Cilia Flores lost more than 11 kilograms and two teeth while held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where her legal team believes she suffered a mild heart attack in July according to a New York Times investigation.
Deteriorating Prison Health
The 70-year-old former Venezuelan first lady was recovering from a hysterectomy when forces captured her alongside Nicolás Maduro during a January 3 military operation in Caracas reported Diario La Calle. Court documents cited by Revista Semana show that she has been prescribed nitroglycerin for chest pain and sleeps only three to four hours a night.
Additional court records reveal that the former first lady experienced an episode on July 29 involving intense chest pressure and breathing difficulties lasting about 30 minutes, though no laboratory tests were performed or documented at the time. Prior to her transfer to general population, Flores endured three months in solitary confinement noted Ntn24.
The health of Mrs. Flores, the former Venezuelan first lady, seems more precarious The New York Times
Her defense team requested home detention in September, but the late federal judge Alvin K. Hellerstein denied the motion on October 8 noted CiberCuba. Judge Analisa Torres took over the case after Hellerstein died in October at age 92 stated Lapatilla.
Religious Study in Brooklyn
Nicolás Maduro occupies his time in the same Brooklyn facility through extensive study of philosophical and religious texts reported Noticias Barquisimeto. Sources familiar with his detention stated that he reads the Bible and the Koran while awaiting trial noted Noticias Barquisimeto. The facility houses roughly 1,300 inmates and has faced ongoing challenges regarding staffing shortages and violence.
Trapped in a Brooklyn jail, Mr. Maduro himself has embarked on a journey of the spirit. Several people familiar with his circumstances and experiences in prison, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized, said that he had been dedicating his ample free time to the study of religious and philosophical texts
The New York Times
Federal prosecutors filed new charges against both defendants on October 8, accusing them of conspiracy to commit torture noted El Informador Venezuela. Court documents allege that the couple inflicted intense physical and mental pain and suffering
to detainees in Venezuela reported Noticias Barquisimeto. Prosecutors outlined cases involving unidentified victims, including United States citizens, who experienced beatings, mock executions, and electric shocks while imprisoned in Venezuela.
Upcoming Court Schedule
The legal teams await a November 17 hearing regarding sovereign immunity motions stated CiberCuba. The trial for Maduro and Flores is scheduled for June 2027 reported CiberCuba.