Nicolás Maduro published a new message this Sunday from the Brooklyn jail, in which he welcomed "any path of dialogue" between the Venezuelan government and the opposition.
He also called for August to be transformed into a month of "spiritual rebirth for Venezuela," according to the text shared through the former president's Telegram account, where his followers also find a daily countdown of the days that he and his wife Cilia Flores have been held in what he refers to as their "kidnapping."
"Speaking of a NATIONAL RENAISSANCE as a common goal means talking about mutual respect in diversity, about the inclusion of everyone (...) We welcome every path of dialogue that helps to consolidate peace, coexistence, and connection among Venezuelans," the message reads.
The text concludes with a direct appeal: "Let's make August a month of wonderful achievements, committed solidarity, sincere dialogue, and spiritual rebirth for Venezuela. God bless our Homeland! A big hug!"
The message arrives on the eve of the first in-person meeting between representatives of the interim government of Delcy Rodríguez and a faction of the opposition supported by Washington, scheduled for next week in Caracas.
The announcement of that meeting was confirmed on Saturday by both parties, following a call between Jorge Rodríguez and Dinorah Figuera.
The agenda for the first meeting includes three points: support for the victims of the double earthquake of June 24 —which resulted in more than 5,000 deaths according to official figures—, the strengthening of democracy, and political rights and guarantees.
Conversations take place without the direct participation of María Corina Machado, the main opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who has stated that she will not obstruct the process.
Maduro, aged 63, and Flores, aged 69, were captured in a U.S. military operation on January 3, 2026, and are currently held at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center, facing charges of drug trafficking, narco-terrorism, and offenses related to arms and corruption.
Both pleaded not guilty. Since his first appearance in a New York court, Maduro has insisted that he was "kidnapped" and refers to himself as "a prisoner of war."
This is one of several messages that the former leader has sent from prison throughout 2026: during Holy Week he called for unity and reconciliation, in March he shared a letter with a religious tone, and in June he expressed solidarity following the earthquakes.
In April, the U.S. Department of the Treasury authorized the payment of legal fees for Maduro and Flores, a transaction that had been blocked by existing sanctions until that point.
The trial against Maduro and Cilia Flores has been scheduled for June 1, 2027 before federal judge Alvin Hellerstein of the Southern District Court of New York, as announced by the court at the end of July.
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