The United States has filed additional criminal charges against former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, accusing them of conspiring to torture detainees, including American citizens, in Venezuela.
The allegations, detailed in a court filing submitted on Thursday, add to the growing criminal case against the couple, who are being held in US custody following their capture during a US military operation in Caracas in January.
Prosecutors allege that torture was used to intimidate political opponents, suppress dissent and silence individuals perceived as threats to Maduro’s government. The alleged abuses include waterboarding, sexual violence, beatings and other forms of physical mistreatment.
According to the court documents, Venezuelan authorities allegedly tortured an American citizen in 2022 after accusing the individual of involvement in a plot to assassinate Maduro. The filing states that the victim was subjected to electric shocks to the arms, legs and genitals, suffocation, beatings, deprivation of food and water, and forced injections of a substance that reportedly caused seizures.
US prosecutors contend that such methods were part of a broader effort to intimidate and neutralise opponents, including through kidnappings and other coercive measures.
Maduro, who served as Venezuela’s president from 2013 until 2026, faced years of criticism from international human rights organisations over allegations of political persecution, arbitrary detention and the suppression of opposition voices.
US Attorney General Todd Blanche said the additional charges reflected the administration’s determination to pursue justice for victims of alleged torture, narcotics-related offences and organised crime. FBI Director Kash Patel also said the charges demonstrated Washington’s commitment to accountability, the rule of law and the protection of US national security.
Maduro and Flores are expected to face trial in New York next June and remain detained in Brooklyn. The former Venezuelan leader was initially charged with conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess such weapons.
Maduro has denied the allegations, describing his capture by US forces as a kidnapping and referring to himself as a prisoner of war. Flores has also pleaded not guilty to charges involving cocaine importation and the possession of machine guns and destructive devices. The latest court filing indicates that she faces an additional charge of conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism.
In a separate development on Thursday, a US court rejected Flores’ request to be transferred from jail to private home detention in New York. Her legal team had sought the arrangement to enable her to address an apparent heart condition.
Both defendants have appealed to have the charges dismissed, arguing that Maduro should be entitled to immunity as a former head of state and that Flores should receive protections associated with her position as the country’s first lady.
Since Maduro’s removal from power, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has been leading Venezuela as interim president amid sustained pressure from US President Donald Trump’s administration.
Despite the political tensions, economic ties between the two countries have shifted, particularly in the oil industry. US energy companies have signed several multibillion-dollar agreements with Venezuela this year, while the country has agreed to arrangements granting Washington control over a substantial share of its vast oil resources.
The latest charges add another dimension to the legal proceedings against Maduro and Flores, as US prosecutors pursue allegations ranging from international drug trafficking to serious human rights abuses. Both defendants deny the original criminal accusations, and the new allegations will be addressed through the US judicial process.
