Nicolás Maduro and Wife Plead Not Guilty to Torture Charges Involving Americans

Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan federal court on October 15, 2026, to new charges accusing them of conspiring to torture political opponents, including American citizens, as part of a campaign to remain in power.

The charges expand an existing federal prosecution involving narcoterrorism, cocaine trafficking and weapons offenses. A revised indictment unsealed October 8 alleges that Maduro and Flores oversaw a system of repression in Venezuela that subjected detainees to electric shocks, sexual assault, beatings and other forms of torture over more than two decades.

Maduro, 63, called the allegations false during his appearance before U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who interrupted him as he attempted to address the court at greater length. Flores, his wife and Venezuela's former first lady, separately declared her innocence. Both appeared in prison uniforms with their ankles shackled.

Among the alleged victims are three American citizens detained in Venezuela. Prosecutors say one was subjected to simulated drowning, repeated beatings, deprivation of food and water, forced injections and electric shocks to his genitals. The indictment describes other detainees facing sexual violence, prolonged isolation and threats against their families.

Federal authorities accuse Maduro and Flores of directing the abuses through military units, intelligence agencies, law enforcement officers and armed civilian groups known as colectivos. According to prosecutors, the couple used their control over Venezuela's security institutions to target suspected opponents and suppress challenges to their government.

One incident described in the indictment dates to 2014, when Maduro allegedly ordered the abduction of military personnel suspected of disloyalty. Prosecutors say he directed officials to extract information about potential opposition activity and instructed them to intensify their interrogation methods when detainees resisted.

Flores allegedly supported the plan and rejected a proposal to gather intelligence by placing informants within the suspected opposition networks. Prosecutors also accuse her of helping establish the broader system of repression and ordering the torture of specific individuals.

Other allegations describe a senior Venezuelan official who reported directly to Maduro developing torture methods for his approval and overseeing an agency responsible for abusing scores of detainees. Another official allegedly ordered and participated in the torture of civilians and military personnel, including Americans, suspected of threatening Maduro's rule.

The new conspiracy to commit torture charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. Under federal law, individuals accused of agreeing to commit torture outside the United States can face prosecution for their participation in the conspiracy, including those who allegedly directed the operation through other officials.

The couple also faces narcoterrorism, cocaine importation and weapons charges, some carrying mandatory minimum sentences and potential life imprisonment. Reuters reported that each defendant faces a combined mandatory minimum of 50 years if convicted on all counts, although any sentence would depend on the convictions, applicable sentencing rules and the judge's determination.

Maduro and Flores were captured by U.S. forces at their home in Caracas on January 3, 2026, during a military operation ordered by President Donald Trump. They were transported to New York and have remained in federal custody in Brooklyn while awaiting trial.

Their original prosecution accuses Venezuelan officials of using government institutions and relationships with criminal organizations to facilitate large-scale cocaine shipments into the United States. Both previously pleaded not guilty to those allegations. The revised indictment also extends the narcoterrorism conspiracy charge to Flores, adding to her potential criminal exposure.

Defense attorneys are challenging the prosecution on immunity grounds, arguing that Maduro's status as Venezuela's former president protects him from facing criminal charges in the United States. The dispute raises questions about the legal protections afforded to foreign heads of state and whether they extend to alleged conduct undertaken through government institutions.

The defense is seeking dismissal of the charges, while prosecutors are pursuing the case under federal laws that permit certain crimes committed abroad to be tried in U.S. courts. The immunity challenge remains pending, leaving the court to determine whether Maduro's former official position provides a legal barrier to prosecution.

Hellerstein postponed the couple's trial from June 1 to June 14, 2027, following the addition of the torture allegations. Their next pretrial hearing is scheduled for December 17, 2026, as both sides prepare to litigate the expanded charges.