Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro posted two photos this Sunday from the New York jail where he has been held since January, accompanied by a message for his family and supporters.
“A small gift of love and hope. I am sending these photos as a small gift to all my grandsons and granddaughters, to the children, and to all the noble people who love us,” he said on social media, sharing two photos in which he appears smiling and making the victory sign, wearing a gray uniform and white sneakers.
Both images are timestamped June 25—the day after the twin earthquakes in Venezuela that left more than 6,000 people dead.
“I want you to know that we remain steadfast, with our hearts full of your love—love that reaches us in the form of prayers, constant action, solidarity, and genuine support,” added Maduro, who has been detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his capture in Caracas on January 3 during a U.S. military operation.
Maduro was last seen in public on July 22 at a court hearing where it was confirmed that his trial is scheduled to begin on June 1, 2027. The Chavista leader, who governed Venezuela from 2013 until his capture, faces charges of narco-terrorism, drug trafficking, and weapons offenses—charges he denies.
Most of his social media posts have featured religious themes and archival photos with his wife, Cilia Flores—who is also imprisoned in New York—along with the phrase “We want them back.”
In early August, as talks began between the Chavista movement and a faction of the opposition, he stated: “We welcome any path of dialogue that helps consolidate peace, coexistence, and reconciliation among Venezuelans.”
This Sunday’s post follows the announcement of an oil agreement between the administration of President Donald Trump and the government of Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez. The White House highlighted that this will allow for control over 65 billion barrels of Venezuela’s oil reserves, while Rodríguez emphasized that it will entail investments of $100 billion.
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