Former Venezuelan President Posts First Photo Since US Arrest

Former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has shared a photograph of himself for the first time since he was arrested and taken to the United States in January. He conveyed a defiant attitude and steadfastness while awaiting trial at a high-security US federal facility.

“I want you to know that we stand firm, our hearts filled with your love,” Maduro wrote on social media platforms X and Telegram, as reported by Anadolu Agency on Monday (31/8/2026).

In the photo uploaded on Sunday, 30 August 2026, Maduro is seen wearing grey sportswear. He also appears to have lost a significant amount of weight since his arrest.

The photographs, taken on 25 June, show Maduro making a victory sign.

He described the post as a “small gift of love and hope” for his grandchildren, all children and his supporters. He wrote: “We will remain strong, calm and confident: God is with us. God will provide. Venezuela will be reborn.”

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are currently being held without bail at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York. A US judge recently scheduled their trial to begin on 1 June 2027. The couple were brought to the US in January following a US military operation in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, which resulted in their capture.

Maduro, aged 63, and Flores, aged 69, face a number of serious federal charges, including narco-terrorism and drug trafficking. Prosecutors allege they collaborated with cartels to smuggle thousands of tonnes of cocaine into the United States. Both have pleaded not guilty.

“I am a good man. I am still the president of my country,” Maduro asserted during his arraignment in January.