US prosecutors have charged ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, with conspiring to torture political opponents and US citizens, adding new allegations to the drug trafficking case against them.
The superseding indictment filed in Manhattan federal court on Thursday alleges that Maduro, Flores and other senior officials operated a system of repression that involved the detention and torture of political opponents and others perceived as threats to the government.
Maduro, 63, and Flores, 69, were captured at their home in Caracas on January 3 during a US military operation ordered by President Donald Trump and taken to New York to face drug trafficking charges.
They have pleaded not guilty to the original charges but have yet to enter pleas to the new allegations, which involve nine alleged victims, including three US citizens.
Maduro’s lawyer, Barry Pollack, said his client denied the new charges and looked forward to defending himself in court. Flores’ lawyers, Mark Donnelly and Andres Sanchez, also said she denied the allegations.
The indictment alleges that thousands of Venezuelans were threatened, detained, tortured or killed by state forces between 1999 and 2025. US officials and human rights groups have previously accused Venezuelan authorities of torturing detainees, but the latest indictment marks the first time Maduro has faced criminal charges related to such allegations.
Jamie McDonald, the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan, said Maduro, Flores and members of their inner circle used repression to maintain their hold on power.
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Flores previously served as Venezuela’s attorney general and headed the country’s National Assembly before becoming first lady. Both she and Maduro held positions in the government of former President Hugo Chavez before Maduro became president in 2013.
The indictment details several alleged cases of torture, including the detention of a Venezuelan military officer in 2013 over suspicions of a coup attempt and the alleged mistreatment of a US citizen detained in Venezuela in 2022.
Separately, US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein rejected Flores’ request for release on bail on health grounds ahead of their trial scheduled for June 1, 2027.
Her lawyers had sought her release to allow her to undergo a cardiac procedure and recover at a residence in the New York area under round-the-clock security. Prosecutors opposed the request, citing concerns about flight risk, witness intimidation and public safety.
Hellerstein said the evidence against Flores appeared strong and that she appeared relatively healthy during Thursday’s hearing. He also noted that she had received medical care while in detention.
Maduro and Flores have been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since their capture.
Since Maduro’s removal, Venezuela has increased cooperation with the United States under the leadership of former Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez.
Maduro and Flores will each face a mandatory minimum sentence of 50 years in prison if convicted of all the charges.
