(Reuters) – Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores are expected to face new criminal charges in the U.S. over the alleged torture of Americans held in the South American country, a U.S. official said on Wednesday.
The new charges could come as soon as Thursday, according to the official, who was briefed on the investigation.
Maduro and Flores were captured by the U.S. military from their homes in Caracas on 3rd January and brought to New York to face drug trafficking charges. They have pleaded not guilty.
Supporters of Venezuela’s government rally to demand the release of ousted President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, two months after their capture by the U.S., in Caracas, Venezuela March 3, 2026.
A spokesperson for the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s office, which brought the charges, declined to comment.
Lawyers for Maduro and Flores did immediately respond to requests for comment.
The possibility of new charges was first reported by CNN on Wednesday.
Details of the new charges, including the identities of the alleged torture victims, were not immediately available.
Maduro’s 13 years in power in oil-rich Venezuela were marked by tensions with the United States. Washington said that several of its citizens were wrongfully detained in the South American country during his tenure.
Venezuela has been led since Maduro’s capture by his former vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, who has increased cooperation with the Trump administration.
Source: Kaieteur News
