US Adds Torture Charges Against Ousted Venezuelan Leaders Maduro and Flores
According to the South China Morning Post, ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores received an extra US criminal charge on Thursday, alleging they tortured political opponents and American citizens to maintain control in Venezuela. The superseding indictment in Manhattan federal court includes a count of conspiracy to commit torture, and a conviction could result in a mandatory minimum of 50 years in prison.
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The South China Morning Post reports that ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were subjected to an additional US criminal charge on Thursday. This charge stems from accusations that they tortured both political opponents and American citizens in an effort to maintain their hold on power within the South American nation.
In a superseding indictment filed in Manhattan federal court, Maduro and Flores were charged with an extra count of conspiracy to commit torture, which is added to the drug-trafficking offenses they had previously been charged with. Should they be found guilty, the mandatory minimum sentence they would face is 50 years in prison.
Separately, US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who is presiding over the case, rejected a request made by Flores for release from jail prior to the trial, citing health concerns.
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