When US forces conducted a night raid on the Venezuelan capital Caracas, they didn't just drag President Nicolás Maduro from his compound and put him on a flight to New York - they took his wife too. Cilia Flores, 69, has long been seen as one of the most powerful figures in Venezuela, a political operator in her own right who for decades has shaped the country's fortunes.
After years leading Venezuela's National Assembly, she helped consolidate her husband's grip on power after his 2013 presidential election victory. As First Lady, she was dubbed 'First Warrior' by Maduro. In that role, she publicly took a backseat, presenting a more family-oriented face to what critics say was a brutal regime. She hosted a TV show, Con Cilia en Familia, and made occasional appearances on state television to dance salsa with her husband. But behind-the-scenes, she is thought to have been one of Maduro's key advisers and an architect of his political survival.
Flores has faced allegations of corruption and nepotism, with family members found guilty in US courts for cocaine smuggling. She will now face drug trafficking and weapons charges in a New York court, alongside Maduro, who has long rejected the accusations as a pretext to force him from power.
Flores met Maduro in the early 1990s, when she defended plotters of the failed 1992 coup attempt, including Hugo Chávez. After Chávez's death in 2013, Flores supported Maduro in his efforts to maintain control. However, her political career has been marred by corruption allegations, leaving a divided opinion on her role in the government.
As she faces her upcoming court date amidst these allegations, Cilia Flores remains a controversial figure in Venezuelan politics—a dynamic that reflects the broader turmoil of her country.
After years leading Venezuela's National Assembly, she helped consolidate her husband's grip on power after his 2013 presidential election victory. As First Lady, she was dubbed 'First Warrior' by Maduro. In that role, she publicly took a backseat, presenting a more family-oriented face to what critics say was a brutal regime. She hosted a TV show, Con Cilia en Familia, and made occasional appearances on state television to dance salsa with her husband. But behind-the-scenes, she is thought to have been one of Maduro's key advisers and an architect of his political survival.
Flores has faced allegations of corruption and nepotism, with family members found guilty in US courts for cocaine smuggling. She will now face drug trafficking and weapons charges in a New York court, alongside Maduro, who has long rejected the accusations as a pretext to force him from power.
Flores met Maduro in the early 1990s, when she defended plotters of the failed 1992 coup attempt, including Hugo Chávez. After Chávez's death in 2013, Flores supported Maduro in his efforts to maintain control. However, her political career has been marred by corruption allegations, leaving a divided opinion on her role in the government.
As she faces her upcoming court date amidst these allegations, Cilia Flores remains a controversial figure in Venezuelan politics—a dynamic that reflects the broader turmoil of her country.
