Former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, wife face new charges over alleged torture

Former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are facing new federal charges in Manhattan for allegedly conspiring to torture individuals, including American citizens, in Venezuelan prisons. The superseding indictment details specific allegations of physical abuse, electrocution, and sexual assault used as tools of political repression and leverage for prisoner exchanges. These charges add to previous narcoterrorism and drug trafficking counts following their capture by U.S. forces in January 2026. While Flores's defense recently requested pretrial release due to health concerns, a federal judge denied the motion, citing the severity of the allegations.

Former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are facing new federal charges in Manhattan for allegedly conspiring to torture individuals, including American citizens, in Venezuelan prisons. The superseding indictment details specific allegations of physical abuse, electrocution, and sexual assault used as tools of political repression and leverage for prisoner exchanges. These charges add to previous narcoterrorism and drug trafficking counts following their capture by U.S. forces in January 2026. While Flores's defense recently requested pretrial release due to health concerns, a federal judge denied the motion, citing the severity of the allegations.