Nicolás Maduro flashes peace signs in first prison photos since US capture in Caracas
Maduro Shares Prison Photos, Declares “Hope” for Venezuela
Brooklyn, N.Y. – Former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro posted two images from inside the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn on Sunday, the first glimpse of the ex‑leader in U.S. custody in eight months. The photos, taken on June 25, show the 73‑year‑old in a gray sweatsuit and white sneakers, noticeably thinner than previous public appearances.
“I send these photos as a small gift to all my grandsons and granddaughters, to the boys and girls, and to all the noble people who love us,” Maduro wrote in a post on X. “We will remain strong, serene, and confident. Venezuela will be reborn.” He added, “Enjoy this small gift with joy and hope. Cilia and I embrace you forever, with our souls devoted to you and with our faith in God intact.”
Maduro’s family was also flown to the United States earlier this year to face related drug‑trafficking charges. Both he and his wife, Cilia Galindo Rodriguez, have pleaded not guilty to allegations that they conspired to smuggle cocaine into the U.S. Their trial is set for June 2027, and a guilty verdict could result in life sentences.
The former president was captured by U.S. forces during a major operation in Caracas in January. He has been held at the Brooklyn facility ever since, where he reportedly spends much of his time reading the Bible. His son, Nicolás Maduro Guerra, told El País in May that his father has about 510 minutes—or 8½ hours—each month to talk with people outside the prison.
The photographs were taken the day after a pair of powerful earthquakes struck northern Venezuela, killing more than 6,500 people near Caracas. They were released just two days after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a deal giving the United States majority control over 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil, a move that has drawn international attention amid rising energy prices.
Maduro’s messages to supporters come at a time of intense political and economic turmoil in Venezuela. While the former leader remains in U.S. custody, he continues to maintain contact with his followers, offering words of resilience and optimism. Whether his “small gift” will resonate beyond his immediate base remains to be seen as his case moves toward trial.