Nicolás Maduro, the former president of Venezuela, on Sunday posted what appear to be the first verified photographs of himself inside a U.S. detention facility in Brooklyn, New York. The images were published on his official X (formerly Twitter) account and shared by his son, Nicolás Maduro Guerra, on the same platform. The photos show Maduro wearing a gray tracksuit and white sneakers, flashing peace signs and smiling. Camera metadata indicates the images were taken on June 25, one day after two devastating earthquakes struck Venezuela.
The former leader described the photographs as a small gift of love and hope directed at his family, supporters, and the public. In accompanying messages, Maduro stated, ‘I send these photos as a small gift to all my grandchildren, to the boys and girls, and to all the noble people who love us.’ He added that he and his wife, Cilia Flores, are ‘standing firm, with our hearts full of your love.’ The posts concluded with a biblical quote: ‘But in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us’ (Romans 8:37).
Maduro and Flores were captured in Caracas during a U.S. military operation in January and have been detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn since then. They are scheduled to stand trial on June 1, 2027, on charges of participating in a decades-long conspiracy to flood the United States with cocaine, as well as drug trafficking and firearms offenses. Both have pleaded not guilty to all charges. The U.S. government has accused the couple of facilitating criminal networks harmful to the U.S., allegations they deny.
The photographs were released amid a national crisis in Venezuela, where two earthquakes on June 24 caused widespread destruction and a death toll exceeding 6,500, according to figures from Venezuelan officials. The timing of the images’ release has drawn attention, as Maduro referenced the disasters in his messages, stating that their strength comes from the support of their followers.
The Metropolitan Detention Center, where Maduro is held, is a federal prison in Brooklyn that houses high-profile detainees awaiting trial. The facility has not publicly confirmed the authenticity of the images or the conditions under which they were taken. The photos were not generated using artificial intelligence, according to verification by ABC News. The posts on X and Telegram included four-part messages expressing gratitude, faith, and solidarity with supporters.