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Venezuela's ex-leader Nicolás Maduro charged with conspiracy to commit torture
BBC • • nation
Key Points:
- U.S. prosecutors have charged Venezuela's former leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, with conspiracy to commit torture, adding to existing drug-trafficking and weapons charges they deny.
- Maduro and Flores, detained since January in Brooklyn following a U.S. raid in Caracas, face trial scheduled for June 2027, with Flores recently denied house arrest.
- The new indictment alleges the couple maintained power through a system of repression involving violence, arbitrary detention, and torture of detainees, including U.S. citizens.
- Flores is accused of orchestrating torture to protect family members involved in illegal activities and receiving updates on prisoners' mistreatment.
- Despite some political prisoners being released under interim leader Delcy Rodríguez, over 300 detainees remain imprisoned in Venezuela, highlighting ongoing human rights concerns.
