Maduro returns to court to face torture allegations

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 15 Oct, 07:02 · Archive

Nicolás Maduro and his wife faced a rewritten indictment in New York accusing them of leading a torture campaign that harmed scores of people, including three Americans.

Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores appeared Thursday in Manhattan federal court to face charges added to a drug trafficking indictment. The rewritten indictment accuses them of leading a state-sponsored campaign of repression that tortured scores of victims, including three Americans. The couple were seized from their home in Caracas in a U.S. military raid in January.

According to the indictment, Maduro oversaw a torture system that beat, asphyxiated and delivered electric shocks to its victims. He is accused of personally recommending torture methods, receiving updates on specific victims' treatment, and threatening to kill one prisoner's child as psychological torture. Cilia Flores, a former attorney general, allegedly helped develop the repressive system and ordered torture of specific people.

Maduro, 63, who served as Venezuela's president from 2013 until his capture, denies the charges through his attorney Barry Pollack and 'looks forward to his day in court'. Flores is 69. The pair were expected to plead not guilty. They have previously pleaded not guilty in the drug case, which alleges they conspired to flood the United States with cocaine. Their attorneys argue the case should be dismissed on immunity grounds because they were the leader and first lady of a foreign country.

Maduro has been under investigation for years by the International Criminal Court over allegations of crimes against humanity tied to his crackdown on opponents. He has previously denied wrongdoing.

How it is being reported

• Ex-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is returning to federal court to face torture allegationsEx-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro returns Thursday to a New York courtroom to answer a rewritten drug trafficking indictment.Clickorlando · 15 Oct, 05:00
• Ex-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is returning to federal court to face torture allegationsEx-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro returns Thursday to a New York courtroom to answer a rewritten drug trafficking indictment.News4Jax · 15 Oct, 05:00

In this story: Nicolás Maduro · Cilia Flores · Barry Pollack · Venezuela · United States · International Criminal Court

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem