U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that U.S. forces have carried out a major strike in Venezuela, flying away President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. While the claims remain unverified and have been denied by Caracas, they have once again put Flores under the international spotlight – highlighting her long-standing role as one of the most powerful figures in Venezuela’s ruling elite.
Far from being a ceremonial first lady, Flores has been a central political actor in Venezuela’s Chavista movement for more than three decades, shaping policy, personnel choices and political strategy from behind the scenes.
Who is Cilia Flores?
Born on October 15, 1956 in Tinaquillo, a small town in the Venezuelan state of Cojedes, Flores grew up in poverty as the youngest of six children. Her early years were marked by economic hardship; the family later moved to Caracas in search of stability and opportunity. Flores enrolled in a private university to study criminal law, a decision that later placed her at the center of Venezuela’s political upheaval. National Post Office.
Read also | Venezuela Bombing LIVE: No More Action? Rubio’s stock is updated on the strike
In her early career, Flores worked part-time at a police station, transcribing witness statements, before practicing as a defense attorney at a private firm. Politics did not dominate her ambitions then. She was married to a police detective and raised three sons, focusing mostly on professional development rather than ideological engagement.
A political awakening during national unrest
Flores’ political consciousness changed dramatically in 1989 during the Caracas riots, a nationwide uprising sparked by fuel price increases and austerity measures. The crackdown left a lasting impression on a generation of Venezuelans. Flores later described the unrest as an awakening to her “revolutionary vocation,” according to Reuters.
The same period radicalized Hugo Chávez, then an army officer who led a failed coup attempt in 1992. Flores became one of Chávez’s earliest civilian supporters, offering him legal aid when he was imprisoned and helping to coordinate correspondence with sympathizers. This relationship marked her entry into the emerging Venezuelan revolutionary movement.
Read also | “Deeply disturbing and…”: Russia reacts to US attack on Venezuela
Building influence under Chávez
After Chávez was pardoned in 1994, Flores advised him to abandon overt military symbolism and reposition himself as a civilian leader focused on social justice and economic redistribution. She later joined the campaign infrastructure that helped Chávez win the presidency in 1998, Reuters reported.
Her own rise followed quickly. Flores was elected to the National Assembly in 2000 and built a reputation as a disciplined and combative lawmaker. In 2007, she became Speaker of the Assembly, openly confronting opposition lawmakers and consolidating her position in the ruling coalition.
In 2012, Chávez named her Attorney General, cementing her position in the legal and political architecture of the state. She held the role until Chávez’s death in March 2013.
Partnership with Nicolás Maduro
Flores met Maduro in the early 1990s when both were advising Chávez. Their relationship – both personal and political – deepened over time. After Chávez’s death, Maduro narrowly won the presidential election and became his successor. The couple married in July 2013, formalizing a partnership that has become central to Venezuelan governance.
As first lady, Flores initially focused on administrative matters at the presidential palace. Over time, however, she took on a much larger role, becoming a key adviser and broker of internal power in Maduro’s government.
Read also | From Russia to Iran: World leaders react strongly to US attack on Venezuela
A polarizing figure in the Venezuelan crisis
Flores, who is often referred to as the “first female revolutionary fighter,” remains a deeply polarizing figure. Supporters see her as the guardian of the Bolivarian revolution; critics say it symbolizes the concentration of power and the erosion of democratic institutions in Venezuela.
With Trump’s latest claims reviving checks on her influence, Flores’ trajectory offers a glimpse into how Venezuela’s revolutionary leadership moved from insurgent politics to entrenched state control — shaping one of Latin America’s most protracted political and economic crises.
