Families File U.S. Lawsuit Against Maduro for Alleged Oversight of Extrajudicial Killings

Families File U.S. Lawsuit Against Maduro for Alleged Oversight of Extrajudicial Killings

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Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro faces a new U.S. lawsuit alleging his involvement in a police unit accused of extrajudicial killings and torture. Families of five Venezuelan men claim Maduro established and commanded the Special Action Forces (FAES), which allegedly conducted a campaign of killings between 2017 and 2021. The plaintiffs seek damages under the Torture Victim Protection Act.

The civil complaint outlines that FAES officers allegedly stormed homes before dawn, abducted victims, executed them, and staged crime scenes to fabricate resistance justifications. Authorities further claim the unit destroyed evidence by transporting bodies to hospitals post-mortem and manipulated crime scenes.

This litigation marks Maduro’s second U.S. legal battle, as he remains detained at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center while awaiting trial on federal drug trafficking charges. The lawsuit contends FAES operated under Maduro’s directive after its formation in 2017, despite international condemnation from the UN and NGOs documenting widespread human rights violations.

UN reports, Human Rights Watch investigations, and U.S. State Department assessments corroborate allegations of systematic abuses. The lawsuit asserts that Venezuelan prosecutors obstructed justice, leaving families without recourse domestically. Credit: Jane Rosenberg, 2026 courtroom sketch.

Amnesty International and Maduro’s attorney, Barry Pollack, did not respond to requests for comment.

The plaintiffs further allege FAES officers tortured witnesses by subjecting them to beatings, arbitrary detention, or forced presence during executions before denying them legal rights. Images: Fox Nation, 2026 arrest photograph.

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Legal analysis highlights the Torture Victim Protection Act’s jurisdiction over foreign-state-sponsored violence. Maduro, who governed Venezuela from 2013 to 2026, has denied guilt, characterizing his detention as a “prisoner of war” status.

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