Maduro and Wife Face New US Torture Conspiracy Charge Over Alleged Abuse of Americans in Venezuela

Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Adela Flores de Maduro, face a new US charge of conspiring to commit torture, including against Americans detained in Venezuela.

Federal prosecutors unveiled the allegation in Manhattan, New York, on Thursday, and the indictment alleges that detainees suffered beatings, electric shocks and other abuse under Venezuela's security apparatus.

Three US citizens are among nine alleged victims described in the indictment, according to Reuters. Both defendants deny the new allegations, which have not been proven in court.

The latest charge was added to an existing federal case involving narcoterrorism, cocaine importation and firearms offences.

Maduro, 63, and Flores, 69, were captured during a US military operation in Caracas on 3 January and transferred to New York. They previously pleaded not guilty to the original charges and remain in federal custody.

Maduro Torture Charge Details Alleged Abuse of American Detainees

Among the allegations is the treatment of an American citizen detained while entering Venezuela in 2022. Federal prosecutors claim military counterintelligence officers tortured the detainee after accusing the person of plotting to assassinate Maduro.

According to the indictment, the individual was subjected to repeated beatings and electric shocks to the arms, legs and genitals.

The US Department of Justice also described allegations involving an American detainee who was deprived of food and water, beaten and subjected to simulated drowning. The alleged abuse included electric shocks to the person's testicles and forced injections.

US Attorney Jamie McDonald said the new indictment accused Maduro, Flores and other Venezuelan officials of using violence to suppress dissent. 'As alleged, this included the torture of multiple United States citizens, who were subjected to unspeakable abuse,' McDonald said.

Prosecutors allege the mistreatment formed part of a broader system of political repression targeting people considered threats to Maduro's government.

The indictment describes allegations of physical and psychological torture, including starvation, forced nudity, prolonged isolation and threats against detainees' families.

FBI Director Kash Patel also accused Venezuelan authorities of subjecting American detainees to electric shocks and sexual violence. Those allegations form part of the prosecution's case and have not been established through criminal convictions.

Prosecutors Accuse Maduro and Flores of Maintaining a System of Repression

The indictment alleges that Maduro and Flores helped develop and maintain a system of repression through Venezuela's military, intelligence services and judiciary.

Prosecutors claim the couple used state institutions to protect their political authority while benefiting from corruption and alleged narcotics trafficking. Several senior Venezuelan officials are accused of organising or carrying out acts of torture.

One official, identified as CC-1, allegedly threatened to murder a prisoner's child. Another, CC-2, allegedly developed torture methods and presented them to Maduro for approval.

A third official, CC-3, allegedly ordered and participated in the torture of civilians and military personnel, including American citizens.

The allegations concern the couple's alleged participation in a wider conspiracy, rather than establishing that they personally carried out every physical assault.

A separate allegation concerns a Venezuelan military officer whom Maduro allegedly ordered arrested in 2013 over suspicions of involvement in a coup plot.

According to prosecutors, counterintelligence officers shocked the detainee with a live electric wire approximately 20 times. They also allegedly suspended the individual by the hands and feet during interrogation.

The indictment further accuses Maduro, Flores and their associates of working with criminal organisations, including the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, to facilitate cocaine trafficking.

Prosecutors allege that military and law enforcement institutions helped protect narcotics operations while senior officials benefited financially.

Maduro and Flores Deny Allegations as Federal Trial Approaches

Maduro and Flores face five federal counts, including the newly added conspiracy-to-commit-torture charge. That offence carries a maximum sentence of 20 years' imprisonment if convicted. The other counts concern narcoterrorism, cocaine importation and firearms-related conspiracies.

Maduro's lawyer, Barry Pollack, rejected the new accusations. 'President Maduro denies the charges in the new indictment and looks forward to his day in court,' Pollack said.

Flores's lawyers, Mark Donnelly and Andres Sanchez, also denied the allegations on her behalf. They questioned why prosecutors disclosed the indictment shortly before Thursday's hearing, even though a grand jury returned it under seal on Tuesday.

Separately, US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein denied Flores's request for release on medical grounds. Her lawyers argued that she needed a cardiac procedure and sought permission for her to recover at a secured residence.

Prosecutors opposed the application, citing concerns about flight risk, public safety and possible witness intimidation. Maduro and Flores remain detained at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center. Their federal trial is scheduled to begin on 1 June 2027.

The new allegations broaden a prosecution previously centred on alleged drug trafficking and weapons offences. Prosecutors will now also seek to establish the couple's alleged involvement in a system responsible for torturing detainees.