Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, appeared in a New York City court on Thursday to respond to a new indictment. The additional charges, brought on October 15, accuse the couple of conspiring to lead a state-sponsored campaign of repression and torture against political opponents.
The expanded criminal case against Maduro, 63, and Flores, 70, alleges that their campaign of torture targeted scores of victims, including three Americans. These new claims significantly expand the existing legal proceedings against the former president and his wife.
Appearing in court shackled at the ankles, Maduro told a judge that the allegations are false accusations. The couple had previously pleaded not guilty to charges alleging they abused their power to assist drug traffickers in shipping cocaine.