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As ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro prepares for his next court hearing in the United States, his son is projecting an optimistic and defiant image of how his father and First Lady Cilia Flores are coping with life behind bars. But those with access to the notorious Brooklyn prison where he is incarcerated paint a less rosy picture of what life there is actually like.
Maduro and Flores, who were detained by the U.S. military in Venezuela and extradited to New York in January, have pleaded not guilty to charges related to drug trafficking, money laundering and corruption.
Both men are being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, New York, a facility known for its harsh conditions and for housing high-profile inmates such as drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzman, socialite and Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, and hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Nicolás Maduro Guerra, a Venezuelan lawmaker known as “Nicolacito,” said on Monday that his father is still “in good health” and “very strong,” exercises every day and could return to a “leaner and more athletic” appearance.
He described Flores as “the first combatant, resolute and vigilant” to face legal challenges.
However, life inside federal detention centers is notoriously difficult.
The prison has long been criticized for its dangerous and inhumane conditions. Some lawyers and detainees have gone so far as to call it a “hell on earth” due to the unsanitary conditions, poor security and long periods of isolation.
People like Mr. Maduro are likely to face even stricter restrictions than other prisoners, as high-profile figures are often separated from the general population for security reasons.
“I think their daily routine will be 23 hours a day in solitary confinement,” explained Cameron Lindsay, the facility’s former warden. This means being confined almost entirely to solitary confinement, with meals delivered through a crack in the door, little to no contact with other inmates, and limited entertainment, usually alone.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons has not confirmed which unit he works for or provided details about the circumstances of his detention. But experts and lawyers say prisoners with this profile are usually housed in special housing units.
“This is the most restrictive level in the facility,” explained criminal and civil rights attorney Daniel McGuinness. There, detainees spend most of the day alone in solitary confinement, and upon release, they spend time under close supervision and with limited communication, according to a Justice Department report.
Although it may seem like punishment, the Bureau of Prisons says the purpose of this type of confinement is to protect detainees and prison staff.
Even if he were not in solitary confinement, Maduro would not be able to see his wife.
In this prison, men and women are housed in separate units, even if they are married. Additionally, in federal cases like this one, co-defendants are generally prohibited from communicating with each other.
Under the federal system, courts can impose “no contact” orders to prevent collusion, witness tampering, and interference with judicial proceedings.
This means that even in the same detention center, Mr. Maduro and Mr. Flores will probably not be able to see each other or communicate directly with each other beyond supervised visits in the presence of their lawyers.
Other outside contact is possible, but limited, monitored, and subject to strict rules. Visits require prior approval and phone calls are brief and limited to once a month for some people. Also, there is no free access to the internet.
Nicolas Maduro Guerra attributes his father’s apparent weight loss to discipline and exercise.
But there is another possible explanation. It’s the quality of the food inside the center.
Lawyers have long argued that inmates receive expired, undercooked or contaminated food, including rotting meat and spoiled dairy products.
In a complaint filed in federal court in 2024, one detainee claimed to have received food containing beans that were “infested with insects.” The same documents show that after the charges were filed, prison officials confirmed the presence of weevils in the bean bags.
In a separate court filing last year, attorneys for Sean “Diddy” Combs, a music producer and entrepreneur who is also a prominent prison inmate, argued that the center “regularly serves expired and insect-infested food,” noting that these were not isolated incidents but a pattern within the facility.
“From lack of medical care to serious hygiene problems to even bugs in food…anything that can go wrong at MDC is wrong,” said David Patton, former director of the New York Federal Defenders.
Federal authorities have denied some of these claims, insisting in some cases there is “no evidence” that the food is contaminated. Still, complaints persist.
Maduro Guerra also claimed that his father exercises every day. Although this scenario is possible, it probably occurs within very tight limits.
Under restrictive conditions, detainees’ movements are restricted and human interaction is kept to a minimum, according to a Ministry of Justice report.
In some cases, detainees are allowed to leave their cells for up to one hour a day for recreation, but these activities usually take place in confined spaces or highly controlled areas, described by some lawyers and detainees as “open-air cages.”
Inmates’ exercise often takes place in their cells and includes exercises such as push-ups, sit-ups, or simply walking in circles.
Lawyers representing prison detainees say these physical habits not only help them stay in shape, but are one of the few ways to maintain control in an environment where almost everything is decided by others. They say it’s a way to structure a day where time seems to stand still.
In the absence of adequate medical and mental health care, exercise is one of the few tools available to manage stress, anxiety, and isolation, according to reports and testimonies compiled by the Marshall Project.
The Metropolitan Detention Center is a large, industrial-style federal facility that houses more than 1,300 detainees, according to the Bureau of Prisons, and has been the subject of scandal and criticism for years.
CNN senior legal analyst Ellie Honig, who has visited the facility multiple times, said the facility was dark, overcrowded and noisy. All prisons are horrible places, but Honig said “MDC is probably the most horrible” prison he has ever been to.
A Justice Department report documented problems such as violence, weapons smuggling, and frequent confinement. Some detainees say the environment is dangerous, with incidents of assault and unsafe conditions.
They also identified specific shortcomings, including long-term problems with heating and temperature control, cells in extremely cold or hot conditions, difficulties in securing adequate medical care, and limited access to and contact with legal counsel during critical times.
“The quality of medical and mental health services remains extremely low,” civil rights attorney Katie Rosenfeld said, adding that the conditions are truly frightening and difficult.
In response to these allegations, federal authorities maintain that the situation has improved. In its 2024 report, the Bureau of Prisons announced the creation of an “emergency action team” to address conditions within the facility. The report also highlighted a decrease in violence as well as an increase in correctional and medical staff.
But lawyers and civil rights groups argue that these improvements do not fundamentally change the reality inside the centers, which remain strained by a lack of staff to operate them safely and consistently.
The Bureau of Prisons did not respond to CNN’s request for comment on the situation at MDC.
Mr. Maduro and Mr. Flores’ next court appearance is scheduled for March 26, and will include a hearing on the progress of the case, but there are still outstanding issues that the judge can address before or during the hearing. These include disputes over how to fund defendants’ legal teams within sanctions-related restrictions and decisions regarding confidentiality orders regarding the handling of evidence submitted by prosecutors.
Maduro’s son from Caracas described it as a “procedural hearing” in which he hopes to “continue to advance the truth of Venezuela and the innocence of Maduro and Syria.”
In any case, the hearing will give the public the first glimpse of Mr. Maduro and Mr. Flores since their detention, and an opportunity to draw their own conclusions about how they are holding up.
