Ousted Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted for alleged conspiracy to commit torture, according to Manhattan federal court papers unsealed on Thursday. The superseding indictment was revealed shortly before Flores appeared in court in her ongoing push for pre-trial release, which was denied by Judge Alvin Hellerstein.
Background
Maduro and Flores have been held in a New York City jail since early January. They were captured in a US military operation and transported to New York to face "narcoterrorism" charges, a move that sparked widespread international outrage. Both Maduro and Flores have previously pleaded not guilty in the criminal case against them.
Allegations of Torture
The new indictment describes how Maduro and his wife allegedly employed horrific tactics to suppress opposition and maintain control. They 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 charging document states:
“"That 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 alleges that Maduro and Flores “sat atop that violent power structure.” Flores was said to be integral to this effort, having helped develop the system of repression and ordered that individuals be tortured to protect her family members’ illegal activities. The victims included US citizens who were believed to pose a threat to Maduro’s power.
