
AI-generated summary
Nicolas Maduro has been president of Venezuela since 2013, facing long-standing allegations of human rights abuses, including torture and repression of political opponents, which have drawn criticism from international bodies and human rights groups. His wife, Cilia Flores, has held significant political influence in Venezuela, serving in various governmental roles. The couple was seized from their Caracas home by the US military in a nighttime raid eight months prior to the court appearance and have since been held in US custody. They previously faced drug-trafficking charges, to which the new torture allegations have now been added. Maduro is also under investigation by the International Criminal Court for crimes related to his crackdown on dissent, though no arrest warrant has been issued.
Former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro appeared in court on Thursday, where he rejected newly unsealed torture charges against him and his wife, Cilia Flores.
He said the indictment represented "false accusations" against him.
Maduro was combative in court as he was asked to enter a plea to the charges, condemning allegations of torture as "false accusations and false testimony."
Ultimately, Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein interjected to declare that "a plea of not guilty will be entered on behalf of Mr. Maduro."
Flores told the judge through the Spanish interpreter: "I am completely innocent. I am not guilty."
The court appearance was the latest for the pair, who are currently in US custody in New York City, now eight months since they were seized from their Caracas home by the US military in a nighttime raid.
The new torture charges against the couple have been added to the drug-trafficking charges they previously faced.
Maduro and Flores' trial is set to begin June 14, 2027, according to a schedule approved by the judge Thursday.
What are the torture charges?
Maduro and his wife have been accused of leading a state-sponsored repression campaign that tortured scores of victims, including three Americans, during his presidency from 2013 to 2026.
They are said to have committed human rights violations as part of a scheme to hold on to power.
Security forces have been accused of torturing prisoners with electric shocks, beatings and asphyxiation at Maduro's behest.
Maduro stands accused of personally recommending torture methods, receiving updates on specific victims' treatment, and threatening to kill one prisoner's child as a form of psychological torture.
For her part, Cilia Flores has been accused of helping develop the repressive system and ordering the torture of some specific people, the indictment alleges.
Human rights groups have long accused Venezuelan officials of torturing detainees, but the US indictment marks the first time that Maduro could be held to account over the allegations.
Maudro has been under investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over allegations of crimes against humanity, tied to his crackdown on opponents, but the court has not served him with a warrant.
Torture is considered a crime under international law and can be prosecuted outside of the nation where the abuse occurred and regardless of the victims' nationality.
But in the US, the prosecution of foreign officials is exceedingly rare. The only recent cases include the son of Liberian President Charles Taylor, Russians responsible for war crimes in Ukraine and a former prison warden in Bashar Assad's Syria.
Edited by: Wesley Dockery
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Maduro and Flores will proceed to trial on June 14, 2027, as scheduled by the judge.
Very likely · Within months
The Venezuelan government will publicly denounce the US prosecution as politically motivated and a violation of sovereignty.
Very likely · Within days
Human rights groups will increase pressure on the International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant for Nicolas Maduro.
Likely · Within weeks

A minibus carrying truck drivers collided with a stationary train near the Channel Tunnel entrance in France on Thursday, injuring the driver and 18 passengers, five seriously, according to authorities. Two Eurostar trains were canceled and emergency services responded to the scene.

Venezuelan former President Nicolas Maduro appeared in a New York court on Thursday, rejecting newly unsealed torture allegations against him and his wife Cilia Flores as false accusations. The couple, in US custody since a 2023 raid, face charges of leading a state-sponsored repression campaign that tortured victims including three Americans during Maduro's 2013-2026 presidency. Their trial is set to begin June 14, 2027.

Houthi rebels launched a missile attack on Aden's al-Maashiq Palace, the interim capital of Yemen's internationally recognized government, killing two security personnel and injuring 10 others, according to Yemeni officials and witnesses. The Houthis claimed the strike targeted Saudi-led military operations headquarters and weapons depots at the palace.

Houthi rebels claimed a strike on Aden's presidential palace that killed two guards, Saudi Arabia reported intercepting a missile near Medina, and Iran said an oil tanker caught fire in the Gulf of Oman amid ongoing escalation in the Yemen conflict and regional tensions.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty in a New York court to new charges of conspiracy to commit torture. The couple, held by the US since a January abduction, also face prior charges of narco-terrorism and weapons offenses.

Eritrea, an authoritarian state led by Isaias Afwerki since 1993, faces international scrutiny over human rights, indefinite military conscription, and recent diplomatic disputes with the UK regarding migrant returns and escalating border tensions with Ethiopia.