Maduro calls from prison for reconciliation, forgiveness, and reunion in Venezuela
Maduro and Flores remain held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since their capture.
Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, issued their first public statement since being captured in Caracas on January 3 in a U.S. military operation, calling for national reconciliation and endorsing acting President Delcy Rodríguez’s leadership.
We are well, firm, serene, and in permanent prayer, the message reads, published Saturday on Maduro’s social media accounts and initially circulated through the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) website. The couple thanked supporters for the countless expressions of support, courage, and prayers. Every word of love, every gesture of affection, and every expression of support fills our souls and strengthens us spiritually, they wrote.
In a politically significant gesture, Maduro and Flores aligned themselves with the opening that Rodríguez is pursuing from power: Today more than ever, we call on everyone to continue consolidating the country’s peace, national unity, reconciliation, forgiveness, and the reunion of all. Let no one stray from the path of dialogue and respect, for that is the path of the fatherland.
The message came days after both appeared before a federal court in New York, where on Thursday a federal judge declined to dismiss the drug trafficking case against them. El Espectador Maduro faces charges of narcoterrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation, and possession of military-grade weapons — offenses that carry penalties of up to life in prison. Flores is charged with drug trafficking conspiracy and weapons offenses.
During the hearing, Judge Alvin Hellerstein questioned the prosecution’s position blocking Venezuelan funds for Maduro’s defense and stated that the former president is no longer a threat to national security, a remark that opened an unexpected front in the proceedings. Infobae
Lawmaker Nicolás Maduro Guerra, the former president’s son, said he has been able to speak with his father in prison and found him calm and confident of his innocence. Before and during the hearing, Maduro supporters gathered at several locations in Caracas to demand the couple’s release, organizing cultural events and prayer chains. El Espectador
The letter arrives amid a deep reorganization of power in Venezuela. Since assuming the acting presidency, Rodríguez has made significant concessions to opposition and U.S. demands while seeking to preserve the Chavista framework. According to AP, on March 18 Rodríguez announced the removal of General Vladimir Padrino López, defense minister for more than eleven years and considered a cornerstone of military support for Maduro, replacing him with General Gustavo González López, an officer with extensive intelligence background. PBS The government has also carried out a sweeping cabinet overhaul and arrested businessmen close to Maduro, including Wilmer Ruperti and Alex Saab.
Maduro and Flores remain held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since their capture.
— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) March 28, 2026
