Maduro, wife Flores was charged with terrorism in a Manhattan court

President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are facing a “very serious situation” as a couple at the center of Venezuelan politics and are now being held in US custody ahead of their trial on January 5, according to national security experts.

Maduro and Flores, who have been married for 13 years, were arrested in Caracas during a nighttime operation on Jan. 3 were taken into custody in the United States, where federal prosecutors have filed criminal charges against both, officials said.

“This is the worst situation for them, not in power but imprisoned by the US government,” Roxanna Vigil told Fox News Digital.

“They are husband and wife, but there is also a political side because their future in politics is united,” added a colleague from the Council on Foreign Relations.

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Maduro, 63, has been charged with four counts: conspiracy to commit terrorism, conspiracy to traffic in cocaine, possession of firearms and explosives, and conspiracy to possess firearms and explosives.

Flores, 69, was charged with three counts: conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess firearms and destructive devices.

Flores first gained attention in 1994 when, as a lawyer, he defended Hugo Chávez after his failed coup attempt in 1992.

After Chávez was elected, he sat in the National Assembly in 2000 before becoming president of the National Assembly – he succeeded Maduro – and later became Venezuela’s attorney general from 2012 to 2013 under both men.

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Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro shakes hands with his wife Cilia Flores as they leave the Capitolio, home of the National Assembly, after being sworn in during the presidential inauguration in Caracas on Jan. 10, 2025. (Juan Barreto/AFP via Getty Images)

“Cilia is very politically savvy and has been one of the key people in building and advancing Chávez’s reform project,” Vigil said. “He is very much tied to the Chavista organization, which is at a low level but is likely to survive this crisis. The future of Venezuela will depend on whether there is a transition to democracy or whether Chavista remains in power.”

“Cilia Flores is one of the first Chavistas because she was part of Hugo Chávez’s party in the early 1990s before he became president,” he added.

Flores was introduced to Maduro while working closely with Chávez. At the time, Maduro described him as a “fiery character,” according to Reuters.

The two did not marry until nearly two decades after their first meeting, after Maduro was elected president in 2013.

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Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores arrive at the National Assembly for his third term swearing-in ceremony in Caracas, Venezuela, Jan. 10, 2025. (Matias Delacroix, File/AP Photo)

In accordance with reportscritics called Flores “Lady Macbeth.”

“Since Maduro took power in Venezuela, he has been an influential adviser, more behind the scenes than in the Chávez years, but still a very influential political entity,” Vigil explained.

“Members of his family are involved in various crimes, including crimes in the US, and this includes his two nephews,” he added.

Flores’ influence extended to Maduro’s efforts to retain control after the opposition won a majority in the National Assembly in 2015.

Instead of allowing the opposition-led legislature to function, Maduro moved to create a parallel body that took power from the legislature.

“There was also his role in Maduro’s government, especially his role in his efforts to undermine the 2015 democratically elected National Assembly,” Vigil said.

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Government supporters display posters of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, right, and former President Hugo Chávez in the city of Caracas, Venezuela, on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, after US President Donald Trump announced that Maduro had been arrested and flown out of the country. (Matias Delacroix/AP)

“Cilia Flores was part of that effort, and that was highlighted when she was endorsed by the US government in 2018,” Vigil said. “My sense is that Cilia didn’t want to be president or claim an official role, she just had a big impact.”

“On some level, I think he believed that Maduro was in the best position to continue the work of Hugo Chávez’s revolution,” he added, “and that continuing this work was important to him.”

President Trump addressed Maduro’s capture this week, warning of dire consequences for the Venezuelan leader and signaling a tougher approach toward the regime.

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As previously reported by Fox News DigitalTrump said the US would temporarily govern Venezuela “until such time as we can make a safe, proper and prudent transition.”

But Vigil highlights the president did not publicly reveal Flores’ plans. “President Trump didn’t say anything about her yesterday, so it’s not clear what Cilia’s plan is,” said Vigil.

“Secretary Rubio said that Maduro refused good promises to leave, but he also did not talk about Cilia, why he was taken with Maduro, and what role he played in these negotiations. Cilia was also not charged in 2020 when Maduro was initially charged,” said Vigil.

“President Trump’s rhetoric against Maduro four months ago did not include Cilia,” he explained.

On Sunday, Rubio said in an interview with ABC: “I encourage everyone – I know it’s Sunday, people are busy. But the cases are now open. People should read this case. They should read this case. They should read what this man did for 15 years – the last 15 years of his life against the United States – himself and his wife.”

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Attorney General Pam Bondi also echoed that message on social media, writing in X that Maduro and Flores “will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts,” and calling them “two suspected international narco traffickers.”