The director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Kash Patel, and the Attorney General of the United States, Todd Blanche, spoke out this Thursday regarding the new charges brought against Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, for conspiracy to commit torture, in an indictment that details abuses against detained Venezuelans and Americans during their years in power in Venezuela.
Both officials emphasized the seriousness of the accusations and defended the work of federal authorities in bringing those responsible for the reported abuses to justice.
In a post on X, Patel confirmed that the charges are the result of a joint investigation by the FBI and other federal agencies.
"Following an FBI investigation with our interagency partners, this morning former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been charged through a superseding indictment with conspiracy to commit torture," he stated.
The official specified that Flores is facing a new charge of conspiracy to commit torture and another related to narcoterrorism.
Patel also referred to the methods of torture described by the prosecutors, which include the administration of drugs, electric shocks, and sexual assaults against more than a dozen U.S. citizens detained in Venezuela.
"Now they will answer for their crimes," asserted the FBI director, who emphasized the agency's and the Department of Justice's commitment to accountability and national security.
For her part, Blanche noted on X that the new charges are related to an investigation into alleged crimes committed over more than two decades.
"Since his capture and arrest, the Department of Justice has been working to uncover the extent of his alleged crimes against the people of Venezuela and the United States," he stated.
The Attorney General stated that the additional charges reflect the U.S. administration's commitment to seeking justice for the victims of torture, narcoterrorism, and organized crime.
What do the new charges against Maduro and Flores reveal?
The substitute accusation, submitted to the Federal Court for the Southern District of New York, consists of 30 pages and accuses Maduro and Flores of an alleged conspiracy related to torture and other human rights violations.
According to the court document, Maduro allegedly authorized abuses against detainees and oversaw a system of repression that employed arbitrary detentions, violence, and threats to maintain political power.
Among the methods mentioned are electric shocks, asphyxiation, sexual violence, prolonged isolation, and threats against the prisoners' family members, including minors.
The new accusation also describes alleged connections between the Venezuelan repressive apparatus and the networks used for drug trafficking.
Among the cases related to allegations of torture are those of former U.S. Marine Matthew Heath and Osman Khan, released in October 2022 after spending 752 and 259 days in detention, respectively.
Both reported in a civil lawsuit having suffered simulated drowning, electric shocks, and confinement in a cell known as "El Tigrito."
The background also includes the cases of the so-called "CITGO 6," six oil executives with ties to the United States who were arrested in Venezuela in November 2017 and imprisoned for nearly five years.
Maduro and Flores remain detained in New York
Maduro and Flores were captured on January 3, 2026, during a U.S. military operation in Venezuela and were transferred to New York, where they remain detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
Both pleaded not guilty to the previous charges related to drug trafficking and firearms. The new charges will need to be examined during the judicial process and do not constitute a declaration of guilt.
The defense of Flores had requested that she be allowed to await trial under house arrest because of her health issues, but this Thursday, Federal Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein denied the request, considering that there is a significant flight risk. Flores will remain detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
The trial is scheduled for June 1, 2027, while Federal Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein has set a hearing on the defense motions for November 17, 2026.
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