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Nicolas Maduro, the former Venezuelan president who was ousted in January, and his wife Cilia Flores have announced from jail that they remain “steadfast” and “serene” in their first social media message since their capture. The couple has been detained in a Brooklyn jail for nearly three months after U.S. forces stormed their Caracas compound, reportedly without internet or newspapers access.
In a post shared on Maduro’s X account, they expressed gratitude for the messages, emails, letters, and prayers they’ve received. “We are well, steadfast, serene, and in constant prayer,” they said, although it’s uncertain who exactly authored the message on their behalf. They added, “Your love and support lift our spirits and bolster us spiritually.”
A source close to the Venezuelan government told AFP that Maduro spends his time reading the Bible and is called “president” by some fellow detainees at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center, a detention facility known for its poor conditions. His family has limited communication to a 15-minute phone call with his lawyers and relatives.
Maduro’s son, Nicolas Maduro Guerra, also known as “Nicolasito,” has publicly stated that his father is in good health, calm, and even exercising in prison. Maduro, who has declared himself a “prisoner of war,” hadn’t spoken publicly since his arraignment in New York on January 5.
“We deeply admire our people’s resilience in tough times, their love, awareness, and solidarity, both within Venezuela and abroad,” the couple added in their Saturday message.
During a one-hour court hearing Thursday, a judge dismissed a defense motion arguing that Maduro and Flores couldn’t afford their legal fees without assistance from the Venezuelan government. Both remained silent during the session. Maduro faces multiple charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, possession of weapons and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess such items.
In January, Maduro was deposed after ruling Venezuela since 2013, pushing the oil-dependent nation to mostly bow to U.S. policies under Donald Trump’s administration. Now, vice president Delcy Rodriguez, who assumed power in Maduro’s absence, is managing the country’s fragile economy, which brims with the world’s largest proven oil reserves yet suffers from severe economic chaos.
Since Maduro’s removal, Rodriguez has enacted a historic amnesty law freeing political prisoners and implemented reforms to oil and mining laws aligned with U.S. demands for access to natural resources. Recently, the U.S. State Department announced the resumption of diplomatic relations with Venezuela, signaling a potential thaw in relations.
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