Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were charged with conspiring to torture US citizens and others in a new indictment released on Thursday.
Mr Maduro, who served as Venezuela's president for about 13 years, and his wife were captured by US soldiers from the presidential compound in Caracas in early January, after they were indicted by Washington on drugs and weapons charges. Ms Flores was expected to appear in court on Thursday.
The new indictment accuses Mr Maduro and Ms Flores of presiding over “a system of repression that relied on violence against political opposition, arbitrary detention and the torture of detainees”.
“That torture 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,” it said.
Victims of their alleged abuse included US citizens “believed to pose a threat” to Mr Maduro.
“One particular United States citizen was detained in Venezuela and subjected to, among other things, deprivation of food and water, simulated drowning, repeated beatings, electric shock to his testicles and forced injections,” the indictment said.
The former Venezuelan president and his wife have been in custody awaiting trial in New York in the months since their capture. Both pleaded not guilty to the original indictment against them, under which they are accused of narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices.
Mr Maduro came to power in Venezuela in 2013, after the death of long-time leader Hugo Chavez. During his time in office, critics accused him and his administration of political repression, corruption and criminal activity, amid the country's economic collapse.
