US files new torture charges against Maduro, wife

On Thursday, the United States announced fresh charges of torture against Nicolas Maduro, the former president of Venezuela, and his wife, Cilia Flores, further deepening the already extensive legal troubles they face while being held in US custody. Previously, Maduro and Flores have been charged with drug trafficking and firearms offenses following a surprising military operation conducted by the US in January, wherein they were taken from their residence in Caracas.

According to a court filing made public on Thursday, both Maduro and Flores now stand charged with conspiring to commit torture. The charges state that they "inflicted severe physical and mental pain and suffering" with the intent to "repress and punish political opposition, silence dissent and perceived dissent, preserve and protect the power and authority of the members of the conspiracy, and intimidate, harass, and neutralize their opponents, including through kidnappings."

Prosecutors provide instances of unidentified victims, including US citizens, who were subjected to shocking with electric wires, waterboarding, and beatings while in Venezuelan detention. Maduro and Flores are scheduled for a trial in New York next June and are presently incarcerated in a Brooklyn jail.