Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro appeared in photos posted to his social media accounts Sunday, offering the first known glimpse of him inside a New York prison since his capture by U.S. forces in January. Maduro has been in custody for eight months at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, facing drug trafficking charges.
In the photos, shared to Maduro’s X account, the former leader wore a matching gray sweatsuit with white sneakers and appeared noticeably thinner as he stood against a plain wall.
Maduro stated he shared the images as a gift of hope to his family and supporters, assuring them that "we will remain strong, serene, and confident" and that "Venezuela will be reborn." He added, "I want you to know that we stand firm, with our hearts full of your love, that love that reaches us transformed into prayer, into constant action, into solidarity and true support. Infinite thanks for every word, for every gesture, for every blessing."
"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," he said, referring to his wife, who was also flown to New York on related charges.
The images were released just two days after President Donald Trump announced a significant agreement with Venezuela, securing U.S. majority control over 65 billion barrels of the nation’s oil reserves. This deal is seen as a potential move to stabilize American oil markets amid ongoing global tensions.
While Maduro made the post Sunday morning, timestamps on the photos indicate they were taken on June 25. This date was just one day after two major earthquakes reportedly killed more than 6,500 people in northern Venezuela near Caracas, according to The Associated Press.
Since his detention, Maduro has reportedly spent much of his time reading the Bible, according to his son. He is said to have 510 minutes per month for external conversations. Maduro and his wife are expected to go to trial in New York in June 2027. Both have pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiring to send cocaine into the U.S.