For the first time since his capture, the public has seen images of Nicolás Maduro behind bars. The photographs were posted on the official X (formerly Twitter) account belonging to Venezuela’s former strongman, showing him at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Maduro has been held at the federal facility since January 3, 2026, when a US military operation resulted in his capture. The circumstances surrounding that operation, which effectively ended his hold on power in Venezuela, drew international attention as one of the most dramatic developments in the country’s long political crisis.
The Metropolitan Detention Center, located in Brooklyn, is a federal facility that has previously housed other high-profile inmates awaiting trial or serving sentences in the New York area. Maduro’s exact legal status and the charges he faces have been the subject of ongoing coverage.
In related news, Maduro has reportedly used his time in custody to weigh in on political developments back home, expressing support from prison for dialogue efforts between chavismo, the movement he once led, and Venezuela’s opposition. He was quoted welcoming any path toward negotiation.
Want the full story, including more on the diplomatic fallout and reactions from Caracas? Read the original report at El Tiempo.
Image: austinevan, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).