Maduro and wife plead not guilty to US torture conspiracy charges

Summarised from 8 outlets · Updated 15 Oct, 18:32 · Archive

Venezuela's former president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty to new US charges of conspiracy to commit torture.

Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores appeared in federal court in Manhattan on Thursday to face new charges of conspiracy to commit torture. The couple pleaded not guilty to the allegations, which were added to their existing indictment last week.

Prosecutors with the Manhattan US Attorney's office allege that Maduro and Flores created and maintained a violent system of repression that targeted political opponents and military personnel accused of plotting against them. The indictment accuses them of overseeing the torture of thousands of Venezuelans, including three American citizens.

According to the charges, Maduro personally directed certain torture operations and recommended specific methods to enforcers. In one alleged 2014 incident, Maduro told officials to 'squeeze them harder' when military detainees remained defiant during interrogation. He is also accused of suggesting sleep deprivation and pouring water on detainees, and of threatening to kill one prisoner's child as psychological torture. Flores, a former attorney general, is alleged to have helped develop the repressive system and ordered the torture of specific individuals.

The indictment details alleged torture methods including electric shocks to genitals, asphyxiation, simulated drowning, rape, forced nudity, prolonged isolation and starvation. Maduro and Flores are not accused of personally carrying out any acts of torture themselves.

During Thursday's hearing, Maduro rejected the charges, telling the court through a Spanish interpreter that they contained 'false accusations and false testimony'. He declared, 'I reject this document in its entirety.' Judge Alvin Hellerstein interrupted Maduro's statement and entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf after Maduro twice declined to formally enter one. Flores stated through an interpreter, 'I am completely innocent.'

The couple were captured by US military forces during a raid on their Caracas residence in January and have since been held in federal custody in Brooklyn. Both defendants are shackled at the ankles and wore beige prison uniforms to Thursday's hearing. They have also argued that they qualify for sovereign immunity and have sought to have the case dismissed on those grounds.

Maduro and Flores face multiple charges including narco-terrorism, drug trafficking and weapons offences in addition to the new torture conspiracy allegations. The conspiracy to commit torture charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years, whilst they face a mandatory minimum of 50 years in prison if convicted on all charges combined. Their trial is scheduled to begin on 14 June 2027.

How it is being reported

• Maduro, wife plead not guilty to U.S. torture conspiracy chargeOusted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, denied new U.S. charges of conspiracy to commit torture Thursday.UPI · 15 Oct, 18:08
• Venezuela's Maduro due in NYC court over conspiracy to commit torture chargesFormer Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are slated to return to a U.S. court amid a new torture indictment. CBS News' Katrina Kaufman reports.CBS News · 15 Oct, 18:03
• Maduro pleads not guilty to new torture-related charges in New York"I reject this document entirely," Maduro said in court, responding to newly added torture-related charges.BBC News · 15 Oct, 17:52
• Defiant Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro rails against torture charges and denies claims Americans were asphyxiated and given electric shocks to the genitals...leading judge to stop him speakingThe ousted strongman, 63, refused to directly enter a plea as he denounced the charges as 'false testimony against me' during a dramatic hearing in Manhattan.Daily Mail · 15 Oct, 17:51
• Nicolás Maduro tells New York court new torture allegations are ‘false’Rewritten indictment accuses ex-Venezuela president and wife Cilia Flores of leading campaign of torture Nicolás Maduro insisted on Thursday during an appearance in a New York court that torture allegations in a rewritten drug trafficking indictment against the deposed Venezuelan president and his wife were “false accusations”. Maduro, shackled at the ankles, was brought to court to face the new charges accusing the couple of leading a state-sponsored campaign of repression that tortured scores of victims, including three Americans. Continue reading...Guardian World · 15 Oct, 17:38
• Judge cuts off ex-Venezuela dictator Nicolás Maduro’s rambling NYC court speech rejecting new torture rapFormer Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro pleaded not guilty Thursday to federal charges of torturing US citizens.New York Post · 15 Oct, 17:35
• Venezuela’s Maduro pleads not guilty to US conspiracy to torture chargesMaduro and wife appear in New York City court after new 'conspiracy to commit torture' charges.Al Jazeera · 15 Oct, 17:04
• Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro and his wife appear in court on new torture chargesProsecutors say Maduro directed officials to torture politicians and military personnel accused of plotting against himIndependent World · 15 Oct, 16:58

In this story: Nicolás Maduro · Cilia Flores · Venezuela · United States · New York · Alvin Hellerstein · Manhattan US Attorney's office

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