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. But 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, and in recent years her family members have been found guilty in US courts of cocaine smuggling. She will now face drug trafficking and weapons charges in a New York court, along with her husband - who has long rejected the accusations as a pretext to force him from power.
Flores met Maduro in the early 1990s, when - as a young up-and-coming lawyer - she took on the defence of the plotters of the failed 1992 coup attempt, notably Hugo Chávez, the man who would later become president.
'I met Cilia in life,' Maduro recounted. 'She was the lawyer for several imprisoned patriotic military officers. But she was also Commander Chávez's lawyer and, well, being Commander Chávez's lawyer in prison... tough. I met her during those years of struggle, and then, well, she caught my eye.'
Months later the pair married, formalising a years-long relationship in which they'd lived together. 'She became a critical piece in Maduro's regime,' said José Enrique Arrioja, a Venezuelan journalist. 'She was not only the emotional confidant of Maduro, but also the professional confidant too. And she was very power-driven.'
Throughout her career, Flores has faced numerous allegations of corruption, including accusations by unions of nepotism for influencing the hiring of family members in government positions. In November 2015, she became embroiled in the 'Narco nephews' case when two of her nephews were arrested in a sting operation by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). They were caught trying to smuggle 800kg of cocaine into the US.
Amidst ongoing scandals, Flores now stands trial in New York, poised to face serious charges that could impact her legacy and that of her husband significantly.
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 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, and in recent years her family members have been found guilty in US courts of cocaine smuggling. She will now face drug trafficking and weapons charges in a New York court, along with her husband - who has long rejected the accusations as a pretext to force him from power.
Flores met Maduro in the early 1990s, when - as a young up-and-coming lawyer - she took on the defence of the plotters of the failed 1992 coup attempt, notably Hugo Chávez, the man who would later become president.
'I met Cilia in life,' Maduro recounted. 'She was the lawyer for several imprisoned patriotic military officers. But she was also Commander Chávez's lawyer and, well, being Commander Chávez's lawyer in prison... tough. I met her during those years of struggle, and then, well, she caught my eye.'
Months later the pair married, formalising a years-long relationship in which they'd lived together. 'She became a critical piece in Maduro's regime,' said José Enrique Arrioja, a Venezuelan journalist. 'She was not only the emotional confidant of Maduro, but also the professional confidant too. And she was very power-driven.'
Throughout her career, Flores has faced numerous allegations of corruption, including accusations by unions of nepotism for influencing the hiring of family members in government positions. In November 2015, she became embroiled in the 'Narco nephews' case when two of her nephews were arrested in a sting operation by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). They were caught trying to smuggle 800kg of cocaine into the US.
Amidst ongoing scandals, Flores now stands trial in New York, poised to face serious charges that could impact her legacy and that of her husband significantly.
