U.S. Charges Ex-Venezuelan Leader Maduro: Torture Allegations

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, accompanied by his wife Cilia Flores, was charged by U.S. authorities with crimes including conspiring to torture citizens to maintain power. This indictment, revealed on Thursday, adds to existing charges of drug trafficking against Maduro. Previously accused of conspiracy to smuggle cocaine into the United States, he now also faces accusations of human rights violations during his presidency.

Indictment Details Torture Allegations

The updated charges claim that Maduro authorized the use of torture and operated a system that inflicted torture, arbitrary detentions, and violence to suppress political opponents. The indictment specifically names methods such as electric shocks, beatings, and asphyxiation. Additionally, the document accuses Maduro of threatening a prisoner’s child to exert psychological pressure.

The indictment outlines widespread human rights abuses, asserting that thousands were harassed, threatened, detained, or killed under Maduro’s regime. Alleged victims included three U.S. citizens who faced brutal treatment during their imprisonment in Venezuela.

Details of Abuse

The document mentions involvement by Venezuela’s DGCIM military intelligence agency. Torture victims included unnamed U.S. citizens, with one subjected to electric shocks and another suffering severe beatings that required hospitalization. The third endured prolonged torment, resulting in a lasting eye injury.

Former intelligence head Gen. Hugo Carvajal, a co-defendant who turned against Maduro, has agreed to testify. Maduro has denied any wrongdoing and has ignored previous U.S. lawsuits regarding mistreatment claims.

Flores Seeks Release for Health Reasons

In court, Flores, 69, sought release due to heart health concerns. Her lawyers requested house arrest, citing medical conditions untreated in jail, and said her participation in her husband’s cocaine conspiracy charges makes her an extreme flight risk and public danger.

Flores’ legal team reported significant weight loss and ongoing symptoms related to a potential minor heart attack. Prosecutors opposed her release, arguing she received medical care when necessary at a local hospital.

U.S. prosecutors described the operation to capture Maduro as a precise law enforcement action, while Maduro regards himself as a prisoner of war and frames his capture as kidnapping.