US authorities expect to file new criminal charges against ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores for the alleged torture of Americans held in Venezuelan custody.

A US official confirmed the development on Wednesday, with an announcement possible as soon as Thursday. The charges would supplement existing federal narcotics and narco-terrorism counts in the Southern District of New York.

Maduro and Flores were seized by US military forces in a nighttime raid at their Caracas residence on January 3. They were flown to New York and arraigned days later on drug trafficking and related offenses. Both have pleaded not guilty and remain in federal custody without bail.

The new counts center on the wrongful detention and mistreatment of more than a dozen US citizens in Venezuelan prisons during Maduro's rule. Specific victim identities and details of the alleged torture have not been released publicly.

Maduro's 13-year tenure featured repeated clashes with Washington over sanctions, elections, and human rights. The US has long accused his government of using American detainees as leverage in diplomatic disputes.

Prosecutors have also discussed potential charges against additional Venezuelan officials tied to the alleged torture scheme, according to people familiar with the investigation. Maduro's legal team has not commented on the expected new indictment.

The case builds on prior US indictments that accused Maduro of partnering with Colombian drug cartels to flood the American market with cocaine. Those charges date back to 2020 but were expanded after his capture.

Venezuela's Supreme Court named Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as acting president following the January raid. The political transition has sparked protests from Maduro loyalists while opening channels for renewed US-Venezuelan diplomatic contacts.