fitri-handayani
Federal prosecutors in the United States have levelled fresh allegations against Venezuela's former president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, accusing the couple of conspiring to commit torture. The new charges, unsealed on Thursday, expand an already substantial legal case against the former first couple, who have been in American custody since January following a dramatic pre-dawn raid on their compound in Caracas by US forces.
The superseding indictment does not replace the earlier drug-trafficking and weapons charges the pair already face; rather, it adds a new dimension to the prosecution's case, shifting attention toward allegations of systematic abuse. Both Maduro, 63, and Flores, 69, have consistently denied all charges against them, and their legal team reiterated that stance in response to the latest development.
Barry J Pollack, Maduro's attorney, said his client rejects the new accusations and remains eager to present his defence in court. The trial for both defendants is scheduled to begin in June 2027, meaning the legal proceedings are likely to stretch well into the next decade's political calendar.
According to the indictment made public on Thursday, the former presidential couple is accused of "entrenching themselves in power" by presiding over what prosecutors describe as a system of repression. That system, the document alleges, relied on violence against political opponents, arbitrary detention, and the torture of detainees — including citizens of the United States.
The specific methods of torture outlined in the court filing are graphic and wide-ranging. Prosecutors list electric shock, asphyxiation, rape, forced nudity, prolonged isolation, starvation, punishment cells, and psychological torture among the alleged practices. The psychological element, according to the indictment, included threats to kill the family members of victims, children among them. Prosecutors said outside the courthouse on Thursday that "all of this was done to ensure that Maduro and Flores retained their power," describing the conduct as "the epitome of corruption" and stressing that it had caused significant harm to American citizens.
The charges against Flores extend beyond the new torture conspiracy count. Federal prosecutors also announced on Thursday that she had been added to an earlier narco-terrorism charge, signalling that the legal exposure of the former first lady is widening rather than narrowing. The indictment accuses Flores of playing a central role in building the repressive apparatus, alleging that she ordered individuals to be tortured and even received updates on the abuse of specific prisoners. Her alleged motive, according to the court document, was to shield family members who were involved in illegal activities.
Both defendants are being held at a detention centre in Brooklyn, New York, where they have remained since their capture. On Thursday, a judge denied Flores's request to be transferred to house arrest, meaning she is expected to stay behind bars alongside her husband for the foreseeable future. The decision underscores the seriousness with which the court is treating the allegations and the perceived risk associated with releasing either defendant before trial.
The allegations contained in the superseding indictment resonate with accounts that have emerged from Venezuela over many years. Javier Tarazona, who heads a human rights organisation in the country, told BBC Mundo earlier this year how he and his brother were confined to a tiny punishment cell for 46 days after being arbitrarily arrested. Another former inmate, Ángel Godoy, described being held in isolation for months and being prevented from contacting his wife, who was left without any information about his whereabouts. Such testimonies have long formed the backdrop to international criticism of Venezuela's detention system, and the new US charges appear designed to give those accounts a formal legal framework.
The political context surrounding the case remains complex. After Maduro was ousted from power, his vice-president, Delcy Rodríguez, was sworn in as interim leader with the backing of the Trump administration. Under her watch, hundreds of political prisoners have been released through an amnesty law, a development that supporters cite as evidence of a meaningful shift. Yet according to the prisoners' rights group Foro Penal, more than 300 detainees remain behind bars, suggesting that the practice of political imprisonment has not been fully dismantled.
International human rights bodies have continued to voice alarm. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, warned in March that his office had received reports alleging that detainees were still being tortured even after Maduro's seizure by US forces. Türk said that "structural and systemic human rights concerns" had persisted in Venezuela despite the change in leadership, indicating that the problems identified in the indictment may not be confined to the Maduro era alone.
The Venezuelan government at the time dismissed Türk's remarks, with the country's foreign minister accusing him of parroting the agenda of "extremists." That response reflects the deep sensitivity in Caracas to external criticism and the enduring polarisation that surrounds any discussion of human rights in the country. For the prosecution in New York, however, the focus remains squarely on the alleged conduct of the former president and his wife during their years in power.
Legal analysts note that superseding indictments are a common tool for prosecutors seeking to strengthen a case as evidence accumulates, and the addition of torture conspiracy charges suggests investigators believe they have gathered testimony or documentation sufficient to support the more serious allegations. The inclusion of American victims in the indictment may also be intended to reinforce the jurisdictional basis for prosecution in US courts, particularly given that the alleged abuses occurred on Venezuelan soil.
For the families of prisoners and former detainees, the new charges represent a rare moment of international attention directed at abuses that have often gone unpunished. Whether the case ultimately produces convictions or serves primarily as a symbolic reckoning remains to be seen, but the June 2027 trial date guarantees that the allegations against Maduro and Flores will remain in the public eye for years to come.
The former president and his wife continue to maintain their innocence, and their defence is expected to challenge both the factual basis and the legal reach of the US prosecution. As the case proceeds, it will test the willingness of American courts to hold a foreign leader accountable for alleged abuses committed abroad — a question with profound implications for international justice and for the future of Venezuela itself.
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