Nicolás Maduro and wife face new US charges over alleged torture

The new case concerns the alleged treatment of Americans held in Venezuelan prisons under former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were already facing narcoterrorism charges, according to Axios.

The United States reportedly accused Maduro's government of detaining Americans to extract concessions, including relief from financial sanctions, Mint reported. That is the reported US allegation, not an established finding.

On October 7, South China Morning Post reported that a US official expected new criminal charges against Maduro and Flores over the alleged torture of Americans held in Venezuela.

The same day, BBC News reported that charges were expected that week and would accuse the couple of playing a role in torture in Venezuelan prisons. But an attorney for Maduro told CBS Top Stories that he had not received notice that additional charges could be coming.

On October 8, Deutsche Welle reported that prosecutors were considering charges concerning the alleged torture of more than a dozen detained Americans. It also reported that Flores was seeking release from jail on health grounds.

Later coverage moved from anticipated charges to accusations brought by prosecutors. Axios reported on October 8 that prosecutors had accused the couple that Thursday of orchestrating torture of people held in Maduro's regime's custody. New York Post also reported that federal charges had been brought over the alleged torture of jailed Americans.

The latest coverage says the new charges have been brought, rather than merely being considered. Bloomberg described a new criminal charge alleging that Maduro and Flores were responsible for torture of US citizens detained in Venezuela.

The accounts differ in how they describe the couple's alleged involvement: responsibility, orchestration or conspiracy. The supplied coverage does not give the full charging document or establish the allegations as proven. Flores's request for release on health grounds is a separate pending issue, according to Deutsche Welle.

The charging document would clarify the precise counts, the conduct attributed to each defendant and which detainees the case concerns. The coverage provided does not set out those details or give a date for the next court proceeding.

A decision on Flores's release request is another concrete issue to watch. Deutsche Welle reported the request, but the supplied coverage gives no ruling.