he said: “Well, I want to establish the facts. First, I want to speak to President Trump. I want to speak to allies, as I say I can be absolutely clear that we were not involved in that. And as you know, I always say, and believe we should all uphold international law. But I think at this stage, it’s a fast-moving situation, establish the facts and take it from there.”

He also said there were around 500 Brits there in Venezuela “and we’re working with the Embassy to make sure they are well looked after – safeguarded and get appropriate advice”.

Colombia’s president Gustavo Petro said the Colombian government convened a national security meeting before dawn on Saturday and sent security forces to the border in preparation for a potential “massive influx of refugees” from neighbouring Venezuela.

He said he would also call on the UN Security Council to consider “the aggression against the sovereignty of Venezuela and of Latin America”.

“Without sovereignty, there is no nation,” Mr Petro wrote on social media.

The Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores have been indicted in New York.

US attorney general Pamela Bondi said Mr Maduro has been charged with Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States.

“They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts.” she wrote on X.

“On behalf of the entire U.S. DOJ, I would like to thank President Trump for having the courage to demand accountability on behalf of the American People, and a huge thank you to our brave military who conducted the incredible and highly successful mission to capture these two alleged international narco traffickers.”

Sir Keir Starmer has responded to the US operation in Venezuela early on Saturday morning.

The prime minister said the UK “was not involved in any way” with the strikes.

He added he wants to talk to Donald Trump about the operation, which saw the Venezuelan president captured.

Spain’s prime minister has said international law “must be respected” after US strikes on Venezuela.

Pedro Sánchez said the Spanish Government is closely monitoring the situation in Venezuela.

“Our embassy and consulates are operational,” he wrote on X.

“We call for a gradual easing of restrictions and for responsible action. International law and the principles of the UN Charter must be respected.”

Donald Trump has made some of his first remarks to media after the US launched strikes and captured the Venezuelan president.

“It was a brilliant operation, actually,” he told the New York Times.

He told the newspaper: “A lot of good planning and a lot of great, great troops and great people.”

Venezuelan state-run energy company said its oil production and refining were not affected by the strikes.

PDVSA said its most important facilities had suffered no damage according to an initial assessment, two sources said.

The port of La Guaira near capital Caracas, one of the country’s largest but one which is not used for oil operations, was reported to have suffered severe damage, one of the sources said.

From claims of drug-smuggling, issues with immigration of alleged criminals, as well as Venezuela’s natural oil-rich resources, there are many factors at play which could point to the reasons behind the American attacks.

Over the past few months, Trump has accused Maduro of being a top-level member of a drug cartel, “Cartel de los Soles”, which he claims is trafficking drugs into the US. Trump has not shared evidence of Maduro’s involvement but has used these allegations to justify his lethal military operations against Venezuelan ships.

There is also the question of natural resources. Venezuela is rich in oil and rare earth minerals, which serve as extremely valuable commodities. The South American country has $1.36 trillion worth of mineral wealth, according to Maduro.

After the US seized an oil tanker in December, Caracas directly accused the US of trying to plunder Venezuela for its natural resources.