Venezuela's ex-leader Nicolás Maduro charged with conspiracy to commit torture

Image source, REUTERS/Jane RosenbergImage caption, Nicolás Maduro has been in US custody since January of this year.

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Prosecutors in the United States have accused Venezuela's former leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, of conspiracy to commit torture.

As novas acusações contra o casal foram divulgadas na quinta-feira e são adicionais às acusações de tráfico de drogas e armas já apresentadas contra eles, que eles negaram.

Maduro, 63, and Flores, 69, have been in custody since January in a detention centre in Brooklyn, where they were taken after US forces seized them in a pre-dawn raid on their compound in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Barry J Pollack, Maduro's attorney, said his client denies the new charges and looks forward to his day in court.

O julgamento de ambos, Maduro e Flores, está previsto para começar em junho de 2027.

Both are being held in a detention centre in Brooklyn and are expected to remain there after Flores's request to be moved to house arrest was denied by a judge on Thursday.

As novas acusações dizem respeito à suposta tortura de cidadãos americanos que estavam sendo mantidos na Venezuela enquanto Maduro estava no poder.

The superseding indictment unsealed on Thursday accuses the former presidential couple of "entrenching themselves in power" by presiding "over a system of repression that relied on violence against political opposition, arbitrary detention, and the torture of detainees, including United States citizens.

According to the indictment, the torture included "electric shock, asphyxiation, rape, forced nudity, prolonged isolation, starvation, punishment cells, and psychological torture.

Os promotores alegam que a tortura psicológica incluía ameaças de matar as famílias das vítimas, incluindo crianças.

Tudo isso foi feito para garantir que Maduro e Flores mantivessem seu poder," disseram os promotores fora do tribunal na quinta-feira.

This conduct, we allege, has caused significant harm to Americans, to US citizens", prosecutors said, calling it "the epitome of corruption.

The prosecution accuses Flores of having played a key role in the development of the repressive system, ordering that individuals be tortured and even receiving updates on the torture of specific prisoners.

The court document alleges that she did so in order to protect members of her family who were involved in illegal activities.

As alegações contidas na denúncia substituta ecoam muitas das acusações feitas há muito tempo por presos que foram libertados da detenção na Venezuela.

Javier Tarazona, the head of a human rights group in Venezuela, told BBC Mundo's Norberto Paredes earlier this year how he and his brother were held in a tiny punishment cell for 46 days after being arbitrarily arrested.

Outro ex-prisioneiro, Ángel Godoy, disse à BBC Mundo que ele foi mantido isolado por meses e não foi permitido entrar em contato com sua esposa, que por sua vez foi mantida no escuro sobre seu paradeiro.

The allegations listed in the superseding indictment made public on Thursday relate to cases during Maduro's time in power.

After his ouster, his vice-president, Delcy Rodríguez, was sworn in as interim leader with the backing of the Trump administration.

Enquanto centenas de presos políticos foram libertados sob uma lei de anistia desde que ela assumiu o poder, mais de 300 ainda permanecem na prisão, segundo o grupo de direitos dos presos Foro Penal.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has warned that his office has received reports alleging that detainees continue to be tortured even after the seizure of Maduro.

Türk said in March that "structural and systemic human rights concerns" had persisted in Venezuela despite Maduro's ousting.

O ministro das Relações Exteriores da Venezuela na época acusou Türk de repetir a agenda de “extremistas” ao citar as alegações.

UN receives reports alleging torture of detainees in Venezuela continues.

Eu pensei que ia morrer": ativista venezuelano preso detalha brutalidade da vida na prisão.