Venezuela’s Maduro pleads not guilty to US conspiracy to torture charges | Donald Trump News
Maduro and Wife Plead Not Guilty to New Torture Charges in New York Court
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty to new charges of conspiracy to commit torture during a court appearance in New York City on Friday. The charges were unsealed last week as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged human rights abuses.
Maduro and Flores were abducted from Caracas in a U.S. military operation in January. Upon their arrival in the United States, they were charged with multiple offenses, including narco-terrorism, cocaine importation conspiracy, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices. Both individuals have maintained their innocence since their detention.
At a previous court hearing in January, shortly after their capture, Maduro addressed the court, stating, “I am innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man. I am still president of my country,” while referring to the operation as a kidnapping.
U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald announced last week that the couple had engaged in a long-term conspiracy to commit torture, which included the mistreatment of U.S. citizens. According to the new indictment, Maduro and Flores allegedly oversaw systematic torture, arbitrary detentions, and acts of violence aimed at individuals perceived as threats to their narcotics activities or as political opposition.
The indictment outlines specific cases where Maduro and Flores purportedly targeted individuals for torture, requested updates on ongoing abuse, and suggested various methods of coercion. For instance, it cites a 2014 incident in which Maduro urged his enforcers to intensify efforts to extract information from detained military personnel, allegedly stating, “Squeeze them harder.” He is also accused of advocating for techniques such as sleep deprivation and water torture.
The document details various abuses, including beatings, electrocutions, and threats against the family members of victims, although U.S. prosecutors did not claim that Maduro or Flores directly participated in the acts of torture.
Maduro has been president of Venezuela since 2013, with his re-election in 2024 being contested by opposition groups and international observers. Since his January abduction, interim president Delcy Rodriguez, who serves as Maduro’s vice president, has been in charge of the country. Initially condemning the U.S. operation as an “illegal, illegitimate kidnapping,” Rodriguez has since engaged with the Trump administration on efforts to reform Venezuela’s state-owned oil sector to attract foreign investment.
