NEW YORK – Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are scheduled to appear before a federal court in New York on Thursday, October 15, to respond to additional criminal charges brought by United States prosecutors, including allegations of conspiracy to commit torture.
According to information about the updated indictment, U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein scheduled the hearing for 11:00 a.m. New York time.
The proceeding is intended to formally present the additional charges and allow Maduro and Flores to enter pleas of guilty or not guilty. It does not mark the beginning of their criminal trial.
The new allegations concern an alleged conspiracy to torture political opponents, military personnel, and other detainees, including three American citizens.
Prosecutors allege that the mistreatment of detainees formed part of a broader strategy of political repression designed to maintain Maduro's grip on power.
The updated indictment also reportedly extends the charge of conspiracy to commit narcoterrorism to Flores, who had not previously faced that particular allegation.
Maduro and Flores continue to face charges involving an alleged conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, as well as firearms-related offenses concerning machine guns and destructive devices.
Both have been held in New York since their capture in Caracas on January 3, 2026.
The criminal trial is currently scheduled for June 2027, although further pretrial proceedings are expected before then.
One significant hearing is scheduled for November 17, when Judge Hellerstein is expected to consider a defense request to dismiss the charges on grounds of sovereign immunity.
Federal prosecutors oppose that request.
The sovereign immunity dispute could become an important legal issue in the proceedings, as the court considers whether the defendants can invoke immunity against prosecution in the United States.
Thursday's hearing represents another stage in the federal criminal case, with the updated allegations expanding the scope of the prosecution.
All charges remain allegations that must be established through the judicial process. Maduro and Flores are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
The October 15 hearing and the expanded charges are also confirmed by the U.S. Department of Justice and reporting from Reuters and EFE. The trial is scheduled to begin on June 1, 2027.