Story perspectives

Maduro, First Lady Plead Not Guilty in Torture Case

By Drooid · Oct 15, 2026, 10:14 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Maduro Pleads Not Guilty

President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty to conspiracy-to-commit-torture charges.
U.S. forces seized them from their Caracas home on Jan. 3, 2026.
The indictment says they oversaw a state-sponsored repression system that tortured dozens, including three U.S. citizens.
They argue sovereign immunity bars U.S. prosecution and have asked the court to dismiss the case.
The trial is postponed to June 14, 2027, two weeks later than scheduled.

Summary

Trump Hails Raid

President Donald Trump promoted the raid as a foreign-policy triumph ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores have been confined at Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since their January 3 capture.
They arrived at Manhattan’s Downtown Heliport on January 5 escorted by U.S. military personnel.
During arraignment they wore tan prison garments and were shackled at the ankles.

History

Historical Context

In December 1989 the United States launched Operation Nifty Package, deploying about 1,200 troops to seize Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega and bring him to New York for drug-trafficking prosecution. The January 3 2026 raid that captured President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores in Brooklyn echoes that precedent, showing Washington’s continued use of extraterritorial force despite sovereign-immunity challenges.

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Maduro Pleads Not Guilty

President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty to conspiracy-to-commit-torture charges.
U.S. forces seized them from their Caracas home on Jan. 3, 2026.
The indictment says they oversaw a state-sponsored repression system that tortured dozens, including three U.S. citizens.
They argue sovereign immunity bars U.S. prosecution and have asked the court to dismiss the case.
The trial is postponed to June 14, 2027, two weeks later than scheduled.

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