Maduro’s Son Claims Venezuelan President Shares US Jail Cell with 18 Inmates

Nicolas Maduro Guerra, son of the detained Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, stated in an interview with Der Spiegel that his father is currently held in an overcrowded cell in the United States alongside 18 other prisoners. According to Maduro Guerra, the former president communicates with fellow inmates, half of whom speak Spanish, watches television, and is learning English. This situation marks a change from his initial confinement in a separate cell, where he exercised daily and kept a diary. The interview also revealed the family's surprise at the US operation that led to Maduro's capture on January 3, 2026, during attacks on Venezuelan facilities. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, appeared in a New York federal court on January 5, facing drug trafficking charges to which they pleaded not guilty. Following their arrest, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez was sworn in as Venezuela’s interim president. Maduro Guerra admitted to underestimating US technological capabilities and acknowledged the family's failure to protect the president. The report highlights the ongoing legal and political aftermath of the US intervention in Venezuela.