Maduro and his wife plead not guilty to conspiracy to torture charges — Al Jazeera
Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty in New York, United States, to new charges of conspiracy to commit torture. The charges, which were made public last week, were brought in the United States, Al Jazeera reports.
Claims by US prosecutors
US prosecutor Jamie McDonald stated that Maduro and Flores allegedly participated in a conspiracy to commit torture, including against citizens of the United States, for more than two decades. According to him, these charges supplement previously filed cases involving drug trafficking and weapons.
The new indictment alleges that the couple controlled a system of torture, arbitrary detention and violence against people considered disloyal or a threat to illegal drug activity, as well as against political opponents. Prosecutors claim that Maduro and Flores allegedly identified people to be persecuted, demanded reports on torture, or suggested methods for dealing with detainees.
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Previous charges
US prosecutors do not claim that Maduro or Flores directly participated in torture. At the same time, the charging documents describe beatings, electric shocks and threats against detainees' relatives. In particular, in 2014, Maduro, according to investigators, urged perpetrators to apply more pressure to detained military personnel to obtain information from them.
Earlier, the couple also pleaded not guilty to charges of narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, and possession of machine guns and explosive devices. During a January hearing, Maduro declared his innocence and called himself Venezuela's incumbent president, adding that he had been kidnapped. According to Al Jazeera, Maduro and Flores were abducted from Caracas during a US military operation in January.
Situation in Venezuela
Maduro led Venezuela since 2013, and the results of his re-elections, including in 2024, were challenged by opposition representatives and external observers. After his abduction, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez took over as acting president.
