Maduro’s wife secures legal representation from top Houston lawyer

Cilia Flores, wife of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, has retained Houston-based attorney Mark Donnelly to represent her legal interests.

Donnelly brings extensive experience from his 12-year tenure at the US Department of Justice, where he served as a senior prosecutor, CBS 19 reports.

According to his firm’s website, Donnelly’s Houston practice specializes in white-collar crimes, business litigation, and real estate disputes. In addition, the Texas House of Representatives enlisted his expertise during the 2023 investigation and impeachment trial of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

On January 3, 2026, in a predawn operation involving large-scale US airstrikes on military targets in Caracas and surrounding areas—including Fuerte Tiuna base, La Carlota airport, La Guaira port, and other facilities—the United States conducted a precision raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, at their residence.

Elite Delta Force units then extracted them and transported the couple aboard the USS Iwo Jima en route to face trial in New York's Southern District.

By Vafa Guliyeva