Former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores have been accused in the US of conspiracy to commit torture. The new charge is included in an amended indictment filed in federal court in Manhattan, where the two are already defendants in a drug trafficking case.
According to prosecutors, Maduro and Flores have maintained a system of repression against political opponents to maintain their power in Venezuela. The allegations are set out in the indictment and do not constitute an established guilt.
What the prosecution alleges
In one of the cases described, the prosecution alleges that in 2013, Maduro ordered the arrest of a Venezuelan military officer whom he suspected of preparing a coup. According to the indictment, military counterintelligence officers interrogated the officer, shocking him with a live wire about 20 times. It is also alleged that he was hung by his arms and legs for several minutes.
The other case described is from 2022. At that time, an American citizen detained upon entering Venezuela was accused of plotting to assassinate Maduro. Prosecutors allege that he was subjected to beatings and electric shocks to his arms, legs and genitals.
Maduro and Flores deny the drug trafficking charges. There has been no public comment from their lawyers on the new torture conspiracy charge.
The dispute over Flores' release
Celia Flores is expected to ask Judge Alvin Hellerstein to release her on bail until the start of her trial. The defense is citing her health and saying she needs a heart procedure and better conditions to recover.
The lawyers are proposing that Flores be moved to a New York-area apartment with 24-hour private security. They say she is not a danger to the public and that the Venezuelan government will cover the costs of her legal defense and supervision outside of custody.
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan is opposing the request. The prosecution says Flores is receiving adequate medical care in the detention center and that if she is released, there is an “extremely high” risk of absconding. Prosecutors also point to the possibility of witness intimidation.
The prosecution also questions the fairness of a scheme in which a defendant with great financial resources can pay for private security and surveillance outside prison, while other defendants cannot afford similar conditions.
The trial is scheduled for June 2027.
Maduro and Flores were detained by US military personnel on January 3 at their home in Caracas and taken to New York. Since then, both have been held in a detention center in Brooklyn. The drug trafficking case is scheduled for June 1, 2027.
The decision on the possible release of Flores will not determine the outcome of the trial or the amount of any possible sentence. If convicted on drug trafficking charges, she faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 40 years in prison.
Before becoming Venezuela's first lady, Flores served as the country's attorney general and president of the National Assembly. U.S. prosecutors also allege she received hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from a major drug trafficker.
Sources: bta.bg, apnews.com, investing.com