Maduro and his wife plead not guilty to torture charges in an American court

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Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Celia Flores, pleaded not guilty Thursday to new torture charges brought against them by the United States following their arrest in a military operation in Caracas in January.

The couple appeared before a court in New York, after prosecutors accused them last week of committing acts of torture that included waterboarding, rape, and beatings against detainees in Venezuela, including American citizens.

Maduro, who previously considered himself a "prisoner of war," described the new accusations as "false allegations." For her part, Flores said: “I am completely innocent. I am not guilty.”

Maduro and his wife already face charges of drug trafficking and firearms crimes in the United States. According to the indictment, they used torture with the aim of "intimidating, harassing and neutralizing their opponents, including through kidnapping."

During his presidency, which extended from 2013 until the US military operation in early January 2026, human rights organizations accused Maduro of using repression to remain in power.

Maduro and Flores are currently being held in a Brooklyn prison. Their trial is scheduled to begin next June.

They demanded that the charges against them be dropped under the pretext that they enjoy immunity in their capacity as president and first lady of a sovereign state.

Since Maduro's arrest, his deputy, Delcy Rodriguez, has been ruling Venezuela as acting president, under intense pressure from the administration of US President Donald Trump.