Maduro and his wife face new charges related to torture of political opponents and U.S. citizens

U.S. prosecutors on Monday charged ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Flores, with conspiring to torture political opponents and U.S. citizens, adding new charges to the couple's existing drug-trafficking case.

Separately, federal district judge Alvin Hellerstein, who heard the case, rejected Cilia Flores' request to be released on bail ahead of a trial scheduled for next year, citing health concerns, Reuters reported.

On January 3 this year, 63-year-old Maduro and 69-year-old Flores were arrested at their home in Caracas during a U.S. military operation ordered by U.S. President Trump, and were then taken to New York to face drug-related charges announced by the U.S. on the same day. The superseding indictment filed today in Manhattan federal court adds torture charges to the existing criminal case.

If found guilty on all counts, Maduro and Flores would each face mandatory minimum sentences of 50 years. They pleaded not guilty to the original charges but have yet to enter pleas to the new indictment detailing the alleged torture of nine people, including three U.S. citizens.

"President Maduro denies the charges in the new indictment and looks forward to defending himself in court," Maduro's lawyer Barry Pollack said in a statement.

Flores' attorneys, Mark Donnelly and Andres Sanchez, said in a statement that their client denies the allegations. They questioned why the prosecutors did not release the indictment until shortly before today's trial. Court records show that the indictment was submitted sealed by the grand jury on the 6th.

"We look forward to fully responding to these allegations in court at the appropriate time," Donnelly and Sanchez said.

Since Maduro’s arrest, Venezuela has stepped up cooperation with the United States under the leadership of former Vice President Delcy Rodriguez.

During the 13 years in power of socialist Maduro, the United States has had tense relations with oil-rich Venezuela. U.S. officials and human rights groups have long accused Venezuelan officials of torturing detainees, but today's indictment is the first time Maduro has faced criminal charges over the charges.

The indictment alleges that between 1999 and 2025, thousands of Venezuelans were threatened, arrested, tortured or killed by the state. Before Maduro became president in 2013, both he and Flores held senior positions in the government of late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

"Maduro, Flores and other senior members of their inner circle have used a violent system of torture and repression to maintain power," Jamie McDonald, the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan, told the media outside the court after Flores' bail request was denied.

Flores was Venezuela's attorney general and led the National Assembly before becoming first lady.