Venezuela's Maduro due in NYC court over conspiracy to commit torture charges

Venezuela's former leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores each pleaded not guilty on Thursday to new charges accusing them of torturing people, including Americans, in a bid to maintain their rule. The charges were outlined in a superseding indictment, which prosecutors say implicates Maduro and Flores in a system of torture and repression.

Maduro, appearing in court in a beige jail smock and glasses, waved and shook hands with his attorneys before stating, "I reject this document in its entirety" and labeling the torture allegations as "false." The pair are set to face trial on June 14, 2027. Federal prosecutors claim Maduro conspired with his wife to torture prisoners and accused his administration of torturing Americans because he blamed the U.S. for Venezuela's instability.

The indictment alleges Maduro endorsed torture and oversaw a regime of military detention and violence against political opponents since his presidential inauguration in 2013. Maduro and Flores were both charged with conspiracy to commit torture and, in Flores' case, narcoterrorism. Both maintained their innocence during their initial court appearance in January, following their arrest in a U.S. military operation in Caracas.

Maduro's legal team argues that he is immune from prosecution due to his status as the leader of a sovereign nation.