Venezuela's Maduro, wife plead not guilty to new US torture charges

NEW YORK: Ousted Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty Thursday to new torture charges brought against the pair held in US custody since their extraordinary capture in January.

They appeared at a New York court after prosecutors alleged they conspired to commit acts including waterboardings, rapes and beatings against victims, including American citizens, in Venezuelan detention.

Maduro, who has previously called himself a "prisoner of war," slammed the latest charges as "false allegations."

The couple already face drug trafficking and firearms charges in the United States after they were snatched from their Caracas compound in a US military raid.

According to an indictment, the pair used torture to "intimidate, harass, and neutralize their opponents, including through kidnappings."

During his 2013-2026 presidency, rights groups widely accused Maduro of using political repression to cling to power.

Maduro and Flores are slated for a trial in New York next June and are being held in a Brooklyn jail.

They have appealed to have the charges against them dismissed, claiming they have immunity as president and first lady of a sovereign country.

Since Maduro's capture, his vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, has governed Venezuela as interim leader under intense pressure from US President Donald Trump's administration.