Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is set to appear in Manhattan federal court on Monday to face narco-terrorism charges, days after his capture by the US military.

Maduro, 63, and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been jailed in Brooklyn after US forces seized them from Caracas in a weekend raid.

They are scheduled to appear at 12:00pm before US District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein.

It is unclear if either has obtained lawyers or will enter pleas.

The US has deemed Maduro an illegitimate dictator since he declared victory in a 2018 election marred by allegations of irregularities.

Prosecutors say Maduro is the kingpin of a cartel of Venezuelan political and military officials who conspired for decades with drug trafficking groups and US-designated terrorist organisations to flood the US with cocaine.

Maduro was first indicted in 2020 as part of a long-running narcotics case against Venezuelan officials and Colombian guerrillas.

In a new indictment unsealed Saturday, prosecutors allege he personally oversaw a state-sponsored cocaine trafficking network that partnered with violent drug groups including Mexico’s Sinaloa and Zetas cartels, Colombian FARC, and the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

The indictment states: “As Venezuela’s President and now de facto ruler, Maduro allows cocaine-fueled corruption to flourish for his own benefit, for the benefit of members of his ruling regime, and for the benefit of his family members.”

Maduro is charged with narco-terrorism, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.

He faces decades to life in prison on each count if convicted.

Prosecutors say Maduro has been involved in drug trafficking since 2000, through his tenure as foreign minister (2006–2013), and since succeeding Hugo Chavez in 2013.

They allege he sold diplomatic passports to traffickers, arranged cover for flights transporting drug proceeds, directed cocaine routes, used the military to protect shipments, and sheltered violent trafficking groups.

Legal experts note prosecutors will need to prove Maduro’s direct involvement in trafficking to secure a conviction, which may be difficult if he insulated himself from decision-making.