Two months after his capture, former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro remains held in a small cell at the Metropolitan Detention Center Brooklyn, a federal prison located in New York, known for the harsh prison conditions denounced by inmates and human rights organizations.
According to reports published by the newspaper ABC, Maduro remains in a small space with a metal door, concrete bed, sink and toilet, in conditions of almost total isolation.
According to the version cited by the media, the former president frequently shouts from his cell:
“I am the president of Venezuela! Tell my country that I have been kidnapped, that we are mistreated here!”
The testimony was released by the lawyer of one of the inmates of the penitentiary center.
A PRISON KNOWN AS “HELL ON EARTH”
The detention center where Maduro remains has been described by prison specialists as one of the most difficult facilities in the US federal system.
The penitentiary consultant San Mangel defines it as an extreme place:
“It’s a place no one would like to spend a minute in.”
The prison mainly houses people awaiting trial or sentencing, and has received high-profile figures linked to financial, sexual crimes or drug trafficking.
Among the inmates who have passed through this prison are music producer Sean Combs, Jeffrey Epstein’s former partner Ghislaine Maxwell, as well as Mexican drug trafficker Ismael Zambada García.
ALMOST TOTAL INSULATION
Maduro was placed in a Special Accommodation Unit, an area intended for disciplinary isolation or the protection of inmates considered high profile.
The cell where he remains measures approximately three meters long by two meters wide, and the only contact with the outside is a small window through which natural light enters.
The inmates in this area have three one-hour outings a week, always under surveillance, with chains on their hands and feet. During that time they can shower, use a phone, or check email.
Various reports indicate that the prison faces infrastructure and personnel problems, in addition to complaints about cold, humidity and the presence of rodents.
THE DETENTION THAT UNLEASHED A POLITICAL CRISIS
The capture of Nicolás Maduro occurred on January 3 during a US military operation in Caracas called “Absolute Resolution.”
According to reports, the former president was arrested along with his wife, Cilia Flores, after trying to take refuge in a fortification protected by a steel door.
After their capture, both were transferred aboard the US military ship USS Iwo Jima. Where the first photograph of the former president in custody was released.
Hours later he was taken to New York to face federal charges.
A TRIAL THAT COULD END IN PERPETUAL CHAIN
The judicial process against Maduro began in the Southern District Court of New York. Place where he faces accusations related to narcoterrorism.
If the court finds him guilty, the former president could face life in prison in the United States prison system.
The case has become one of the most sensitive judicial processes in recent Latin American politics. This, due to the diplomatic implications and the impact it could have on the political future of Venezuela.
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