Defiant former Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro was cut off by a federal judge in court Thursday as he railed against explosive new allegations that Americans were tortured – including simulated drowning, asphyxiation and electric shocks to the genitals – under his brutal regime.
asserted
Americans → cut → regime
The ousted strongman, 63, refused to directly enter a plea as he denounced the charges as 'false testimony against me' during a dramatic hearing at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse in Manhattan.
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he → oust → Manhattan
'I reject this document in its entirety of false accusations,' Maduro declared, prompting Judge Alvin Hellerstein to cut in and enter a not guilty plea on his behalf.
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Maduro → reject → behalf
The dramatic exchange came as the ousted Venezuelan strongman and his wife face shocking new allegations that they approved physical and psychological abuse on anyone they saw as a threat to their brutal regime.
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they → come → regime
Among the disturbing claims is that the victims, some of whom were Americans, were given electric shocks on their genitals and injections of mystery substances that gave them seizures.
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that → give → seizures
Despite the gravity of the allegations, Maduro appeared relaxed as he walked into court – even smiling and laughing while sharing a joke with a member of his legal team.
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he → appear → team
His wife Cilia Flores, 70, also pleaded not guilty, telling the court that she was 'completely innocent.'
Both the Venezuelan leader and the first lady appeared wearing brown prison-issue pants and tops and were shackled at the ankles.
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leader → plead → ankles
Nicolas Maduro and wife Cilia Flores were arraigned Thursday on shocking new torture charges.
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Maduro → arraign → charges
The Venezuelan leader is seen in handcuffs after his arrest in January
US prosecutors allege Maduro, 63, (pictured in a court sketch in July) authorized the use of torture against specific individuals, including US citizens
Maduro, who had a slight limp, waved to the public gallery and said to one of his lawyers he felt 'muy bien' – Spanish for 'very good.'
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he → see → lawyers
Flores gave her lawyers a kiss and a warm hug.
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Flores → give → kiss
The courtroom confrontation unfolded as Judge Hellerstein asked Maduro to stand and enter his plea on the new count, conspiracy to commit torture.
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Hellerstein → unfold → torture
He confirmed he had read it and said he had 'seen it in its entirety.'
Judge Hellerstein asked Maduro to sit down again and speak through the microphone.
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Hellerstein → confirm → microphone
Speaking in Spanish through a translator, Maduro replied: 'I reject this document in its entirety of false accusations.'
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I → speak → accusations
The judge told the court: 'A plea of not guilty will be entered on behalf of Mr Maduro.'
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plea → tell → Maduro
Flores confirmed she had read the new indictment and said she pleaded not guilty.
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she → confirm → indictment
Speaking in a clear voice through the Spanish translator, she told the court: 'I am completely innocent.
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I → speak → court
The longtime strongman and his wife are charged with conspiracy to commit torture
Maduro and Flores (pictured in court on October 8) have been detained in the US since early January, when they were seized and arrested by US authorities in a shock overnight raid at their residence in Caracas
Maduro repeatedly chortled when a translator with his legal team came over to talk to him.
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translator → charge → him
He burst into laughter three times while sharing a joke with Barry Pollack, his lawyer.
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He → burst → Pollack
Flores appeared more somber and mostly stared towards the front.
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Flores → appear → front
Maduro and Flores were already charged with conspiracy to traffic drugs through Venezuela to the United States before the additional allegations of torture.
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Maduro → charge → torture
The couple were arrested in a dramatic raid carried out by US Special Forces in Venezuela in January after months of pressure on Maduro and his allies by the Trump administration, which imposed a blockade on ships leaving the country.
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which → arrest → country
They face life in prison if convicted.
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They → face → prison
The new charging document says Maduro and Flores 'sat atop' a 'violent power structure' that authorized the use of torture against specific individuals, including US citizens 'who were believed to pose a threat' to Maduro's power.
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who → say → power
After working his way up the ranks of Venezuela's Socialist government, Maduro was president from 2013 until his arrest in January.
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Maduro → work → January
The captured Venezuelan dictator was pictured flashing a smile and a peace sign in new photographs released from federal prison from June
Then-Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro waves a national flag during in Caracas.
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Maduro → capture → Caracas
The longtime strongman and his wife were charged with conspiracy to commit torture
Flores was Venezuela's attorney general and led its National Assembly before becoming first lady.
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Flores → charge → Assembly
According to prosecutors, the torture meted out to their political opponents included 'electric shock, asphyxiation, rape, forced nudity, prolonged isolation, starvation, punishment cells, and psychological torture, such as threats to harm and kill victims' families, including children.
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torture → accord → children
'
Maduro 'personally signed off' on the unlawful arrest and torture of specific people, prosecutors claimed.
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prosecutors → sign → people
In 2011, when a judicial official resisted an edict from Maduro that certain individuals should not be allowed to stand against him during an election, their family members were arrested and tortured.
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members → resist → election
According to the indictment, one family member was made to drink toilet water and put in a cold room known as the 'Freezer,' where a bright light was on 24 hours a day and music 'blared on repeat.'
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music → accord → repeat
In 2013, Maduro is said to have ordered the arrest of a Venezuelan military officer, identified only as 'Victim-2,' who opposed his rule.
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who → say → rule
The man was transported to a camp near the border with Colombia and tortured for days on suspicion he was planning a coup.
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he → transport → coup
The indictment states: 'Officials shocked Victim-2 using a live electric wire approximately 20 times, including after wetting his back to increase the pain; struck Victim-2 on his legs, back, and head with their fists, a belt, and what appeared to be a pipe.'
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what → state → fists
Venezuelan Americans were seen protesting against the former Venezuelan president and his wife outside the federal courthouse in New York as the hearing was underway
The Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse, which houses the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, is seen on Thursday
Guards allegedly 'hung Victim-2 from his hands and feet for several minutes at a time causing him to lose consciousness; and placed Victim-2's head into water, submerging his nose and mouth to simulate drowning, approximately 30 times.
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him → see → drowning
Among the other claims is that in 2014, after being told that a political prisoner remained defiant, Maduro made a signal with his hands – screwing one into the other – which his officials took to mean they should 'squeeze them harder,' or intensify the abuse.
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they → tell → abuse
Other times Maduro allegedly made suggestions for forms of torture, such as 'do not let them sleep' and 'pour water on them,' at times laughing when told of the abuse being meted out.
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them → make → abuse
The abuse of three Americans is detailed in the court papers.
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abuse → detail → papers
One US citizen, identified as 'Victim-7,' was detained while entering Venezuela in January 2022 and falsely accused of being part of a conspiracy to assassinate Maduro.
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citizen → identify → Maduro
He was taken to a concrete house where officials poured a noxious liquid over his face which made him vomit, the indictment claimed.
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indictment → take → face
The man was transferred to the notorious Boleita Norte prison where his torture allegedly included electric shocks to his arms, legs and genitals, as well as asphyxiation and beatings.
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torture → transfer → arms
…and 19 more, not listed.
The Aporia
