Cilia Flores, a lawyer with significant influence within Venezuela’s leadership, was detained alongside her husband, President Nicolás Maduro, as they face charges related to U.S. narco-terrorism.
WASHINGTON — In a bold move, U.S. forces conducted a covert operation early Saturday, capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in Caracas. The couple was swiftly transported out of Venezuela to confront federal charges, signaling an intensifying crackdown on their regime. While U.S. officials framed the action as a necessary step against Maduro’s long-standing rule, Venezuela’s government criticized it as an act of “imperialism.” Both Maduro and Flores are accused in the United States of engaging in a narco-terrorism conspiracy.
Flores, aged 69, has been a pivotal figure in Venezuela’s socialist leadership, known for her legal acumen and political prowess. Having been at Maduro’s side for over 30 years, she has served as one of his most trusted aides throughout his time in office.
Who is Cilia Flores?
According to the Justice Department’s indictment, Flores, along with Maduro’s son, Nicolás Maduro Guerra, is implicated in drug trafficking and arms-related conspiracies tied to the alleged criminal activities.
Flores hails from Tinaquillo, Venezuela, and was raised in Caracas’s working-class areas. She pursued a career in law, focusing on labor and criminal cases. Her political journey began in the early days of the Chavista movement, where she provided legal support to Hugo Chávez and his fellow officers following their unsuccessful coup attempt in 1992.
It was during this turbulent period that she met Maduro, who would eventually ascend within the ranks of the movement.
It was during that period that she met Maduro, who later rose through the movement’s ranks.
Flores built her own political career after Chávez was elected president. She was first elected to Venezuela’s National Assembly in 2000 and reelected in 2005.
In 2006, she became the first woman to preside over the legislature, a position she held until 2011. She later served as Venezuela’s attorney general from 2012 to 2013 and has held senior roles within the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela.
After Maduro won the presidency in 2013, Flores became first lady, though she adopted the title “first combatant,” rejecting the idea of a typical “first lady” and wielding greater influence.
Flores has remained a polarizing figure over the years, drawing criticism over her tenure in parliament and later facing international sanctions. At the time of her capture, she was serving as a deputy in Venezuela’s National Assembly and remained closely aligned with Maduro’s leadership.
