Nicolás Maduro

**Nicolás Maduro Moros** (; born 13 November 1962) is a Venezuelan politician who has been the 48th President of Venezuela from 2013 until his _de facto_ removal from power by the United States in January 2026. He was previously the 20th Vice President of Venezuela from 2012 and the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2006 to 2013. Maduro was also the 3rd President of the National Assembly of Venezuela from 2005 to 2006. He became the acting president following the death of Hugo Chávez.

## Personal life

Maduro was born on 13 November 1962 in Cúcuta, Colombia. Maduro was raised as a Roman Catholic, and his paternal family ancestry is of Sephardic Jewish origin. He is married to Cilia Flores. Before Maduro became a politician, he was a bus driver in Caracas.

In March 2016, Maduro endorsed United States senator Bernie Sanders for President of the United States.

## Presidency

On 14 April 2013, Maduro was elected President of Venezuela, narrowly defeating Henrique Capriles, with 1.5% of the vote separating the two candidates. Capriles demanded a recount, refusing to recognize the outcome as valid. However, the result was valid and Maduro was sworn in as president five days later on 19 April.

In 2013, Maduro denied rumors of homophobia. He stated that if he were gay he would "shout it to the four winds". He said that "I would have no problem loving whoever I had to love with my heart". He also stated that the Chávez government had supported LGBT rights for the past 14 years, promoting inclusion and non-discrimination.

In January 2017, Maduro endorsed the murder of Venezuelan dissident Óscar Pérez in what has been named as the _Raid in El Junquito_.  The international media and some politicians & citizens all over the world defined what has happened in El Junquito as a massacre. They harshly criticized about Maduro & his government.

Despite calls to resign as president when his first term ended on 10 January 2019, Maduro inaugurated himself. This caused many people to be angry across the world and caused the National Assembly to call for a State of emergency. Many countries removed their embassies from Venezuela. Many believe that his election was illegitimate, they claimed that by retaking power, Maduro was making Venezuela into an illegal _de facto_ dictatorship.

In 2022, Maduro has told CGTN that despite the crisis in the country, the economy has grown and will expect to grow more in the coming years. He also said that the crisis is going down.

In March 2024, Maduro has confirmed that he'll be running for a third term in the 2024 Venezuelan presidential election.

### U.S. capture and arrest

In the early hours of 3 January 2026, the United States launched a military operation in Venezuela. A large-scale strike was carried out, with Donald Trump, the president of the United States, announcing around 4:20 am EST that Maduro and his wife were captured and had been flown out of the country. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Maduro was to stand trial on criminal charges in the United States. The mission was carried out by the US Army's Delta Force. Venezuelan vice president Delcy Rodríguez said she did not know where Maduro was and asked for proof that he was alive.

Maduro was taken into federal custody to face the 2020 narco-terrorism charges in New York state. U.S. attorney general Pam Bondi said that both Maduro and his wife would face charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy and bringing cocaine into the United States.

## Other websites

- Ministerio del Poder Popular para Relaciones Exteriores  (Venezuelan Foreign Ministry)
- Biography by CIDOB

## Infobox (criminal)

- **child**: yes
- **criminal status**: Incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center, Brooklyn, Metropolitan Detention Center
- **criminal charge**: 4 counts


## Infobox (officeholder)

- **name**: Nicolás Maduro
- **image**: Nicolas_Maduro_on_December_31,_2025_(cropped2).jpg
- **caption**: Maduro in 2025
- **office**: 53rd President of Venezuela
- **term start**: 5 March 2013
- **term end**: 3 January 2026
- **predecessor**: Hugo Chávez
- **successor**: Delcy Rodríguez
(acting)
- **office1**: President of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela
- **vicepresident1**: Diosdado Cabello
- **term start1**: 5 March 2013
- **term end1**: 3 January 2026
- **predecessor1**: Hugo Chávez
- **office2**: Vice President of Venezuela
- **term start2**: 13 October 2012
- **term end2**: 19 April 2013
- **predecessor2**: Elías Jaua
- **successor2**: Jorge Arreaza
- **office3**: List of ministers of foreign affairs of Venezuela, Minister of Foreign Affairs
- **president3**: Hugo Chávez
- **term start3**: 9 August 2006
- **term end3**: 13 October 2012
- **predecessor3**: Alí Rodríguez Araque
- **successor3**: Elías Jaua
- **office4**: President of the National Assembly of Venezuela
- **term start4**: 5 January 2005
- **term end4**: 7 August 2006
- **predecessor4**: Francisco Ameliach
- **successor4**: Cilia Flores
- **office5**: Member of the National Assembly (Venezuela), National Assembly
- **term start5**: 3 August 2000
- **term end5**: 7 August 2006
- **constituency5**: Capital District (Venezuela), Capital District
- **office6**: Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement
- **term start6**: 17 September 2016
- **term end6**: 25 October 2019
- **predecessor6**: Hassan Rouhani
- **successor6**: Ilham Aliyev
- **office7**: President pro tempore of the Union of South American Nations
- **term start7**: 23 April 2016
- **term end7**: 21 April 2017
- **predecessor7**: Tabaré Vázquez
- **successor7**: Mauricio Macri
- **birth name**: Nicolás Maduro Moros
- **birth place**: Caracas, Venezuela
- **party**: United Socialist Party of Venezuela, PSUV (since 2007)
- **otherparty**: Fifth Republic Movement, MVR (until 2007)
- **children**: Nicolás Maduro Guerra
- **signature**: Nicolas Maduro Signature 2024.svg