NEW YORK – U.S. prosecutors have formally requested the extradition of Nicolás Ernesto Maduro Guerra, widely known as “Nicolasito,” as part of an expanding federal case targeting senior figures within Venezuela’s former leadership.
The request is linked to the broader U.S. criminal case against his father, Nicolás Maduro, and other high-ranking officials, who are accused of participating in a large-scale drug trafficking network. U.S. authorities allege that members of Venezuela’s political elite facilitated the shipment of large quantities of cocaine into the United States over a period of years.
According to the indictment, Maduro Guerra is named among several defendants accused of involvement in what prosecutors describe as a “narcoterrorism conspiracy.” The charges include conspiracy to engage in narcoterrorism, trafficking cocaine to the United States, possession and use of weapons in support of those operations, and money laundering tied to drug trafficking activities.
The case forms part of a long-running investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice, which has accused Venezuela’s leadership of collaborating with international criminal organizations, including guerrilla groups and drug cartels, to move narcotics into North America.
The developments come as Maduro himself remains in U.S. custody following his capture earlier this year and is currently facing trial in New York on similar charges, including narcoterrorism and cocaine trafficking conspiracy.
Legal experts note that the inclusion of Maduro’s son in the case underscores the U.S. government’s position that the alleged network extended beyond political leadership into family and inner-circle structures of power.
It remains unclear where Maduro Guerra is currently located or how quickly extradition proceedings could move forward. The case is expected to have significant political and diplomatic implications, particularly for relations between the United States and Venezuela.