Key development in the indictment
A notable change in the case is the removal of the explicit claim that Maduro led the "Cartel de los Soles." Earlier indictments and Trump administration statements had portrayed the cartel as a real drug trafficking organization. However, the new indictment reframes the term as a culture of corruption or patronage system involving Venezuelan elites enriched through drug trafficking, rather than a formal organized cartel.
Evidence and legal context
U.S. legal experts say that the indictment does not detail all of the evidence publicly, as key material remains classified or tied to intelligence sources — a common practice in complex narcotics cases. Some lawyers argue that Maduro's transfer to the U.S. may raise questions under international law, though his presence in the country does not preclude proceeding under U.S. law. The next court hearing is scheduled for March 17, and prosecutors are also seeking the seizure of the defendants' assets.
