Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro shared the first photos of himself from US custody, posting them on August 30, 2026, five months after he and his wife, Cilia Flores, were seized by US forces in Caracas and taken to the United States [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
The images, taken on June 25, 2026, show Maduro dressed in a grey tracksuit, making peace and victory signs. Observers noted he appears thinner than before his capture. Maduro described the photos as "a small gift to all my grandchildren, to the boys and girls, and to all the good people who love us," adding, "We will remain strong, calm and confident: God is with us. God will provide. Venezuela will rise again" [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
Maduro and Flores were abducted in January 2026 and are currently held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York. They face federal charges including narco-terrorism and drug trafficking, which they deny [1, 2, 4, 5]. Maduro reaffirmed his dignity, saying, "I am a decent man. I am still president of my country" [4]. He also told supporters, "We will remain strong, serene, and confident: God is with us. God will provide. Venezuela will be reborn" [4, 5].
While in custody, Maduro is allowed approximately 300 minutes of phone calls each month with family and lawyers, with each call lasting up to 15 minutes [2, 5].
The photos were taken one day after twin earthquakes struck northern Venezuela on June 24, causing over 6,500 deaths, a toll that underscored the ongoing crisis in his home country [2, 3, 4, 5].
Recent developments in US-Venezuela relations include a major oil deal announced on August 29, 2026, two days before Maduro posted his photos. The agreement grants the US majority control over 17 Venezuelan oil fields for 25 years. It targets initial production of over 1.5 million barrels per day and encompasses around 65 billion barrels of proven reserves under US control [2, 3, 5].
Maduro and Flores are scheduled to face trial beginning June 1, 2027, in a New York federal court on the drug-related charges [2, 4, 5].
