Who Is Cilia Flores, Maduro’s Wife, and Why Was She Captured Alongside Him?

New York Times - WorldCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Genevieve GlatskyJanuary 3, 2026 at 11:48 PM

AI Summary

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Cilia Flores, Venezuela's first lady and wife of Nicolás Maduro, was captured alongside him and taken to the United States on January 3, 2026. Flores is a powerful political figure in Venezuela who has built influence over decades, shaping the judicial system and embedding loyalists within state institutions. She rose to prominence through her association with Hugo Chávez and played a critical role in consolidating Maduro's power after Chávez's death in 2013. Flores is considered a central figure in Venezuelan corruption, with her family amassing significant wealth. She and Maduro have been partners since the late 1990s, marrying in 2013 when he became president.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

La Vanguardia 30% Caracas 40% Zair Mundaray 40% Roberto Deniz 40% United States 70% Hugo Chávez ×375% Venezuela ×685% Cilia Flores ×995% Nicolás Maduro (Maduro) ×795%

Keywords

cilia flores 100% nicolás maduro 90% venezuela 90% political power 80% corruption 70% chavismo 60% first lady 50% authoritarian president 50% hugo chávez 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.40

Source Transparency

Source

New York Times - World

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.30)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Venezuela

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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cilia flores nicolás maduro venezuela political power corruption chavismo first lady authoritarian president hugo chávez

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