Nicolás Maduro, confined in the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center since his capture on January 3, 2026, spends most of his time reading religious and philosophical texts, including the Bible and the Quran, and has lost significant weight since entering prison, according to an investigation by the New York Times published this Sunday.
Six anonymous sources familiar with the situation of the former Venezuelan president, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to not being authorized to speak to the press, revealed to the New York newspaper that Maduro's spiritual interest, which was already present before his detention, has intensified during confinement.
The former president, aged 63 years, has also held meetings with prison chaplains, including a Catholic priest and a rabbi.
Maduro had publicly claimed in the past to have Sephardic Jewish ancestry, describing his ancestors as immigrants from the Dutch Antilles to Venezuela. However, people close to him told the NYT that he had never shown interest in Judaism until his capture.
The spiritual profile of the former dictator was always heterodox: a practicing Catholic, he fostered a close relationship with a priest of socialist ideology, won the support of the Venezuelan evangelical community, and was a follower of the Hindu guru Sathya Sai Baba along with his wife Cilia Flores and his successor Delcy Rodríguez.
Regarding his physical condition, two sources familiar with his eating habits told the NYT that the poor quality of prison food has accelerated his weight loss compared to the Paleo diet he followed before being arrested. The former president "has been noticeably thinner and has complained about the food in recent months," according to those same sources.
Maduro is housed in a unit of the penitentiary center that has previously accommodated other high-profile inmates, including Sean Combs, Sam Bankman-Fried, and Luigi Mangione. The facility, with a capacity for approximately 1,300 inmates, has faced years of issues related to violence and staff shortages.
The situation of Flores, aged 70, is described as more precarious. According to court documents cited by the NYT, the dictator's ex-wife —who was recovering from a hysterectomy when she was captured— has lost more than 25 pounds (about 11 kilograms) and two teeth, and has been prescribed nitroglycerin for chest pains.
Flores spent three months in solitary confinement and was affected by pepper spray used to disperse a fight among inmates. Her legal team believes she may have suffered a mild heart attack in July, although there is no official medical confirmation. She sleeps between three and four hours a day.
His request for freedom was denied by Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein, who passed away at the age of 92 last month. Judge Analisa Torres has taken over the case.
Both Maduro and Flores face charges of narcoterrorism conspiracy and cocaine trafficking, among other offenses, and have pleaded not guilty before U.S. courts. The trial is scheduled for June 2027.
Related videos:
Filed under: