Speculation Rife Over Identity Of Caribbean Politicians Named in U.S. Maduro Indictment

News Americas, New York, NY, Jan. 5, 2026: As Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro gets ready for his court arraignment in a NYC courthouse today, speculation is intensifying across the Caribbean and the Diaspora over the identity of regional politicians referenced – but not named – in a sweeping United States indictment tied to Maduro, following his dramatic capture and transfer to U.S. custody on Jan. 3rd.

The indictment, unsealed in New York, alleges that politicians operating along what U.S. prosecutors describe as a “Caribbean route” were corrupted by cocaine traffickers, accepting payments in exchange for protection from arrest and allowing favored traffickers to operate with impunity as cocaine moved from Venezuela toward the United States.

While no Caribbean officials are named in the court documents, the reference has sparked widespread debate on social media and in political circles across the region, particularly after comments from Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, a U.S. ally in regional counter-narcotics efforts.

“I’m not surprised at all,” Persad-Bissessar said in a statement posted on X, responding to questions about whether Caribbean politicians were implicated in the indictment. “As the story continues to unfold, I have no doubt that many ‘respectable’ and ‘celebrated’ people across all sectors of society will be exposed.”

Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrives at the Wall Street heliport ahead of his appearance in federal court in New York, US, on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. The indictment released on Saturday accuses Maduro and others of partnering with groups including the Sinaloa Cartel and Tren de Aragua, which have been designated by the US as foreign terrorist organizations. Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Indictment Details And Regional Implications

According to the indictment, Venezuela became a safe haven for drug traffickers beginning around 1999, as cocaine trafficking flourished under the protection of corrupt civilian and military officials. U.S. authorities allege that cocaine was dispatched northward via maritime and air routes, including transshipment points in the Caribbean, Central America, and Mexico.

The court filing states that cocaine traffickers paid politicians along these routes for protection, enabling the movement of hundreds of tons of cocaine annually through the region. By 2020, the U.S. State Department estimated that between 200 and 250 tons of cocaine transited through Venezuela each year.

Prosecutors further allege that profits from cocaine trafficking were used to entrench political power, while simultaneously strengthening violent transnational criminal and narco-terrorist organizations operating across South America, Central America, and the Caribbean basin.

Maduro’s Court Appearance And International Response

A protester wearing a mask of US President Donald Trump performs during a demonstration condemning the US attack on Venezuela and the seizure of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, in front of the US embassy in Seoul on January 5, 2026. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP via Getty Images)

Maduro, who was captured by U.S. forces over the weekend along with his wife, former First Lady Cilia Flores, is scheduled to make his first appearance in a federal courtroom in lower Manhattan at noon Monday. Both face charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons offenses.

Since his arrival in the United States, Maduro has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. His capture has prompted protests outside the facility and globally, while celebrations were reported among Venezuelan diaspora communities around the world, including in South Florida.

The United Nations Security Council is expected to convene an emergency session following remarks by U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, who said he was “deeply alarmed” by the escalation in Venezuela and warned that the U.S. action could set a “dangerous precedent.”

Unanswered Questions

Despite official reassurances, the indictment’s reference to unnamed “Caribbean route” politicians has raised uncomfortable questions across the region, particularly as details continue to emerge from U.S. court proceedings.

As Maduro prepares to face trial in New York, attention is increasingly turning from Venezuela itself to whether further disclosures could implicate political figures beyond its borders—potentially reshaping political narratives and accountability across the wider Caribbean.

ANTIGUA

Meanwhile Prime Minister Gaston Browne has confirmed that a senior official of the West Indies Oil Company (WIOC), in which Venezuela has a 25 per cent shareholding, had been questioned by United States authorities during a recent trip to the North American country.

Speaking on his weekly radio programme, Prime Minister Browne said that he first became aware of the situation involving WIOC chief executive officer, Gregory Georges, in a report that had been published in the local media.

“I saw the publication on Real News and I spoke to Gregory Georges,” Browne said, adding that Georges had confirmed that he was detained and questioned by US authorities and that his electronic devices were temporarily taken during the process.

“He told me that he was questioned and that his laptop and phone were taken, but later returned to him,” Browne said, noting that WIOC’s Venezuelan shareholding predated the imposition of US sanctions on Venezuela.

Prime Minister Browne said that WIOC is in compliant with the sanctions adding “there has been absolutely no violation whatsoever”

Prime Minister Browne explained that the questioning appeared to be linked to ongoing international scrutiny surrounding Venezuela’s historical 25 percent shareholding in WIOC.

“I’m just stating what the issues are as I know them,” Prime Minister Browne said without indicating whether any action would be taken against the WIOC official.

He told radio listeners that his comments were intended to clarify the situation amid heightened international attention on Antigua and Barbuda and its state-owned entities.

According to WIOC, it is the premier oil storage and petroleum products provider in Antigua and Barbuda.