Nicolás Maduro and his wife face new charges over alleged torture of Americans

Prosecutors in New York brought new charges against former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores on Thursday over the alleged torture of Americans and others who were held in Venezuelan government custody in recent years.

They each face an additional charge of conspiracy to commit torture, according to the indictment. CNN first reported on Wednesday that the charges were expected.

Prosecutors allege when Maduro became president in 2013 he “authorized the use of torture against specific individuals and oversaw a system designed to use torture, arbitrary detention, and violence as a means of repression against the political opposition,” the indictment said.

Barry Pollack, Maduro’s attorney, said, “President Maduro denies the charges in the new indictment and looks forward to his day in court.”

The indictment outlines disturbing allegations of torture of both Americans and Venezuelans detained during Maduro’s time in government, including beatings, electrocutions, asphyxiation and rape. One American who was detained was allegedly forced to eat his own vomit.

The new charges relate to what the US government has said was the wrongful detention of more than a dozen US citizens in Venezuelan prisons when Maduro led a repressive regime in Venezuela.

Investigators have also discussed charging several additional people for their alleged role in the torture of Americans, according to a source familiar with the matter, people briefed on the investigation told CNN Wednesday.

US Attorney Jamie McDonald said at a press conference after the hearing that “Maduro, Flores and other high-ranking members of their inner circle used a violent system of torture and repression to maintain their power in Venezuela. They did this for 25 years to stifle political dissent until the US government apprehended Maduro and Flores earlier this year.”

The indictment alleges “conduct that is truly unthinkable,” McDonald said.

“The members of Maduro’s broad conspiracy were not just sitting behind a desk. These members of the conspiracy were holding the shovel. American citizens were tortured, and so were thousands of Venezuelans.”

McDonald called the allegations “the epitome of corruption.”

“This conduct, we allege, has caused significant harm to Americans, to US citizens and generational harm to Venezuelans,” McDonald said.

CNN has reached out to lawyers for Maduro and Flores.

Maduro and his wife were captured in a US military raid in January from the presidential palace in Caracas. They have pleaded not guilty to narcoterrorism conspiracy and other charges and are held without bail in New York.

Prosecutors said the new charges alleging “horrific” acts should be considered as a reason why Flores should not get bail.

Flores appeared at a hearing Thursday where her lawyer asked that she be moved to house arrest ahead of trial.

The judge denied that motion, saying Flores is a flight risk and that he takes her assurances that she won’t flee with “many grains of salt.”

“With all the money that’s involved and all the contacts Ms. Flores has with the Venezuelan government and the people in it, the risk is serious,” Hellerstein said. “There’s no combination that will make it less serious a risk.”