Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro denies U.S. torture charges as ‘false accusations’
Former president, his wife Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty Thursday to the new U.S. torture charges
Ousted Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty Thursday to new charges of conspiracy to commit torture in a New York court. Prosecutors allege the pair conspired to use waterboarding, rapes, beatings, and kidnappings to intimidate and neutralize opponents in Venezuelan detention, including American citizens. Maduro rejected the indictment, calling the charges "false accusations," while Flores stated through a translator, "I am completely innocent, I am not guilty."
The couple has been held in a Brooklyn jail since their capture in January during a US military raid on their Caracas compound. They already face charges involving drug trafficking and firearms. According to KahawaTungu, the US government previously accused Maduro of narco-terrorism, drug trafficking, and weapons-related offenses before adding the new torture charges last week. The pair has appealed to have the charges dismissed, claiming they hold immunity as a president and first lady of a sovereign country.
While New Straits Times and Free Malaysia Today report that the trial is slated for next June, KahawaTungu states the trial is scheduled for June 2027. Since Maduro's capture, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez has governed Venezuela as interim leader.
Brief written by urgent.news from Toronto Sun, New Straits Times, Free Malaysia Today, Channel News Asia, KahawaTungu — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
