The United States Justice Department has filed new charges against former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, accusing them of ordering the torture of detainees, including American citizens, as part of a broader effort to suppress political opposition and maintain power. The announcement was made on Thursday, adding to existing charges related to drug trafficking and firearms offenses against the couple. Maduro and Flores were captured in a U.S. military operation in January and are scheduled to stand trial in Manhattan in June 2027.

According to the 30-page indictment, the alleged abuses took place over more than two decades, from 1999 through 2025, involving severe physical and psychological torture methods such as electric shocks, rape, prolonged isolation, and starvation. The government officials implicated in the case reportedly used these tactics to silence dissent and undermine democratic institutions in Venezuela. Prosecutors stated that some of those tortured included Venezuelan political prisoners as well as Americans wrongfully detained, often used as leverage in negotiations with the U.S. government.

Among the American detainees cited were members of the group known as the Citgo 6, held between 2017 and 2022, and others who have filed lawsuits against Maduro alleging mistreatment such as waterboarding and electrocution during captivity. The indictment details the case of an individual referred to as Victim-7, believed to be Osman Khan, a U.S. permanent resident who was detained in 2022 and subjected to torture while accused of involvement in a plot to assassinate Maduro. Khan’s lawyer did not respond to requests for comment. Another former detainee, Matthew Heath, a former Marine held from 2020 to 2022, welcomed the new charges, describing them as a step toward justice.

The legal proceedings also spotlight senior Venezuelan officials reportedly acting under Maduro’s direction who developed and implemented torture methods. One official allegedly ordered the murder of political opponents and threatened the family of detainees, while another led an agency responsible for torturing numerous victims.

Maduro and Flores’s legal teams have contended that the U.S. courts lack jurisdiction over the couple, citing sovereign immunity, but no ruling has yet been issued. Meanwhile, Maduro’s government and its supporters in Venezuela continue to rally in their defense, with supporters calling for medical care for Flores amid reports of declining health. However, the interim Venezuelan government has distanced itself from Maduro, with officials reducing public support for him and extraditing key allies like Alex Saab, who recently pleaded guilty to money laundering charges in the U.S.

Human rights organizations report that political imprisonments and abuses persist in Venezuela, with thousands detained for their opposition to the current regime. Foro Penal, a Venezuelan monitoring group, has noted that torture became official state policy under Maduro and continues under Venezuela’s interim authorities. The group’s director expressed cautious optimism that the new indictment could bring greater international attention to abuses, while emphasizing that more efforts are necessary to end ongoing mistreatment.