Nicolás Ernesto Maduro Guerra, the sole offspring of Nicolás Maduro and commonly referred to as ‘The Prince,’ has issued an appeal to the Venezuelan people following the apprehension of his father by the United States.
On January 2, the former president of Venezuela, Maduro, along with his spouse Cilia Flores, was taken from their residence in Caracas by US agents and flown to the United States. The operation was highly complex, involving 150 military aircraft and Delta Force for their capture.
Once on US soil, Maduro was confronted with several criminal accusations, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the United States.
An indictment publicized by Attorney General Pam Bondi disclosed that Maduro is not the only individual facing legal action.
Also named in the indictment are Maduro’s son, Nicolás Ernesto Maduro Guerra (‘The Prince’), former Venezuelan vice president Diosdado Cabello Rondón, politician Ramón Rodríguez Chacín, and Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores.
Maduro Guerra has been charged since 2020 with alleged drug trafficking activities, similarly to his parents. Although he was not apprehended last week, he remains on the US wanted list. He plays a significant role in Venezuelan politics as a member of the National Assembly.
In response to his parents’ detention, he expressed the need for Venezuelans to unite in opposition to the arrest of the former president.
“We are fine, we are calm, you will see us in the streets, you will see us with these people, you will see us raising the flags of dignity. They want to see us weak, but they won’t see us that way. It hurts, of course it hurts, of course it makes me angry,” Maduro Guerra stated, according to El Pais.
“But they won’t be able to, don’t mess with me. I swear on my life, I swear on my dad, I swear on Cilia, that we’re going to get out of this mess.”
He further urged the release of his father and called on Venezuelans to demonstrate against the detention of their former leader.
“History will tell who the traitors were; that will be known in time. We must concentrate on moving the country forward, on raising Chávez’s banners, and on demanding the safe release of Nicolás Maduro Moros and Cilia Flores,” he continued.
“I am standing firm, my family is standing firm, we are all standing firm, and we will move forward. Excuse me if I got a little emotional, I wanted to speak to you from the heart.”
Meanwhile, with a provisional leadership team in charge in Venezuela, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has indicated that discussions about holding elections in the country ‘is premature at this time’.