From bus driver to dictator: Nicolás Maduro’s rise and fall in Venezuela

The Venezuelan dictator captured by nan Trump management worked arsenic a autobus driver and national organizer earlier his ascent done nan South American country’s governmental system, wherever he yet became a wanted man by nan U.S. pinch a $50 cardinal reward for accusation starring to his arrest. 

Nicolás Maduro was "captured and flown retired of nan country" early Saturday pursuing a "large-scale strike" by nan U.S. military, according to President Donald Trump. 

The actions people a stunning autumn for Maduro, who was serving his 3rd word arsenic president of Venezuela. He led an management that grappled pinch economical challenges, wide protests, disputed predetermination results and allegations of narco-trafficking. 

Maduro was calved successful Venezuela’s superior of Caracas connected Nov. 23, 1962. As a young man, he was sent to communist Cuba successful 1986 for a twelvemonth of ideological instruction — his only studies aft precocious school.

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Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro addresses members of nan equipped forces, Bolivarian Militia, police, and civilians during a rally against a imaginable escalation of U.S. actions toward nan country, astatine Fort Tiuna subject guidelines successful Caracas, Venezuela, connected Nov. 25, 2025.  (Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/Reuters)

Upon returning home, Maduro recovered activity arsenic a autobus driver and national organizer. He embraced nan precocious Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez after nan then-army paratrooper successful 1992 staged a grounded coup against an unpopular austerity government. Around nan same time, he met his longtime partner, Cilia Flores, a lawyer for nan jailed leader. 

After Chávez was freed and elected president successful 1998, Maduro, a young lawmaker, helped push his schedule of redistributing nan OPEC nation’s lipid wealthiness and governmental power. 

In 2000, Maduro was elected to Venezuela’s National Assembly. He later became nan president of nan National Assembly successful 2005.

Then in 2006, Chávez appointed Maduro arsenic Venezuela’s overseas minister. Six years later, Maduro was appointed arsenic Venezuela’s vice president. 

When Maduro took powerfulness successful 2013 pursuing his mentor’s decease from cancer, he struggled to bring bid to nan grief-stricken nation. Without "El Comandante" successful charge, nan system entered a decease spiral — shrinking 71% from 2012 to 2020, pinch ostentation topping 130,000% — and opponents and rivals wrong nan authorities saw an opportunity. 

Less than a twelvemonth into Maduro's presidency, hardliner opponents launched demonstrations demanding his exit.

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Government supporters show posters of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, right, and erstwhile President Hugo Chávez successful downtown Caracas, Venezuela, connected Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, aft U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Maduro had been captured and flown retired of nan country.  (Matias Delacroix/AP)

Leaning heavy connected Venezuela’s information forces, Maduro crushed nan protests. However, pinch supermarket shelves quiet amid wide shortages, they resumed pinch much strength 3 years later, leaving much than 100 group dead. In 2018, nan International Criminal Court initiated a criminal investigation into possible crimes against humanity. 

The crackdown continued into nan 2018 statesmanlike race, which nan guidance boycotted erstwhile respective of its leaders were barred from running. Dozens of countries led by nan U.S. condemned Maduro’s first re-election arsenic illegitimate and recognized Juan Guaidó, nan caput of nan National Assembly, arsenic Venezuela’s elected leader. 

"Since 2019, much than 50 countries, including nan United States, person refused to admit Maduro arsenic Venezuela’s caput of state," nan State Department said successful a profile of Maduro connected its website.

"Maduro helped negociate and ultimately lead the Cartel of nan Suns, a Venezuelan drug-trafficking organization comprised of high-ranking Venezuelan officials. As he gained powerfulness successful Venezuela, Maduro participated in a corrupt and convulsive narco-terrorism conspiracy pinch nan Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization," it added.  

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Demonstrators face constabulary arsenic they protestation against nan authorities of President Nicolas Maduro successful Caracas, connected Feb. 22, 2014. (Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters)

"Maduro negotiated multi-ton shipments of FARC-produced cocaine; directed nan Cartel of nan Suns to supply military-grade weapons to nan FARC; coordinated pinch narcotics traffickers successful Honduras and different countries to facilitate large-scale supplier trafficking; and solicited assistance from FARC activity successful training an unsanctioned militia group that functioned, successful essence, arsenic an equipped forces portion for nan Cartel of nan Suns," nan State Department continued. 

"In March 2020, Maduro was charged successful nan Southern District of New York for narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of instrumentality guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices," it besides said.

Maduro was re-elected again successful 2024 successful different disputed election. 

"Given nan overwhelming evidence, it is clear to nan United States and, astir importantly, to nan Venezuelan group that Edmundo González Urrutia won nan astir votes successful Venezuela’s July 28 statesmanlike election," then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken said astatine nan time. 

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Acting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro waves to supporters arsenic he leaves aft voting for nan successor to nan precocious President Hugo Chavez, successful Caracas connected April 14, 2013.  (Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters)

Maduro past delivered a fiery inauguration speech successful January 2025, likening himself to a biblical David fighting Goliath and accusing his opponents and their supporters successful nan U.S. of trying to move his inauguration into a "world war." 

He said his enemies’ nonaccomplishment to artifact his inauguration to a 3rd six-year word was "a awesome victory" for Venezuela’s bid and nationalist sovereignty. 

"I person not been made president by nan authorities of nan United States, nor by nan pro-imperialist governments of Latin America," he said, aft being draped pinch a sash successful nan red, yellow and bluish of Venezuela’s flag. "I travel from nan people, I americium of nan people, and my powerfulness emanates from history and from nan people. And to nan people, I beryllium my full life, body and soul." 

Months later, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a $50 cardinal reward for accusation starring to Maduro’s arrest.

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"Maduro uses overseas violent organizations for illustration TdA (Tren de Aragua), Sinaloa and Cartel of nan Suns (Cartel de Soles) to bring deadly unit to our country," Bondi said successful a video connection successful August 2025. "He is 1 of nan largest narco-traffickers successful nan world and a threat to our nationalist security." 

Fox News’ Michael Sinkewicz, Lucas Y. Tomlinson, Louis Casiano and The Associated Press contributed to this report.