U.S. to charge Venezuela’s Maduro over alleged torture of Americans, official says

Open this photo in gallery:Former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is escorted to a Manhattan courthouse on Jan. 5.ADAM GRAY/ReutersFormer Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores are expected to face new criminal charges in the U.S. over the alleged torture of Americans held in the South American country, a U.S. official said on Wednesday.The new charges could come as soon as Thursday, according to the official, who was briefed on the investigation.Maduro and Flores were captured by the U.S. military from their homes in Caracas on Jan. 3 and brought to New York to face drug trafficking charges. They have pleaded not guilty.Maduro, wife seek to end U.S. drug charges case on immunity groundsA spokesperson for the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s office, which brought the charges, declined to comment.Lawyers for Maduro and Flores did not immediately respond to requests for comment.The possibility of new charges was first reported by CNN on Wednesday.Details of the new charges, including the identities of the alleged torture victims, were not immediately available.Maduro’s 13 years in power in oil-rich Venezuela were marked by tensions with the United States. Washington said that several of its citizens were wrongfully detained in the South American country during his tenure.Venezuela has been led since Maduro’s capture by his former vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, who has increased co-operation with the Trump administration.