United States authorities have formally accused Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, of conspiring to commit torture. The new allegations were disclosed on Thursday and serve as an addition to a broader indictment that already includes charges of drug trafficking, narco-terrorism, money laundering, and weapons offenses.
Both Maduro, 63, and Flores, 69, have remained in custody since January. They are currently held at a detention facility in Brooklyn following a pre-dawn raid by US forces on their residence in Caracas, the Venezuelan capital.
According to prosecutors, the fresh accusations center on the alleged torture of American citizens who were detained in Venezuela while Maduro was in office. These charges come amidst long-standing denunciations from human rights organizations and former inmates regarding what they have characterized as systematic abuse within Venezuelan prisons.
Maduro and Flores have consistently denied the various charges brought against them. Their legal proceedings are scheduled to commence in June 2027.
June 2027 for the trial? That is a long wait. I wonder if this delay benefits the prosecution or the defense more.
Finally some accountability for the torture of US citizens. This adds serious weight to the existing drug and narco-terrorism charges.