Nicolás Maduro and his wife indicted for alleged torture of US citizens

Um desenho de tribunal mostra Nicolás Maduro e Cilia Flores comparecendo à sua audiência de acusação em Nova York em janeiro. Fotografia: Jane Rosenberg/AFP/Getty Images.

Prefer the Guardian on GoogleThe deposed Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted for alleged conspiracy to commit torture, according to Manhattan federal court papers unsealed on Thursday.

The superseding indictment was unsealed shortly before Flores appeared at court in her ongoing push for pretrial release – which was denied by Judge Alvin Hellerstein.

Maduro e Flores estão presos em Nova York desde o início de janeiro.

Maduro and Flores have previously pleaded not guilty in the criminal case against them. CNN on Wednesday first reported that a new indictment was expected.

O novo documento de acusação descreveu como Maduro e sua esposa supostamente empunharam horrores indescritíveis para suprimir a oposição e manter seu controle.

Maduro, Flores and other Venezuelan leaders “presided over a system of repression that relied on violence against political opposition, arbitrary detention, and the torture of detainees, including United States citizens”, the just-released charging document said.

Maduro e Flores, o que a acusação supressiva alegou, “ficaram no topo dessa estrutura de poder violenta”. Eles supostamente “desenvolveram e facilitaram os sistemas que eles e seus co-conspiradores usaram de forma corrupta para acumular imenso patrimônio e poder, recompensando aliados com fundos ilícitos e aterrorizando os opositores percebidos por meio de perseguição e violência”.

Flores was integral to this effort, authorities claimed, saying she “helped develop this system of repression and ordered that individuals be tortured to protect her family members’ illegal activities”.

The victims of their torture included US citizens “who were believed to pose a threat” to Maduro’s power.

Read more“One particular United States citizen was detained in Venezuela and subjected to, among other things, deprivation of food and water, simulated drowning, repeated beatings, electric shock to his testicles, and forced injections.”.

Maduro e Flores também pressionaram o Judiciário da Venezuela para tomar decisões legais que apoiassem seus esforços para frustrar a oposição, alegando que os documentos de acusação.

When one official resisted, Venezuelan intelligence agents arrested and tortured their family members, charging papers stated.

This official “ultimately … relented and blocked the opposition figures from running for political office”.

During another alleged torture incident, authorities allegedly abused the friend of a suspected opponent by “asphyxiating him with a bag, applying electric shocks to his testicles and knees, and kicking and beating him with a blunt object”, court papers said.

One torture victim, who was repeatedly interrogated, endured numerous threats “including that his daughter would be kidnapped and raped if he did not confess and name his supposed confederates”, court papers state.

Pouco depois que essa acusação veio à tona, os advogados de Flores argumentaram pela sua libertação em um procedimento já agendado, propondo prisão domiciliar com segurança privada 24 horas.

Ao fazer isso, eles invocaram problemas de saúde crônicos, incluindo infirmitades cardíacas.

Hellerstein pushed back on this claim, noting that Flores was refusing to have catheterization while detained in general population.

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Flores’s attorney then pointed to her high blood pressure. “It’s controllable by pills,” Hellerstein said.

Her team also said in court that Flores dropped more than 25lbs and lost two teeth since her detention.

Flores vestiu uniformes escuros de prisão durante sua audiência. Ela ouviu os procedimentos com fones de ouvido através de um intérprete em espanhol.

O escritório do promotor dos EUA para o distrito sul de Nova York, que está processando este caso, se opôs ao pedido de fiança agora falho de Flores. Os promotores argumentaram que Flores era um risco de fuga.

Prosecutors also maintained that she had received appropriate medical care.

Donald Trump has defended the controversial raid on Maduro, insisting it was a “surgical law enforcement operation”. At Maduro’s first US court appearance, he said: “I’m a kidnapped president – a prisoner of war!”.

After Maduro’s forced ouster, Trump worked swiftly to gain access to Venezuela’s expansive oil reserves. In August, Trump announced a new oil agreement with Venezuela – claiming that the US would have “majority” control over 65bn barrels of proven reserves.

A Venezuela ostenta aproximadamente 303 bilhões de barris de reservas de petróleo comprovadas – a maior do mundo. White House tem tentado estabelecer um fluxo consistente de petróleo bruto venezuelano para refinarias US, enquanto aumenta o investimento dos EUA na indústria petrolífera em declínio do país.

Trump has faced mounting pressure over skyrocketing gas prices in advance of November’s midterm elections. Greater access to cheaper oil and broadened output could help lower costs.

A Guardian investigation found, however, that Trump’s proclaimed “biggest oil deal in world history” is likely to fail due to legal and logistical problems.

Em números

• A Venezuela ostenta aproximadamente 303 bilhões de barris de reservas de petróleo comprovadas – a