When U.S. 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, but presented a more family-oriented image of a regime critics label as brutal.
Despite hosting a TV show and occasional dance appearances with her husband on state television, she is thought to have been a key adviser and architect of Maduro's political survival.
Flores faces allegations of corruption and drug trafficking, with her family members guilty of cocaine smuggling. Now, she awaits trial alongside her husband in a New York court, where they confront serious charges.
Flores met Maduro in the early 1990s when she defended plotters of a failed coup attempt, forming a nexus of power within the Chavismo movement. Her political career thrived as she became a crucial asset to Maduro during his presidency.
In addition to her political prowess, Flores has had numerous run-ins with U.S. authorities, including accusations of facilitating drug traffickers. As the couple faces impending court hearings, the fate of Flores and the legacy she leaves behind remain on shaky ground.
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, but presented a more family-oriented image of a regime critics label as brutal.
Despite hosting a TV show and occasional dance appearances with her husband on state television, she is thought to have been a key adviser and architect of Maduro's political survival.
Flores faces allegations of corruption and drug trafficking, with her family members guilty of cocaine smuggling. Now, she awaits trial alongside her husband in a New York court, where they confront serious charges.
Flores met Maduro in the early 1990s when she defended plotters of a failed coup attempt, forming a nexus of power within the Chavismo movement. Her political career thrived as she became a crucial asset to Maduro during his presidency.
In addition to her political prowess, Flores has had numerous run-ins with U.S. authorities, including accusations of facilitating drug traffickers. As the couple faces impending court hearings, the fate of Flores and the legacy she leaves behind remain on shaky ground.
