The former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have pleaded not guilty to new charges of conspiracy to commit torture filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office. Both appeared this Thursday before federal judge Alvin Hellerstein, in New York, where they rejected the accusations linking them to an alleged system of repression used to stay in power.
The new indictment, filed on October 8, expands the legal case that the couple already faced for alleged crimes related to drug trafficking, narcoterrorism, and the use of weapons. According to U.S. prosecutors, Maduro allegedly directed a structure that resorted to violence against people considered opponents of the Venezuelan government, while Flores allegedly participated in some of the reported actions.
The accusations still need to be examined by the court and do not constitute a conviction. Maduro and Flores remain in custody in the United States since January 2026, after being captured in a U.S. military operation in Venezuela and transferred to New York. The judge has set the start of the trial for June 14, 2027, so the procedure will continue over the next few months.
The Prosecutor's Office accuses Maduro of directing a system of torture and repression
The U.S. accusation maintains that during the years of Maduro's government, a structure of repression was developed against people considered a threat to his permanence in power. According to the fiscal document, thousands of Venezuelans allegedly suffered harassment, threats, detentions, aggressions, torture, or assassinations at the hands of people acting under the alleged authority of the State. The investigation also includes the cases of at least three U.S. citizens.
Among the alleged methods described by the Prosecutor's Office are beatings, electric shocks, asphyxiation, and threats against relatives of detainees. Prosecutors maintain that Maduro allegedly ordered illegal detentions and torture against certain individuals and received information about the abuses committed against specific prisoners. These claims are part of the accusation presented to the U.S. Justice system and will have to be contrasted during the process.
The indictment also attributes to Cilia Flores a role in the alleged repressive scheme. According to the Prosecutor's Office, the former president's wife would have contributed to developing the system and ordered tortures to protect illicit activities related to members of her family circle. Both Maduro and Flores have rejected the new charges and have pleaded not guilty before the federal judge.
Cilia Flores also faces narco-terrorism charges
The updated indictment also expands the charges against Flores, who is now charged with conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism, an accusation that until now fell solely on Maduro. The file maintains the accusations related to the alleged conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States and with crimes linked to the use of automatic weapons and other destructive devices.
The couple's defense has questioned the legitimacy of the procedure and has requested that the case be dismissed, arguing that their former official positions must be taken into account when determining whether they can be tried in the United States. The lawyers have also raised objections related to the immunity that, in their opinion, would correspond to Maduro due to his status as a former head of state. The court will have to resolve these issues before the trial proceeds.
The next hearing is scheduled for December 17, 2026, while the start of the trial has been postponed until June 14, 2027. The Prosecutor's Office and the lawyers will have more time to prepare their arguments and present the corresponding pre-trial requests. Until then, the accusations against Maduro and Flores will remain pending judicial resolution.
