Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty in a New York court to new conspiracy charges tied to alleged torture in Venezuela. Their trial is scheduled for June 2027, and they are challenging the case on sovereign-immunity grounds.
The indictment alleges that detainees in Venezuela were subjected to electric shocks and suffocation. It also describes beatings, rape and forced nudity. Other alleged methods included prolonged isolation and starvation, as well as punishment cells and psychological torture. Prosecutors say the abuses formed part of a system of repression that began after Maduro took power in 2013. They allege it was used to suppress opposition and keep him in power.
Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores appeared in federal court in Manhattan on October 15. They pleaded not guilty to new charges of conspiracy to commit torture, with Judge Alvin Hellerstein presiding. The trial is scheduled to begin on June 1, 2027. Reuters reported that the new charge is conspiracy; Maduro and Flores are not accused of carrying out torture themselves. The count expands an existing case that includes alleged narcoterrorism. Prosecutors also accuse them of drug trafficking. The case includes weapons offenses.
Prosecutors allege that after Maduro became president in 2013, he directed officials to torture opposition politicians and military personnel accused of plotting against him. They say he recommended methods used on some detainees and received updates on their treatment. The indictment further alleges that he threatened to kill one detainee’s child. Prosecutors say Maduro and Flores helped oversee a state-sponsored system that used detention and violence against political opponents. It also targeted people authorities considered disloyal or a threat to their illegal activities. Prosecutors say more than a dozen US citizens were tortured in Venezuelan prisons during Maduro’s time in power. These remain allegations in a formal indictment, not findings established at trial.
The indictment alleges that Flores, a former attorney general, helped create the repressive system. It also accuses her of ordering the torture of specific people. At least three Americans are named in the document, according to ABC News. The alleged methods included electrical shocks and asphyxiation. Prosecutors also cite beatings, forced nudity and isolation. The indictment describes psychological pressure as well. The accusations concern a broader pattern of arbitrary detention and political persecution, and remain subject to review in court.
At the hearing, Maduro rejected the new allegations and said he would not accept the indictment. Judge Hellerstein interrupted him, saying the court would record a not-guilty plea on his behalf. Flores also pleaded not guilty. Reuters reported that, if convicted across the charges, the pair could face a mandatory minimum sentence of 50 years in prison.
The couple appeared in beige prison uniforms. Both seemed to have lost weight during their detention in Brooklyn.
The US government initially charged Maduro with narcoterrorism and drug trafficking. Prosecutors also brought weapons-related charges. They later added charges against Maduro and Flores. Earlier accusations named Maduro’s son and alleged co-conspirators in a cocaine-trafficking conspiracy involving cartels designated as terrorist groups. Maduro has previously described those accusations as a means of advancing US plans to gain access to Venezuela’s oil reserves.
Maduro and Flores are seeking to have the case dismissed. They argue that sovereign immunity protects him as the leader of a sovereign state. Their lawyers also contend that the US seizure of Maduro by force and his transfer to the United States were illegal. The pair were held in federal custody in Brooklyn after being brought to New York. The proceedings are separate from Spanish political disputes, including the UCM police inquiry.
Flores previously asked a judge to release her on bail while she awaits trial. The judge rejected her application, which cited heart problems and other health issues.
