Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores faced a new indictment in Manhattan federal court on accusations of conspiracy to commit torture. The superseding indictment was unsealed shortly before Flores appeared at a bail hearing, where a federal judge denied her request for pretrial release. Both defendants have been held in custody in New York since early January following their capture by US special forces.
According to charging documents, Maduro and Flores allegedly presided over a system designed to suppress political opposition through violence, arbitrary detention, and torture. The indictment claims they “sat atop” this violent structure and “developed and facilitated the systems” used to accumulate wealth and power while terrorizing perceived opponents. Authorities allege Flores played a central role in developing the repression apparatus and ordered individuals tortured to protect her family’s illegal activities.
The indictment details numerous allegations of severe abuse against detainees, including US citizens. One US citizen allegedly faced food and water deprivation, simulated drowning, repeated beatings, and electric shocks. Another victim was subjected to asphyxiation and electric shocks. The charging documents also describe how Venezuelan intelligence agents tortured family members of officials who resisted judicial manipulation, including forcing victims to consume contaminated water and confining them in isolation cells with constant bright light and noise.
During the bail hearing, Flores’s legal team requested house arrest with 24-hour private security, citing chronic health conditions including cardiac issues. Judge Alvin Hellerstein rejected the request, questioning the severity of her claimed health problems and noting that necessary medical procedures were routine and widely available. The US attorney’s office opposed the release, arguing Flores presented a flight risk and had received appropriate medical care while detained.
The case has drawn international attention and political controversy. Former President Trump has characterized the military operation that captured Maduro as a “surgical law enforcement operation.” Following Maduro’s ouster, Trump announced an oil agreement granting the US majority control over Venezuelan reserves, citing the country’s vast petroleum resources as significant to US energy interests.
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