Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores could face torture charges this week

US federal prosecutors are expected to bring additional charges this week against former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. CBS, the BBC’s US media partner, reported the development.

The new allegations are expected to concern their alleged role in torturing Americans held in Venezuelan prisons. CBS also reported that other people could be charged over the torture of more than a dozen Americans.

US forces seized Maduro and Flores during a nighttime raid on their compound in Caracas on 3 January and took them to New York. Both deny the earlier weapons and drug-related charges.

Existing US charges

Maduro is accused of conspiring to engage in narco-terrorism and import cocaine, as well as possessing and conspiring to possess machine guns and destructive devices. He and 14 others were first indicted in 2020.

Prosecutors allege that Maduro, Flores, their son and associates were involved in a cocaine-trafficking conspiracy and worked with cartels designated as terrorist organisations.

Maduro’s lawyer, Barry Pollack, told CBS he had not been notified of any additional charges. The BBC contacted Pollack and the US Attorney’s Office in Manhattan for comment.

Flores, who already faces drug-trafficking and weapons charges, is scheduled to appear at a federal court bond hearing in New York on Thursday. The trial of Maduro and Flores is scheduled to begin in June 2027.

Their lawyers have asked the court to dismiss the case, arguing that Maduro is immune from prosecution as the leader of a sovereign country. They also say that the US seizure of Maduro was illegal; the judge has not ruled on the requests.