US prosecutors have added a new charge against Venezuela's former leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, accusing them of conspiring to torture political opponents and US citizens. The charges come as they await trial in June 2027, following a raid on their home in Caracas that led to their arrest and detention in Brooklyn.
The indictment alleges that Maduro and Flores presided over a system of repression that relied on violence against political opposition, arbitrary detention, and the torture of detainees, including United States citizens. The charges include electric shock, asphyxiation, rape, forced nudity, prolonged isolation, starvation, punishment cells, and psychological torture. Prosecutors say the torture was used to ensure Maduro and Flores retained their power.
Maduro and Flores have denied the charges, with Maduro calling himself a prisoner of war and referring to his capture as a kidnapping. Prosecutors oppose Flores's request to be moved to house arrest, arguing she poses an 'extreme risk of flight and danger to the public' if released. The case highlights ongoing tensions between the US and Venezuela under Maduro's 13-year rule.
The indictment marks the first time Maduro could be held to account over torture allegations, with human rights groups long accusing Venezuelan officials of such abuses. The case also underscores the US's continued focus on combating drug trafficking and enforcing legal actions against Maduro's regime.