Striking details about the life of Venezuela’s former president in detention in the United States
While his son paints an optimistic picture of his situation behind bars, others describe a very different reality of the former Venezuelan president’s life inside his cell in New York.
Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, detained for more than 80 days after being arrested by U.S. forces in Venezuela in early January, have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them, which include drug trafficking, money laundering, and corruption.
Both are being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center Brooklyn in New York, a facility described by CNN as “known for its harsh conditions,” and which has previously housed high-profile inmates such as Ghislaine Maxwell, associate of Jeffrey Epstein, and hip-hop mogul Sean Combs.
An optimistic image and a different reality
Venezuelan lawmaker Nicolás Maduro Guerra, known as “Nicolasito,” said on Monday that his father remains “in very high spirits” and “very strong,” exercises daily, and may reappear “slimmer and fitter.”
However, this picture contrasts with what experts and lawyers describe as the reality of life inside the facility, according to reporting by CNN.
The U.S. network noted that the prison has long faced severe criticism for its conditions, often described as “dangerous and inhumane.” Some lawyers and detainees have even referred to it as “hell on earth,” citing “unsanitary conditions, lack of security, and prolonged isolation.”
For a high-profile figure such as Maduro, even stricter measures are likely, as prominent detainees are often separated from others for security reasons.
Former facility director Cameron Lindsay said the expected routine involves remaining in solitary confinement for up to 23 hours a day, with very limited or no contact with other inmates, meals passed through a slot in the door, and short recreation periods typically spent alone.
The most restrictive unit
The Federal Bureau of Prisons has not confirmed the exact unit where he is held or disclosed details of his detention conditions. However, experts and lawyers say inmates of this kind are typically placed in a special housing unit.
In this regard, criminal and civil rights attorney Daniel McGinnis said: “It is the most restrictive unit in the facility.” There, detainees spend most of their day alone in their cells and, when they leave, they do so under strict supervision with limited interaction.
Although this may appear punitive, the purpose of this type of confinement is to protect both the detainee and prison staff, according to the Bureau of Prisons.
Separated from his wife
In this prison, men and women are placed in separate units, even if they are married. Moreover, in federal cases like this, defendants are generally prohibited from communicating with one another.
Under the federal system, courts can issue “no-contact” orders to prevent collusion, witness tampering, or interference with judicial proceedings.
This means that, even within the same detention center, Maduro and Flores may not be allowed to see each other or communicate directly, except during monitored meetings in the presence of their lawyers.
Any other communication with the outside world is possible but limited, monitored, and subject to strict rules. Visits require prior approval.
Phone calls are brief and may be limited, for some inmates, to a single call per month. There is no free access to the internet.
Complaints about food
While Maduro’s son attributes his father’s weight loss to exercise and discipline, other reports suggest that the quality of prison food may be an additional factor.
For years, lawyers have claimed that inmates receive expired, poorly cooked, and sometimes contaminated food. In one legal complaint, an inmate alleged receiving food containing “worms.”
Exercising under constraints
Although exercise is allowed, it is carried out under strict limitations. In some cases, inmates are permitted to leave their cells for one hour per day, often in enclosed spaces resembling “open cages.”
Prisoners frequently exercise inside their cells, performing push-ups or walking in small circles to maintain psychological balance in an extremely harsh environment.
A prison under scrutiny
The Brooklyn detention center is a large federal facility housing more than 1,300 inmates, but it has for years been criticized for “overcrowding, violence, and problems with heating and medical care.”
Legal analyst Elie Honig described the prison as “among the most miserable.”
Civil rights attorney Katie Rosenfeld also spoke of severe shortcomings in medical and psychological care, describing the conditions as “horrific.”
Despite assurances from federal authorities that steps have been taken to improve conditions, human rights organizations and lawyers believe these improvements have not fundamentally changed the reality.
