Nicolás Maduro, wife plead not guilty to new torture charges

Ousted former president of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores de Maduro, pleaded not guilty to new torture charges Thursday.

Maduro, 63, entered the courtroom with his feet shackled, waving to the gallery, saying "good morning" in Spanish, shaking his attorneys' hands and nodding to the press. His wife entered next.

When asked to enter a plea to the fifth superseding indictment, which includes allegations of torturing three United States citizens, Maduro started rambling, saying in part, "I reject this document in its entirety of false accusations."

The judge had to interrupt and say a plea of not guilty would be entered on Maduro's behalf.

Flores de Maduro said, "I am completely innocent. I am not guilty."

The two are accused of conspiracy to commit torture in an effort to silence political opposition. The methods alleged include starvation, electric shock, asphyxiation and beatings.

The couple is also facing narcoterrorism and weapons charges.

Defense attorneys argue their clients are innocent and the U.S. case should be tossed based on sovereign immunity. When Maduro left the courtroom, he waved to the judge.

The trial was pushed back two weeks to June 14.

A small group of anti-Maduro demonstrators gathered outside the courthouse.

Earlier this week, President Donald Trump was asked about the new charges.

"It's going to go through court, but he did some very bad things," Mr. Trump said.

Their next pre-trial court date is in December.