Maduro and Flores May Face Additional U.S. Charges

Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, may face additional U.S. criminal charges over allegations that Americans detained in Venezuela were tortured, a U.S. official said. The charges had not been announced in the accounts available Thursday, October 8, and their details remained unclear. The official said the charges could come as soon as Thursday. The reports said the allegations concern Americans held in Venezuelan government custody, but did not identify which cases or victims would be included. A spokesperson for the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to comment, and lawyers for Maduro and Flores did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to one account. Maduro and Flores are already facing U.S. charges related to alleged drug trafficking and other offenses. They have pleaded not guilty and are scheduled to go to trial beginning June 1, 2027. They were captured by U.S. forces in Caracas on January 3, 2026, and brought to New York, where they have been held in a federal jail in Brooklyn. The expected charging development was reported in advance of a Manhattan federal court hearing scheduled for Thursday.