Nicolas Maduro and Cilia Flores face new torture charges in US court

Former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, 63, and his wife, Cilia Flores, 70, returned to a federal court in Manhattan on October 15, 2026, to address a revised indictment. The new charges allege their leadership roles in a state-sponsored system of repression that involved the torture of political opponents, including three U.S. citizens. Prosecutors claim the defendants oversaw practices such as beatings, asphyxiation, and electric shocks to suppress dissent.

The couple was arrested in January 2026 during a night raid by U.S. military forces at their residence in Caracas, as ordered by President Donald Trump, and subsequently airlifted to New York. Prior to these new allegations, they were charged with abusing their power to facilitate drug trafficking. Both have previously pleaded not guilty to the narcotics charges, and their legal counsel, led by Barry Pollack, maintains their innocence regarding the torture allegations as well.

The hearing, presided over by Judge Alvin Hellerstein, marks a significant expansion of the criminal case against the former leadership. While the defendants continue to deny the accusations, the investigation continues to highlight systemic human rights abuses within their administration, further complicating their international legal standing.