The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, could face a formal charge in the United States for their alleged involvement in torture crimes against American citizens who remained in the custody of his government in recent years, according to reports from the North American press.
According to this information, the Prosecutor's Office plans to present charges of torture against Maduro and Flores before a court in the Southern District of New York related to the detention --classified as arbitrary by Washington-- of more than a dozen Americans held in Venezuelan prisons during Maduro's term. This was first reported by CNN and later by CBS, both citing sources familiar with the investigation.
The same sources have indicated that investigators have also considered the option of filing charges against other individuals for their alleged participation in the episodes of torture against American citizens.
Maduro and Flores are currently being held without bail in New York, after being arrested as part of a U.S. military operation on Venezuelan territory. Both have pleaded not guilty to the charges of conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism and other crimes brought by U.S. authorities.
Flores is expected to appear this Thursday at a court hearing where her defense plans to request that she be granted house arrest while awaiting the trial.
As for Maduro, the process is progressing more slowly, as his lawyer is questioning the legality of his detention and argues that the former president should enjoy immunity, as the alleged conduct occurred during the exercise of his office. The Prosecutor's Office has clarified that the Venezuelan government is not claiming immunity on his behalf.