US expands case against Maduro with torture charges
The new charges include allegations of torture involving Venezuelans and American prisoners.
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American prosecutors have added new charges to the criminal case against former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. They are now also accused of involvement in torture and other human rights violations; a judge has yet to rule on the matter.
According to the revised indictment, Maduro and Flores are alleged to have run a repressive system to retain their grip on power. Prosecutor Jamie McDonald said the alleged victims include thousands of Venezuelans and several American citizens. The allegations come from the indictment and have not yet been proven.
Maduro and Flores had already been indicted in a US drug case. They have denied being guilty, and their lawyers have argued that, as former leaders of Venezuela, they should be entitled to immunity. The new indictment turns the case into a broader legal confrontation over both drugs and human rights.
The United States says Maduro personally authorised torture and was kept informed about the treatment of prisoners. According to the indictment, Flores faces separate allegations concerning her role in the repressive apparatus. Her lawyer said he had not yet been able to study the new allegations.
The case is being heard in New York, where Maduro and Flores have been held since their arrest in January. The US authorities transferred the two from Venezuela after American troops had captured Maduro. The course of events is internationally controversial and also makes the trial geopolitically sensitive.
Maduro has long been under investigation by the International Criminal Court over possible crimes against humanity during the suppression of the opposition in Venezuela. He has consistently denied those allegations. The new US indictment is not a ruling by the International Criminal Court and does not in itself prove guilt.
The proceedings ahead will address, among other things, whether US judges have jurisdiction over the alleged offences and whether evidence is admissible. Until a final ruling, Maduro and Flores remain suspects. The US prosecutors will have to substantiate their allegations in open court.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The US prosecutor has filed a revised indictment.
- Maduro and Flores are accused in it of human rights violations and torture.
- The allegations have not yet been proven by a judge.
Left
Arguments Serious human rights violations must not go unpunished, even when prosecution is undertaken by a powerful state with its own geopolitical interests.
Values Universal human rights, accountability and the protection of victims.
Consequences A trial can provide recognition and evidence, but a US proceeding may also be seen as selective jurisdiction.
Centre
Arguments The case should proceed according to normal rules, with scrutiny of jurisdiction, evidence and the rights of the defence. International cooperation is preferable to an exclusively national reckoning.
Values The rule of law, judicial independence and international legitimacy.
Consequences A careful trial may take a long time, but it strengthens the credibility of the outcome.
Right
Arguments A regime alleged to have tortured Americans and opponents must be prosecuted forcefully and must not be allowed to hide behind state power or immunity.
Values Security, national protection and deterrence of political repression.
Consequences A hard-line US prosecution may deter future leaders, but could deepen diplomatic tensions.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The text follows the revised indictment as described by AP and Reuters and consistently maintains the distinction between allegations and proven facts. Specific details of violence have been omitted in accordance with the editorial code.
- confirmed The United States added new torture charges against Maduro and Flores. — AP and Reuters reported the revised indictment. source
- confirmed The prosecutor said that American citizens were also among the alleged victims. — This is stated in AP’s report of prosecutor McDonald’s remarks. source
- confirmed Maduro and Flores had previously pleaded not guilty in the US drug case. — AP describes their earlier pleas and their lawyers’ immunity arguments. source
Editor's note
The new indictment and the US prosecutor’s statements have been confirmed by AP and Reuters. The facts are allegations; guilt, jurisdiction and the full evidential position must still be assessed by the judge.Sources
- New US indictment charges former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro with torture — Associated Press
- Venezuela’s Maduro to face new US charges over alleged torture of Americans — Reuters via KELO-AM
- Federal judge awards $314 million to 3 Americans held and allegedly tortured in Venezuela — Associated Press
More on this in Dutch media
- Het Parool — „nicolás maduro”
- Trouw — „nicolás maduro”
- NRC — „nicolás maduro”