Nicolas Maduro, the former president of Venezuela, has shared two photos he says were taken at a US detention center where he has been held since his January abduction. These are the first images of him released since his detention began.
US special forces abducted Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, and brought them to the United States. The couple is being held at a facility in Brooklyn, New York, on drug trafficking and weapons charges, which they deny.
“I send these photos as a small gift to all my grandchildren, to the boys, the girls, and to all the good people who love us,” Maduro wrote in Spanish on X and Telegram. “I want you to know that we are standing firm, with our hearts full of your love,” he added. “We will remain strong, calm, and confident: God is with us. God will provide. Venezuela will rise again.”
The two photos—the first of Maduro from his US detention—show him wearing a gray tracksuit and making a peace sign. He appears to have lost significant weight since his arrest.
The posts were published on Sunday, but timestamps on both photos indicate they were taken on June 25, one day after two deadly earthquakes killed more than 6,500 people and caused widespread destruction across northern Venezuela.
AFP reported that it attempted to contact the detention center to verify the authenticity and authorization of the photos, but received no immediate response.
The message came two days after Maduro’s successor, Interim President Delcy Rodriguez, announced a “historic” oil deal allowing US companies to operate oil fields in Venezuela.
Maduro has had no access to press or internet in prison, but is allowed phone calls with family and lawyers, about 300 minutes per month, capped at 15 minutes per call, according to a source close to the former leader.
Maduro and his wife's trial in the US is scheduled to begin on June 1, 2027, as announced by a federal court in New York in late July.
