Venezuela's Maduro and wife plead not guilty to US torture charges
NEW YORK — Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty on Thursday to a new US indictment accusing them of conspiring to torture political opponents. The additional charges, brought last Thursday, significantly expanded the US criminal case against Maduro, 63, and Flores, 70. They previously pleaded not guilty to charges that they abused their power to…
Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty on Thursday to new US charges alleging they conspired to torture political opponents. The additional indictment, filed last Thursday, significantly broadened the US criminal case against the 63-year-old Maduro and his 70-year-old wife, Flores.
Maduro and Flores, previously not guilty of abusing their power to aid drug traffickers, entered their pleas at a Manhattan federal court arraignment. They were captured by US military in a January raid ordered by former President Donald Trump and flown to New York.
According to Manhattan US Attorney's office prosecutors, Maduro directed officials to torture opposition politicians and military personnel suspected of plotting against him to retain power in Venezuela. The indictment alleges one incident from 2014 where Maduro ordered officials to abduct military personnel to extract information about potential dissidents and instructed officials to "squeeze them hard."
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- Maduro pleads not guilty to torture charges in US rte.ie
- Maduro and wife deny new US torture conspiracy charges, face at least 50 years if convicted jpost.com
- Venezuela's Maduro and wife plead not guilty to US torture charges koreatimes.co.kr
- Nicolás Maduro tells New York court new torture allegations are ‘false’ theguardian.com
- Venezuela’s Maduro says new US torture allegations are ‘false’ scmp.com
