Shackled Maduro defies judge, calls US torture charges ‘false accusations’

Former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro insisted on Thursday during an appearance in a New York court that torture allegations in a rewritten drug-trafficking indictment against him and his wife were “false accusations”.

Maduro, shackled at the ankles, was brought to court to face the new charges accusing the couple of leading a state-sponsored campaign of repression that tortured scores of victims, including three Americans.

Judge Alvin K.

Hellerstein entered a “not guilty” plea on behalf of...