DOJ Charges Maduro and Wife With Torture Conspiracy

Clear Facts

• The Department of Justice announced new criminal charges accusing Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores of conspiracy to commit torture.
• The charges mark a major expansion of the federal prosecution against the ousted Venezuelan dictator.
• Maduro and Flores remain subjects of ongoing United States criminal proceedings.

The Department of Justice has taken another decisive step against the former Venezuelan regime by filing new charges that directly accuse Nicolás Maduro and his wife of conspiring to commit acts of torture.

These charges build on prior federal actions that already sought Maduro’s arrest and extradition for narcotics trafficking and other alleged crimes against the Venezuelan people.

“The United States will continue to pursue justice for the victims of the Maduro regime,” the DOJ statement read.

The new indictment alleges that Maduro and Cilia Flores knowingly participated in a conspiracy to inflict severe physical and mental pain on political opponents and ordinary citizens who resisted their rule.

“This is about holding accountable those who used the power of the state to brutalize their own people,” a senior Justice Department official stated.

Under the new charges, federal prosecutors argue that Maduro and his wife directed or authorized specific acts of torture carried out by Venezuelan intelligence and security forces loyal to the regime.

These alleged acts include beatings, electric shocks, and prolonged solitary confinement designed to crush dissent and maintain control.

“The evidence shows a pattern of systematic abuse ordered from the highest levels,” the official added.

The DOJ’s decision to pursue these charges reflects a broader commitment to holding foreign leaders accountable when their actions violate longstanding American principles of human dignity and the rule of law.

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