Nic Mad

The write-up

Nicolás Maduro led Venezuela, 2013–2026. Captured by U.S. forces in January 2026, he has pleaded not guilty to charges in New York.

1. Exhibit A

   Early life

   Maduro was born on Nov. 23, 1962, in Caracas. He trained as an organizer in Cuba rather than attending university, then worked as a Caracas bus driver and became a representative in the transit workers' union.

2. Exhibit B

   Rise with Chávez

   He campaigned for Hugo Chávez's release from prison in 1992–94, sat in the 1999 Constituent Assembly and the National Assembly (serving as its president until 2006), became foreign minister in 2006 and vice president in October 2012.

3. Exhibit C

   Succession

   Chávez died on March 5, 2013. Maduro became interim president and won the April 14, 2013, special election with nearly 51% of the vote; his opponent, Henrique Capriles, alleged irregularities and sought a recount.

4. Exhibit D

   Disputed elections

   Maduro was reelected in 2018. In July 2024 the National Electoral Council declared him the winner with 51.2%; opposition candidate Edmundo González and many foreign governments disputed the result, citing missing detailed tallies. Britannica describes his rule after 2018 as increasingly authoritarian. Maduro rejected a 2020 U.S. drug-trafficking indictment as politically motivated.

5. Exhibit E

   Capture and charges

   On Jan. 3, 2026, U.S. forces captured Maduro and Cilia Flores in Caracas and flew them to New York. U.S. prosecutors charge them with narco-terrorism, cocaine-importation and weapons offenses, and an October 2026 superseding indictment added conspiracy to commit torture. Both pleaded not guilty; Maduro called the accusations false. Trial is set for June 14, 2027.

6. Exhibit F

   Venezuela now

   Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro's former vice president, has led Venezuela as acting president since his capture. She told the UN General Assembly in September 2026 that elections will be held, without setting a date.