Maduro and wife plead not guilty to US torture conspiracy charges
The ABC News segment reports that ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores appeared in Manhattan federal court, pleading not guilty to a new superseding indictment charging them with conspiracy to commit torture. Prosecutors allege the couple oversaw a repressive system that tortured political opponents and at least three American citizens through methods including electric shock, asphyxiation, rape, starvation, and psychological threats. The couple, captured by US forces in a January raid on Caracas and already facing narco-terrorism and drug trafficking charges, both denied wrongdoing. The brief report relies on prosecutors' accusations from the unsealed October 8 indictment and prior court proceedings without named defense experts or on-camera guests. It positions the case as a straightforward progression from power to accountability, referencing the existing drug case and the couple's denials.
Source: ABC News