Maduro Faces New Charge of Torturing US Citizens in Custody Bob Van Voris Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife face a new criminal charge that they are responsible for the alleged torture of US citizens detained in the South American country. Prosecutors in New York filed the new criminal count Thursday, adding to existing charges that Maduro, 63, participated in a years-long conspiracy to traffic cocaine in the US. The government specifically alleged that Maduro conspired in the torture of nine people, three of whom were US citizens.
Venezuelan officers detained an American identified only as “Victim-7,” who was tortured over two or three days, then transferred to a prison where the person endured beatings, electric shocks to the arms, legs and genitals, asphyxiation, forced injections and deprivation of food and water over 8 1/2 months, according to the new court filing. At least two other US citizens suffered similarly severe torture and injuries, according to the charges. Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, was in Manhattan federal court Thursday seeking to be released from jail, claiming US prison authorities can’t adequately manage her healthcare needs.
A lawyer for Flores told a judge at a bail hearing that she likely requires heart surgery. Lawyers for Flores, 69, asked US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein to allow her to move into home detention, with a GPS location monitor and supervised by armed guards at all times. Both have pleaded not guilty to the previous charges.
Maduro has also said he is immune from prosecution as the former leader of a sovereign nation.
Source: Bloomberg Markets · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing