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The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York charged former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores with conspiracy to commit torture to Americans and others to stay in power, according to a superseding indictment filed Thursday.
Maduro’s government, according to the indictment, “presided over a system of repression that relied on violence against political opposition, arbitrary detention, and the torture of detainees, including United States citizens.”
The torture included “electric shock, asphyxiation, rape, forced nudity, prolonged isolation, starvation, punishment cells, and psychological torture, such as threats to harm and kill victims’ families, including children,” the indictment read.
The charge carries a maximum of life imprisonment if any of the alleged torture resulted in death, and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison if not.
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In one incident, the indictment alleges that a U.S. detainee in Venezuela was beaten for days and doused with a noxious liquid that made him vomit, which Venezuelan officers then allegedly made him eat.
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The detainee, who was allegedly accused of plotting to kill Maduro, was also subjected to electric shock torture to his torso and genitals and injected with a substance that induced seizures.
“On one occasion, CC-3 personally observed Victim-7 being electrocuted; laughed at and taunted Victim-7 during the electric shock; and directed other DGCIM officers in connection with the electric shock,” the indictment read.
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After spending eight-and-a-half months at Boleíta Norte prison in Venezuela, the detainee was released and returned to the U.S. in October 2022, according to the indictment.
The indictment alleges Maduro and Flores “inflicted severe physical and mental pain and suffering to repress and punish political opposition, silence dissent and perceived dissent, preserve and protect the power and authority of the members of the conspiracy, and intimidate, harass, and neutralize their opponents, including through kidnappings.”
The pair, who face numerous other charges, were arrested in Venezuela in January during Operation Absolute Resolve. Maduro was originally charged with narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices in a 2011 indictment that President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice unsealed in 2020.
Flores was then charged in a superseding indictment in January with cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices. They have pleaded not guilty and a trial is scheduled for June 2027.
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Flores appeared in court Thursday for a bond hearing on her motion for release from jail. Her lawyers were requesting home confinement with GPS tracking, citing a heart condition and arguing she does not pose a danger to the community. US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein denied the request.
The U.S. government opposes her release, arguing she poses a flight risk and danger to the public.
Flores’ attorneys say she denies the allegations against her, and both she and Maduro have filed motions to dismiss on diplomatic immunity grounds.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich and Patrick Ward contributed to this report.
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