World Affairs
U.S. adds torture-conspiracy count in Maduro case
The new count rests on prosecutors’ allegations about political repression and detainees, including U.S. citizens. Neither defendant has been convicted of the new charge.
Executive summary
- A new count: Federal prosecutors in Manhattan added one count of conspiracy to commit torture against Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in a superseding indictment unsealed Oct. 8. The charge joins the drug and weapons counts they already faced.[1][2][3][4]
- The allegations: The indictment alleges that senior Venezuelan officials used detention and torture to suppress opposition and keep Maduro and Flores in power. Prosecutors describe multiple forms of abuse and identify alleged victims that include U.S. citizens. These are allegations, not findings by a court.[1][3][4][5]
- A contested prosecution: Maduro and Flores have pleaded not guilty to their earlier charges. Their lawyers are challenging the case on immunity grounds; Flores’ attorney told the Associated Press he had not yet reviewed the new allegations. The scheduled trial date is June 1, 2027.[3][4][6]
A federal grand jury in Manhattan has added a conspiracy-to-commit-torture count against Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores, the Justice Department and FBI said Thursday. The superseding indictment expands a prosecution that already included narcoterrorism, cocaine-importation and weapons allegations. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to the earlier charges.[1][2][3][4]
The added count shifts part of the case from alleged drug trafficking to alleged state repression. Prosecutors say Maduro and Flores participated in a system that used arbitrary detention and torture against political opponents, including Americans held in Venezuelan custody. The charge is a formal accusation returned by a grand jury; it does not establish that the alleged conduct occurred or that either defendant is guilty.[1][3][4][5]
The public statements from Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel confirm that each defendant was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit torture. The detailed allegations below are attributed to prosecutors and the superseding indictment in reporting by the Associated Press, CBS News and El País; the government statements do not independently establish those claims.[1][2][3][4][5]
The indictment alleges that Maduro authorized torture against particular people, oversaw a system of political repression and received updates about the treatment of detainees. It also accuses Flores of helping develop that system and ordering abuse in specific cases. Prosecutors list alleged methods that include electric shocks, beatings, asphyxiation, sexual violence, forced nudity, prolonged isolation and threats against prisoners’ families.[3][4][5][6]
The allegations reach beyond a single episode or agency. El País reported that the charging document describes conduct from 1999 through 2025 and refers to thousands of Venezuelans allegedly subjected to harassment, threats, detention, torture or killing. The Associated Press said the indictment does not name the alleged victims, though it describes three as U.S. citizens. Those descriptions remain the government’s account in a criminal filing and have not been tested at trial.[5][3][4]
The case also enters an existing dispute over whether Maduro can be prosecuted in the United States. His lawyers have argued that he is entitled to immunity as a foreign head of state and have challenged the legality of his capture and transfer to New York. The new count does not resolve those arguments; the court will decide them separately as the case proceeds.[3][4][6]
The Associated Press reported that a message seeking comment was sent to Maduro’s lawyer and that Flores’ attorney said he had not yet had time to review the new allegations. That is the defense position available in the reporting at publication, not a response on the merits. The couple have denied the earlier charges by pleading not guilty.[3][4]
The trial is scheduled to begin June 1, 2027, according to Axios and CBS News, subject to pretrial motions and changes to the court calendar. The case will now require prosecutors to prove the new conspiracy count beyond a reasonable doubt, while the judge considers the separate legal challenges. Until then, the torture claims remain unproven allegations.[6][4][3]