Nicolás Maduro flashes peace signs in first prison photos since US capture in Caracas

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, who was flown to the U.S. following a major military operation in Caracas, has been in custody for eight months at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn while facing drug trafficking charges.

In the photos, shared to Maduro’s X account, the former dictator wore a matching gray sweatsuit with white sneakers and appeared noticeably thinner as he stood against a plain wall.

Maduro said he shared the images as a small gift of hope to his family and supporters, assuring them that “we will remain strong, serene, and confident” and that “Venezuela will be reborn.”

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“I send these photos as a small gift to all my grandsons and granddaughters, to the boys and girls, and to all the noble people who love us,” Maduro said.

“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 added, referring to his wife, who was also flown to New York on related drug trafficking charges.

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Photos posted to Maduro’s X account showed the former leader in gray prison sweats, smiling broadly and appearing noticeably thinner. (@Nicolás Maduro/X)

While Maduro made the post Sunday morning, timestamps on the two photos indicate they were taken June 25, just one day after two major earthquakes killed more than 6,500 people in northern Venezuela near Caracas, according to The Associated Press.

The images were released just two days after President Donald Trump announced a breakthrough in U.S.-Venezuela relations, with Venezuela agreeing to give the U.S. majority control over 65 billion barrels of oil from the nation’s reserves.

The deal marks a major development for the American oil market as the ongoing war with Iran continues to push up prices at the pump.

Maduro was captured in Caracas during a U.S. military operation in January. (Carlos A. Gonzelez Q/Getty Images; XNY/Star Max/GC Images)

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Since being detained, Maduro has reportedly spent much of his time reading the Bible, according to his son, Nicolás Maduro Guerra, who spoke with El País in May.

He added that the former leader has 510 minutes a month, or 8.5 hours, for conversations with people outside the prison, according to the report.

Maduro and his wife are expected to go on trial in New York in June 2027. Both have pleaded not guilty and face potential life sentences if a jury finds them guilty of conspiring to send cocaine into the U.S.