US May Charge Nicolás Maduro With Torturing American Citizens

Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, may face new criminal charges as early as Thursday for the alleged torture of American citizens. U.S. officials indicate the charges stem from the treatment of more than a dozen wrongfully detained Americans, including the 'CITGO 6' and former detainees Matthew Heath and Osman Khan, who reported being subjected to electric shocks, waterboarding, and solitary confinement.

Maduro and Flores were captured by U.S. forces during a midnight raid at their Caracas home on January 3 and transported to New York. They are currently held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn pending a June 1, 2027, trial on existing charges of narco-terrorism and cocaine importation conspiracy, to which both have pleaded not guilty. While the administration of President Donald Trump described the capture as a "surgical law enforcement operation," Maduro has characterized the event as a kidnapping and himself as a prisoner of war.

On Thursday, Cilia Flores appeared in a Manhattan federal court to request house arrest under 24-hour guard, citing severe heart problems and weight loss. Prosecutors opposed the request, arguing she poses an "extreme risk of flight and danger to the public." Defense attorneys have also moved to dismiss the case based on diplomatic immunity. Since Maduro's removal, Venezuela has been led by Delcy Rodriguez, who has increased cooperation with the Trump administration.