What Maduro’s Capture Means for Drugs & Crime in Venezuela

On January 3rd, 2026, U.S. forces captured former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, extraditing him to the United States to face drug trafficking charges. How big of an impact will Maduro’s capture have on the flow of drugs to the U.S., and the broader illicit landscape in Venezuela? In this episode of Crime Beat Conversations, I spoke with Caroline Rose, Director of the Crime-Conflict Nexus Portfolio at New Lines, about what we can expect to see unfold in Venezuela’s criminal ecosystem in the wake of Maduro’s capture. Be on the lookout for more on Venezuela from the New Lines Institute’s Crime-Conflict team, and stay tuned for more Crime Beat Conversations.