Maduro and his wife plead not guilty to torturing US citizens

Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty to the charges of torturing U.S. citizens brought against them in the United States.

A few days ago, Maduro and Flores were formally charged with torturing U.S. citizens who were detained while they were in the Venezuelan government.

This Thursday, during a court appearance in New York, the couple denied having committed acts such as waterboarding, rape and beatings against detainees in Venezuela, including U.S. citizens.

"These are false accusations," Maduro said during his testimony, according to AFP.

The formal indictment alleges that the couple used torture to "intimidate, harass, and neutralize their opponents, including through kidnappings."

Maduro and Flores are being held in a Brooklyn jail. Their trial for drug trafficking and possession of firearms—charges they also face—is scheduled to begin on June 1, 2027. So far, both have pleaded not guilty.

"They made torture their primary state policy"

For years, Maduro's dictatorship punished opponents—both Venezuelans and foreigners—held in custody at facilities such as El Helicoide using various torture techniques, including suffocation, beatings and electric shocks.

Lorent Saleh, a former Venezuelan political prisoner, he stated in an interview with VOZ News how Maduro made torture one of the cornerstones of his dictatorship.

"If anything characterized the regime of narco-dictator Nicolás Maduro, it was torture. They made torture their primary state policy," said Saleh, who was imprisoned by Maduro for several years.