Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, appeared in a federal court in New York on Thursday to plead not guilty to new charges of conspiracy to commit torture.

Background

The US government initially accused Maduro of narco-terrorism, drug trafficking, and weapons-related offenses. However, new charges were added against him and Flores last week. The couple was captured in January during a US military raid and subsequently taken to New York, where they remain in jail.

Court Proceedings

Both Maduro and Flores have pleaded not guilty to the allegations and are seeking to have the case dismissed on the grounds of sovereign immunity. Their trial is scheduled for June 2027.

In a new indictment, government prosecutors alleged that Maduro and Flores "created and maintained a violent system of repression" that resulted in the deaths, harassment, and torture of thousands of Venezuelans.