Maduro pleads not guilty to new torture-related charges in New York
Former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have pleaded not guilty to new U.S. charges of conspiracy to commit torture. The couple remains in custody in New York following their capture in a 2027 military raid.
Why it matters
The trial represents a significant legal action against a former head of state, highlighting ongoing tensions between the U.S. and the former Venezuelan regime.
Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are seen in a federal court in New York in July./ REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg via BBC
Venezuela's former leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, appeared in court on Thursday to plead not guilty to new charges of conspiracy to commit torture.
The US government initially accused Maduro of narco-terrorism, drug trafficking and weapons-related offenses, before adding new charges against him and Flores last week.
Maduro and Flores were captured in January during a US military raid, after which they were taken to New York, where they remain in jail.
The couple has pleaded not guilty to the allegations and both have argued to have the case thrown out on the grounds that they qualify for sovereign immunity. Their trial is scheduled for June 2027.
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