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Venezuela

All articles tagged with #venezuela

world2 days ago

US prosecutors unseal torture charges against Maduro and wife in Manhattan

Federal prosecutors in New York have unsealed a superseding indictment charging former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, with conspiracy to commit torture. The charges allege that Maduro authorized a system of repression against political opponents and that he and his inner circle tortured more than a dozen Americans held in Venezuelan prisons. The indictment details specific acts of abuse, including electrocution, waterboarding, and forced ingestion of vomit. Maduro and Flores, who were captured in a US military raid in January 2026, have pleaded not guilty to existing drug and weapons charges. While Maduro’s defense team claims sovereign immunity, prosecutors argue he is a former rogue official with no such protection. A trial is currently scheduled for June 2027.

via BBC|

#cilia-flores #nicolas-maduro #superseding-indictment

politics2 days ago•0 min saved

Maduro and Wife Face New Torture Charges in New York

Federal prosecutors in New York have unsealed a superseding indictment charging former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, with conspiracy to commit torture. The new charges allege that Maduro authorized a system of repression against political opponents and that he and his inner circle tortured more than a dozen Americans held in Venezuelan prisons. The indictment details specific acts of abuse, including electrocution, waterboarding, and forced ingestion of vomit. Maduro and Flores, who were captured in a US military raid in January 2026, have pleaded not guilty to existing drug and weapons charges. While Maduro’s defense team claims sovereign immunity, prosecutors argue he is a former rogue official with no such protection. A trial is currently scheduled for June 2027.

via CBS News|

#cilia-flores #nicolas-maduro #politics

world3 days ago•5 min saved

US prosecutors expand Maduro case with torture charges against wife

New York prosecutors have added conspiracy to commit torture charges against former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The indictment alleges a state-sponsored system of abuse against Americans and Venezuelans, including electrocution and waterboarding. While Maduro’s defense argues for head-of-state immunity, the judge denied Flores a request for house arrest, citing flight risks and the severity of the alleged crimes.

via CNN|

#human-rights #international-law #narcotics

justice7 days ago•19 min saved

Riverer Sentenced to Decade in Prison for Secret Venezuelan Lobbying

Former Florida congressman David Rivera was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for his role in a secret $50 million lobbying campaign on behalf of the Venezuelan government. Rivera, a Republican and political mentor to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, was convicted of failing to register as a foreign agent and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The judge characterized the scheme as a fraudulent effort to bypass the Foreign Agents Registration Act, despite Rivera's defense that he advocated for the removal of President Nicolás Maduro. Rivera must also forfeit his Florida properties.

via The Washington Post|

#david-rivera #foreign-agents-registration-act #justice

politics7 days ago•213 min saved

Former Congressman David Rivera Sentenced to 10 Years for Secret Venezuelan Lobbying

Former Florida congressman David Rivera has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for money laundering and acting as an undeclared foreign agent. He and co-defendant Esther Nuhfer were convicted for a secret $50 million lobbying campaign on behalf of the Venezuelan government. Rivera must also forfeit his Florida properties.

via CNN|

#david-rivera #foreign-agents-registration-act #marco-rubio

politics7 days ago•4 min saved

Rivera Sentenced to Decade in Prison for Secret Venezuelan Lobbying

Former Florida congressman David Rivera was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for secretly lobbying for the Venezuelan government. He and co-defendant Esther Nuhfer were convicted of money laundering and failing to register as foreign agents. Rivera must also forfeit his Florida properties.

via cbsnews.com|

#david-rivera #foreign-agents-registration-act #marco-rubio

politics8 days ago

Judge Sentences Ex-Congressman David Rivera to 10 Years for Secret Venezuela Lobbying Scheme

Former US Representative David Rivera has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for money laundering and acting as an undeclared foreign agent. The conviction stems from a secret $50 million contract with a US subsidiary of Venezuela's state oil company, PDVSA, intended to influence US policy toward the Maduro government. Rivera must also forfeit his Florida properties. His co-defendant, political consultant Esther Nuhfer, was also found guilty. While the defense argued the work was exempt commercial lobbying, the judge characterized it as a fraudulent scheme to bypass the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

via bbc.com|

#david-rivera #federal-sentencing #foreign-agents-registration-act

politics8 days ago•130 min saved

Former Florida Congressman David Rivera Sentenced to 10 Years for Illegal Lobbying for Maduro

David Rivera, a former U.S. congressman and close associate of Marco Rubio, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for failing to register as a foreign agent while lobbying for the government of Nicolás Maduro. The judge characterized the case as a money-laundering scheme involving a $50 million contract and sham agreements, including a $3.75 million transfer for a luxury yacht. While defense attorneys argued the work was exempt commercial lobbying for ExxonMobil, prosecutors maintained Rivera used the contract to cover illegal political activities aimed at influencing U.S.-Venezuela relations. Rivera remains popular among Miami’s Cuban American community, with supporters and former colleagues testifying in his favor despite the conviction.

via apnews.com|

#david-rivera #foreign-agents-registration-act #nicolas-maduro

world10 days ago•131 min saved

Venezuela’s earthquake collapse traced to ignored seismic warnings and missing records

An AP investigation reveals that Venezuela’s coastal high-rises collapsed during earthquakes because they were built on unstable soil despite explicit scientific warnings. The government has not released blueprints or inspection records, and experts warn that rebuilding without addressing seismic risks could repeat past failures.

via AP News|

#construction #earthquake #housing

us-politics10 days ago•21 min saved

Venezuelan Delivery Driver Shot by ICE in Austin Faces Federal Assault Charges

Wilber Garcés Pérez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan delivery driver, has been charged with assaulting a federal officer after being shot by an ICE agent in Austin on September 20. Prosecutors allege he struck an officer with his rear-view mirror and fled, while his defense claims he was attempting to park safely. Pérez remains detained with a bullet lodged near his spine.

via The Independent|

#austin #department-of-justice #immigration-and-customs-enforcement

world10 days ago•140 min saved

Venezuela’s coastal towers ignored seismic warnings, AP investigation finds

An AP investigation reveals that Venezuela’s coastal high-rises were built on unstable soil despite explicit scientific warnings about seismic risks. The 1999 floods and 2010 mudslides led to a government housing push that ignored land-use restrictions, resulting in structures ill-equipped to withstand earthquakes.

via AP News|

#disaster #earthquake #housing

politics13 days ago•1 min saved

Venezuela frees political prisoners after Trump-Rodriguez talks, but opposition demands elections

Venezuelan authorities released dozens of political prisoners early Saturday, days after interim leader Delcy Rodriguez met US President Donald Trump at the UN General Assembly. Human rights group Foro Penal confirmed the release of individuals including Wilder Vasquez and Frank Cabañas, who had been detained for years. While the government has not officially commented on the latest releases, opposition figures and rights groups are using the event to renew demands for free elections. Rodriguez previously pledged prisoner releases and elections to the US as part of a reconciliation effort following the seizure of former President Nicolás Maduro earlier this year. However, the release scheme slowed in April, and critics argue that less than half of political prisoners were freed before it ended. The meeting between Rodriguez and Trump has drawn sharp criticism from opposition voices who view it as a snub to their calls for swift democratic transitions, while Rodriguez reiterated in her UN speech that elections will occur in Venezuela without specifying a date.

via BBC|

#delcy-rodriguez #donald-trump #foro-penal

politics14 days ago•9 min saved

Legal and logistical hurdles threaten Trump's Venezuela oil deal

A Guardian investigation suggests the US-Venezuela oil deal is likely to collapse due to legal violations and logistical impossibilities. While Trump claims the US has secured majority control of 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil, experts note that the Pentagon's Office of Strategic Capital lacks legal authority to hold equity in private firms. Furthermore, the deal's central figure, Alejandro Betancourt, faces unresolved corruption allegations, and the promised 100-year term violates Venezuelan law, which caps agreements at 25 years.

via The Guardian|

#investment #oil #pentagon

world16 days ago•6 min saved

Venezuela's Interim Leader Promises Elections but Defers Date Amid US Oil Deal

Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez addressed the UN General Assembly, promising future elections without setting a date, while thanking the US for diplomatic cooperation. This follows the US seizure of Nicolás Maduro in January and a recent 65-billion-barrel oil deal. Critics and opposition figures, including María Corina Machado, have condemned the lack of a timeline and the US-backed transition as illegitimate.

via BBC|

#delcy-rodriguez #donald-trump #oil-deal

world16 days ago•22 min saved

UN General Assembly 2026: Trump's 'Spoils' Doctrine Clashes with Global Order

During the 81st UN General Assembly, President Trump rejected multilateral norms, claiming US spheres of influence and citing the capture of Venezuela's president. Secretary-General Guterres countered with a plea for international law, while leaders from Iran, Ukraine, and Venezuela addressed the assembly amid rising global tensions.

via Letters from an American | Heather Cox Richardson|

#iran #ukraine #un-general-assembly