Story perspectives

Prosecutors Seek Dismissal of Maduro’s Immunity Claim

By Drooid · Oct 8, 2026, 10:24 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Maduro, Flores Immunity Fight

Prosecutors will argue Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores lack sovereign immunity at hearing before Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein on November 17.
Prosecutors cite the U.S. ceased recognizing Maduro as Venezuela’s president in January 2019.
The defense argues both defendants act as Venezuela’s heads of state and seeks dismissal on sovereign-immunity grounds.
Flores’ lawyers requested house arrest on health grounds; prosecutors warn it would create a two-tiered bail system.

Summary

UN Reports Torture

UN report says DGCIM routinely used electric shocks, waterboarding, beatings and other torture.
Matthew Heath and Osman Khan testified they endured waterboarding, electric shocks and simulated drowning while detained.
The “CITGO 6” oil executives claim they suffered brutal conditions and torture during nearly five years of imprisonment.
President Donald Trump called the January 3 raid a “surgical law-enforcement operation” and announced a deal for Venezuela’s oil reserves.

History

Historical Context

In October 1998 British police detained former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet in London after Spanish judge Baltasar Garzón issued a universal-jurisdiction warrant. The House of Lords ruled that former heads of state lack immunity for crimes such as torture, a decision later cited in U.S. Manhattan cases against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and others. Pinochet faced more than 300 criminal charges before his 2006 death.

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Maduro, Flores Immunity Fight

Prosecutors will argue Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores lack sovereign immunity at hearing before Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein on November 17.
Prosecutors cite the U.S. ceased recognizing Maduro as Venezuela’s president in January 2019.
The defense argues both defendants act as Venezuela’s heads of state and seeks dismissal on sovereign-immunity grounds.
Flores’ lawyers requested house arrest on health grounds; prosecutors warn it would create a two-tiered bail system.

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