Maduro Pleads Not Guilty in New York to Added Torture Conspiracy Charge
Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty in a New York federal court to a newly added charge of conspiracy to commit torture, part of a superseding indictment unsealed October 8. The charge joins existing narcoterrorism, drug trafficking and weapons offenses and alleges a violent repression system in Venezuela involving electric shock, asphyxiation, rape and torture of at least three Americans. The couple, captured in a January US military raid and jailed in Brooklyn, argue sovereign immunity; trial is set for June 2027.
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Maduro Torture Charges Could Close Gap in International Justice
A federal judge in Manhattan formally presented a charge of conspiracy to commit torture against former Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, who both pleaded not guilty. The charge, added to existing narcoterrorism, drug trafficking, and weapons offenses in a superseding indictment unsealed October 8, alleges a system of repression including electric shock, asphyxiation, rape, and torture of at least three Americans. The Atlantic Council argues Congress should seize the moment to add crimes against humanity to the list of crimes punishable in the US even when committed abroad. The trial is scheduled for June 2027.
Maduro Torture Charges Could Close Gap in International Justice
A federal judge in Manhattan formally presented a charge of conspiracy to commit torture against former Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, who both pleaded not guilty. The charge, added to existing narcoterrorism, drug trafficking, and weapons offenses in a superseding indictment unsealed October 8, alleges a system of repression including electric shock, asphyxiation, rape, and torture of at least three Americans. Because US federal law provides extraterritorial jurisdiction over torture committed abroad when the alleged offender is present in the United States, the charge creates a rare avenue for criminal accountability. The Atlantic Council argues Congress should seize the moment to add crimes against humanity to the list of crimes punishable in the US even when committed abroad. Trial is scheduled for June 2027.
Maduro Torture Charges Could Close Gap in International Justice
A federal judge in Manhattan formally presented a charge of conspiracy to commit torture against former Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, who both pleaded not guilty. The charge, added to existing narcoterrorism, drug trafficking, and weapons offenses in a superseding indictment unsealed October 8, alleges a system of repression including electric shock, asphyxiation, rape, and torture of at least three US citizens. The Atlantic Council argues Congress should seize the moment to add crimes against humanity to the list of extraterritorially punishable crimes. The trial is scheduled for June 2027.
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Maduro Pleads Not Guilty to New Torture Charges in New York Court
Venezuela's former leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, appeared in a New York federal court on Thursday and pleaded not guilty to newly added charges of conspiracy to commit torture. Prosecutors allege the couple created and maintained a violent system of repression in which thousands of Venezuelans were killed, harassed, and tortured, with methods including electric shock, asphyxiation, rape, forced nudity, prolonged isolation, and starvation. Maduro rejected the indictment as "false accusations and false testimony," while Flores said she was completely innocent. The couple was captured in January during a US military raid and remains jailed in Brooklyn; their trial is scheduled for June 2027. Defense lawyers argue Maduro qualifies for sovereign immunity and that his forcible capture was illegal. Maduro has previously called the charges a tool for "imperial" access to Venezuela's oil reserves.
Read sourceMaduro Pleads Not Guilty to New Torture Charges in New York Court
Venezuela's former leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, appeared in a New York federal court on Thursday and pleaded not guilty to newly added charges of conspiracy to commit torture. Maduro told the court he rejected the "false accusations and false testimony" against him, while Flores said she was "completely innocent." The US government initially charged Maduro with narco-terrorism, drug trafficking and weapons offenses before adding the torture-related counts last week, alleging the couple ran a violent repression system that killed, harassed and tortured thousands of Venezuelans. The couple was captured in January during a US military raid and remains jailed in Brooklyn. Their lawyers argue Maduro qualifies for sovereign immunity and that his forcible capture was illegal. A trial is scheduled for June 2027.