Maduro and Wife Remain Held at Brooklyn Detention Center After Pleading Not Guilty
Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, remain in custody at the
Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, New York, after entering not guilty pleas to U.S.
federal charges during their arraignment earlier this week.
Maduro, 63, and Flores, 69, appeared in Manhattan federal court on January 5, 2026, where they faced
a superseding indictment accusing them of narcotics and weapons offenses, among other allegations
linked to drug trafficking.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges in front of U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who
ordered that they remain detained pending further proceedings. Their next court date is scheduled for
March 17, 2026.
The pair were brought before the court following their capture by U.S. forces in Caracas, Venezuela, on
January 3, 2026, during a multinational operation directed by the U.S. government, which has described
Maduro as a defendant in an ongoing federal narcotics conspiracy case. Both Maduro and Flores were
transported to the U.S. and transferred to the Brooklyn detention facility late that same day.
In court, Maduro maintained his innocence and asserted that he still considers himself the legitimate
president of Venezuela. According to attorneys and press reports, he described himself as innocent and,
through an interpreter, declared that he was kidnapped during his capture, remarks that reflect broader
legal and political arguments his defense team is expected to raise as the case progresses.
Flores, a longtime political partner and former first lady who also held high government roles in
Venezuela, appeared in court with visible injuries following her arrest.
Her legal counsel indicated she may require medical treatment for bruising and potential rib injuries
sustained during her capture.
Both defendants did not request bail during the arraignment, and Judge Hellerstein indicated that bail
could be revisited at a later hearing.
Meanwhile, the couple remains confined at the MDC, a high-security federal jail that routinely houses
pretrial detainees, including high-profile figures from previous cases.
Outside the courthouse and the detention center, groups of demonstrators gathered after the
arraignment, with some urging Maduro’s release and others supporting the U.S. legal process.
The case has heightened tensions between U.S. and Venezuelan political factions, with the Venezuelan
government declaring an emergency and denouncing the operation as unlawful.
By Oyinkansola Shittu.
