Federal prosecutors in New York have expanded their criminal case against ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, filing new charges alleging widespread human rights abuses and torture during Maduro's presidency. The updated indictment significantly elevates the legal pressure on the couple, who were captured during a raid in Caracas in January and are already awaiting trial in the United States on drug trafficking charges.
According to U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald, the government alleges that Maduro and Flores directed a repressive system to maintain their hold on power. Prosecutors claim Maduro personally signed off on methods including electric shocks, asphyxiation, and beatings, while monitoring victim reports and using psychological threats against prisoners' families. The victims included several American citizens, who reported enduring severe physical violence, prolonged isolation, and permanent injuries while held by Venezuelan military intelligence.
Maduro and Flores have pleaded not guilty to the drug charges and continue to claim immunity as a foreign head of state and first lady, dismissing their capture as an illegal operation. Their defense attorneys have sought the dismissal of all charges, while Flores's legal team recently petitioned for her release on house arrest due to worsening heart conditions in jail. However, U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein rejected the bail request, ruling that Flores poses an extreme flight risk and is receiving medical care in custody.
The added charges mark a historic move by American prosecutors to hold a former foreign head of state directly accountable for state-sponsored torture. If convicted, both Maduro and Flores face potential sentences of life in prison. Former detainees and human rights advocates have welcomed the indictment, describing the federal prosecution as a landmark step toward accountability for victims of the regime.