5 hrs ago
Maduro and Flores Face New U.S. Torture Conspiracy Charge
U.S. prosecutors have added a new accusation to the court case against Venezuela’s former president, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores.
They say the pair conspired to torture people who opposed them, including some Americans.
These are allegations, and both defendants deny them.
The couple have already pleaded not guilty to earlier drug charges but have not yet answered the new charge in court.
A judge also said Flores must remain in jail while the case continues.
Her lawyers said she needs a heart procedure and asked for her release, while prosecutors argued she might flee or influence witnesses.
Maduro and Flores have been held in Brooklyn since they were captured in Caracas on January 3.
Their trial is scheduled for June 1, 2027.
A Manhattan superseding indictment added conspiracy to commit torture charges against Nicolas Maduro and Cilia Flores to their existing drug case.
Prosecutors allege the couple and other senior figures used torture and repression against opponents and Americans to maintain power; the indictment describes alleged abuse of nine people, including three U.S. citizens.
Maduro and Flores deny the new allegations and have pleaded not guilty to the original drug charges; they have not yet entered pleas to the new indictment.
Judge Alvin Hellerstein denied Flores’s request for release on bail, citing strong evidence and saying she appeared relatively healthy; prosecutors argued she posed flight and public-safety risks.
The couple have been held at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center since their January 3 capture in Caracas; their trial is scheduled for June 1, 2027.
- Who
- Nicolas Maduro, Cilia Flores, and U.S. prosecutors.
- What
- A superseding indictment added conspiracy-to-commit-torture charges; a judge denied Flores’s request for bail.
- Where
- The case is in Manhattan federal court; Maduro and Flores are held at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center.
- When
- The new indictment and bail decision were reported on Thursday; the couple were captured on January 3, and trial is scheduled for June 1, 2027.
- Why
- Prosecutors allege torture and repression were used against opponents and Americans to help maintain Maduro’s power.
Maduro and Flores’s defense
U.S. prosecutors
Torture allegations
Maduro and Flores’s defense
Maduro’s lawyer said he denies the new charges; Flores’s lawyers said she denies the allegations and will respond in court.
U.S. prosecutors
Prosecutors allege Maduro and Flores conspired to torture political opponents and Americans as part of a system of repression intended to retain power.
Flores’s release from detention
Maduro and Flores’s defense
Her lawyers sought bail so she could undergo a cardiac procedure and recover in a more comfortable setting. They proposed a New York-area residence with round-the-clock security and said she was not a danger to the community.
U.S. prosecutors
Prosecutors said Flores had adequate medical care and would pose an extreme flight risk and danger to the public, including through possible witness intimidation.
Privately funded supervision
Maduro and Flores’s defense
Flores’s lawyers proposed that Venezuela’s government cover the costs of her residence and security.
U.S. prosecutors
Prosecutors argued that allowing defendants to pay for out-of-jail supervision can be unfair to people who cannot afford it.
Key facts
- New charge
- Conspiracy to commit torture, added to the existing drug case
- People named in alleged torture
- Nine people, including three U.S. citizens
- Defendants
- Nicolas Maduro, 63, and Cilia Flores, 69
- Defendants’ responses
- They deny the new allegations and have pleaded not guilty to the original drug charges; they have not yet entered pleas to the new indictment
- Flores bail ruling
- Judge Alvin Hellerstein denied her request for release
- Detention
- Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center
- Trial date
- June 1, 2027
Quotes
Alvin Hellerstein
US District Judge overseeing the case
“For whatever it's worth, her appearance today is no worse and perhaps a little better than when I first met with her on her arraignment.”
firstpost.com
“President Maduro denies the charges in the new indictment and looks forward to his day in court.”
theprint.in
firstpost.com
Mark Donnelly and Andres Sanchez
Lawyers for Cilia Flores
“Maduro, Flores and other high-ranking members of their inner circle used a violent system of torture and repression to maintain their power.”
theprint.in
firstpost.com
“We look forward to fully responding to the allegations in court at the appropriate time.”
theprint.in
Sources
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