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 appeared in a New York court on Thursday, pleading not guilty to new US charges alleging they conspired to torture political opponents. The additional accusations significantly broaden the US legal case against Maduro, aged 63, and Flores, 70. Previously, they entered a not guilty plea to charges of abusing power to assist drug traffickers with cocaine shipments.
Maduro and Flores, detained by US forces in a January raid under former President Donald Trump and transported to Manhattan, entered their pleas in a Manhattan federal court. According to Manhattan US Attorney's office prosecutors, Maduro instructed officials to torture opposition politicians and military personnel suspected of plotting against him to retain control in Venezuela.
An alleged incident detailed in the indictment involves Maduro in 2014 ordering officials to abduct military personnel to extract information about potential dissidents, while also commanding 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
