Maduro, Wife Plead Not Guilty to New Torture Conspiracy Charges in US Court

Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have pleaded not guilty to new charges of conspiracy to commit torture during an appearance before a court in New York City.

The couple appeared in court on Thursday, October 15, 2026, following the unsealing of the new charges last week.

Maduro and Flores were reportedly taken from Venezuela's capital, Caracas, during a United States military operation in January.

The latest charges add to several existing allegations against the couple, including narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices. They have previously denied the allegations.

According to US prosecutors, Maduro and Flores allegedly participated in a conspiracy spanning more than two decades that involved torture, including the abuse of American citizens, alongside alleged drug trafficking and weapons offences.

The indictment claims that the couple oversaw a system involving torture, arbitrary detention and violence against individuals considered disloyal or suspected of threatening their alleged narcotics operations. It also alleges that these practices were used to suppress political opposition.

Prosecutors cited several incidents in which Maduro and Flores allegedly identified individuals for targeting, requested updates on interrogations or suggested methods of extracting information from detainees.

In one alleged incident in 2014, Maduro reportedly urged security personnel to intensify efforts to obtain information from detained military officers. The indictment also accuses him of suggesting sleep deprivation and pouring water on detainees as interrogation techniques.

The document further alleges that abuses under Maduro's administration included beatings, electric shocks and threats against detainees' family members.

However, US prosecutors have not accused Maduro or Flores of personally carrying out the alleged acts of torture.

Maduro became Venezuela's president in 2013, and his re-election victories, including the disputed 2024 election, faced repeated challenges from opposition groups and concerns from international observers.

Since his reported abduction in January, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has been leading the country as interim president.

Rodríguez initially condemned the US military operation as an illegal kidnapping. However, she has since maintained relations with the administration of US President Donald Trump, including efforts to open Venezuela's state-owned oil industry to foreign investment.

The latest court proceedings mark another development in the legal battle involving Maduro and his wife, as they face multiple allegations in the United States.

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