Prosecutors have added allegations of abuse against more than a dozen Americans held in Venezuela to the existing drugs and weapons case against the former president, who was seized in a US raid in January.
Former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro has been charged with torture and other offences in a newly unsealed indictment in US federal court. According to the Department of Justice, the allegations concern the torture and mistreatment of more than a dozen US citizens who were detained in Venezuela while he was in power. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been held in the United States since early January. The new charges significantly broaden a prosecution that already includes narco-terrorism, cocaine trafficking and weapons offences.
The new allegations
Prosecutors allege the abuse was part of a wider system of political repression rather than a series of isolated incidents involving individual prison officers. The alleged torture took place while Maduro was governing Venezuela, not after he was brought to the United States.
US prosecutors are also examining the possible involvement of other Venezuelan officials and individuals who allegedly took part in the detention or mistreatment of Americans.
The existing case
Maduro was previously charged with participating in a conspiracy to smuggle drugs into the US. Documents released by the Department of Justice show he also faces charges relating to narco-terrorism, cocaine trafficking and illegal weapons offences. He and Ms Flores have both pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The couple were detained by US special forces at their high-security compound during an overnight raid on 3 January. President Donald Trump and administration officials have described the operation as a “surgical law enforcement operation”. Maduro has called it a “kidnapping”.
Since then, Maduro has lost weight in custody. Photographs taken at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center and dated 25 June show him smiling in a grey tracksuit and white trainers.
Cilia Flores seeks release
Separately, Ms Flores is seeking release from federal detention on medical grounds. Her lawyers want her placed under supervised house arrest so she can receive treatment, including a cardiac procedure. They have raised concerns about her health in detention, including weight loss and dental problems.
Prosecutors oppose the request, arguing that she presents flight and public-safety risks and has access to significant resources. They also dispute aspects of her medical claims.
