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Maduro and Flores face new torture and narcoterrorism charges in U.S. court
U.S. federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein has scheduled a hearing for October 15 in New York for Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores to respond to updated criminal charges. The U.S. Department of Justice has added charges of conspiracy to commit torture against both individuals, alleging a systematic strategy of repression against political opponents, military personnel, and three U.S. citizens.
Additionally, the indictment has been extended to include Flores in charges of conspiracy to commit narcoterrorism, a charge previously held only by Maduro. The couple also faces ongoing charges related to the conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States and the illegal possession of weapons, including machine guns and destructive devices.
In a separate development, the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has removed sanctions against Jorge Rodríguez, the President of the Venezuelan National Assembly. This move follows the earlier removal of sanctions against Delcy Rodríguez and is viewed as part of a shifting relationship between Washington and Caracas following the capture of Maduro in January.
Furthermore, Colombian businessman Álvaro Pulido Vargas, a former associate of Alex Saab, has been taken into U.S. custody. Pulido faces multiple federal indictments in Miami for money laundering and bribery schemes involving the Venezuelan CLAP food program, with prosecutors alleging he obtained lucrative government contracts through illicit payments.
Entities
Alex Saab · Alvaro Pulido · Alvin Hellerstein · Cilia Flores · Drug Enforcement Administration · Jorge Rodríguez · Nicolás Maduro · Petróleos de Venezuela · U.S. Department of Justice · U.S. Department of the Treasury · Álvaro Pulido Vargas
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 11 SOURCES] Judge Alvin Hellerstein scheduled a hearing for October 15 in New York for Maduro and Flores to respond to new torture conspiracy charges. www.deia.eus · talcualdigital.com · bellerdigital.net · closeup.mx · mioriente.com · +6 more
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Bloomberg reports that former Venezuelan officials Tareck El Aissami and Maikel Moreno could be targets for future extradition to the U.S. contrapodernews.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The 2021 indictment alleges Pulido used bribes to secure lucrative government contracts for food and medicine through the CLAP program. questiondigital.com · www.el-carabobeno.com
- [● 10 SOURCES] The U.S. Treasury Department removed sanctions against Jorge Rodríguez, President of the Venezuelan National Assembly. n.com.do · yaracuyaldia.com · www.elmundo.es · www.atacamanoticias.cl · www.14ymedio.com · +3 more
- [● 11 SOURCES] U.S. prosecutors have added charges of conspiracy to commit torture against Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores. www.deia.eus · talcualdigital.com · bellerdigital.net · closeup.mx · mioriente.com · +6 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] Álvaro Pulido faces two separate federal indictments in the U.S. for money laundering and bribery schemes linked to the Maduro regime. www.lacronicabadajoz.com · www.moncloa.com · periodismodeinvestigacion.com · questiondigital.com · www.el-carabobeno.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Álvaro Pulido waived his bail hearing in a Miami federal court and will remain in custody. www.lacronicabadajoz.com · questiondigital.com
- [● 11 SOURCES] Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores face ongoing charges of conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States. www.deia.eus · talcualdigital.com · bellerdigital.net · closeup.mx · mioriente.com · +6 more
- [● 8 SOURCES] Maduro and Flores are accused of conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States. bellerdigital.net · closeup.mx · infoenn.com · mioriente.com · uruguayaldia.com.uy · +3 more
- [● 8 SOURCES] Cilia Flores faces charges of conspiracy to commit narcoterrorism, an indictment previously applied only to Maduro. bellerdigital.net · closeup.mx · infoenn.com · mioriente.com · uruguayaldia.com.uy · +3 more