US Prosecutors Add Torture Charge Against Former Venezuela Leader Maduro

Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores (rear), are escorted by federal agents after landing at a Manhattan helipad, as they make their way into an armored car en route to a federal courthouse in New York City on Jan. 5, 2026. (XNY/Star Max/GC Images)

By Jackson Richman

Jackson Richman

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Jackson Richman is a Washington correspondent for The Epoch Times. In addition to Washington politics, he covers the intersection of politics and sports/sports and culture. He previously was a writer at Mediaite and Washington correspondent at Jewish News Syndicate. His writing has also appeared in The Washington Examiner. He is an alum of George Washington University.

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October 8, 2026Updated: October 8, 2026

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Prosecutors have added an additional charge of torture against former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife.

Maduro and Cilia Flores were charged in a superseding indictment, unsealed on Oct. 8, with torturing political opponents and Americans.

In 2013, Maduro ordered the arrest of a Venezuelan military officer he accused of planning a coup, according to prosecutors.

Nine years later, Venezuela detained a U.S. citizen while entering the country and accused the individual of conspiring to assassinate Maduro. The person was tortured by military counterintelligence officers, according to prosecutors.

Maduro and his wife were captured by the United States in January and charged with narcoterrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons offenses. Both have pleaded not guilty.

This story is breaking and will be updated.

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