Inside the Brooklyn Jail Where Maduro is Being Held
Only a few days ago, Nicolás Maduro was the President of Venezuela, living in his palace in Caracas. But after being toppled and captured by American forces, he's ended up somewhere very different: behind bars in a notorious jail in Brooklyn, New York.
A "Hell on Earth"
The Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) is located in an industrial area of Sunset Park, near the waterfront. It holds about 1,300 inmates and has a terrifying reputation. Judges and lawyers have called it "barbaric" and "hell on earth" because of reports of deaths, neglect, and abuse.
Maduro isn't the first famous name to be held there. In recent years, it's housed singer R. Kelly, Fyre Festival's Billy McFarland, and Ghislaine Maxwell. Now, the former Venezuelan leader has joined them.
Facing Serious Charges
Maduro was snatched during a US-led raid on Saturday. He's now facing federal charges for "narco-terrorism" and smuggling cocaine. He isn't alone—his wife, Cilia Flores, his son, and other officials have also been charged.
After being flown from Caracas via helicopter, warship, and plane, Maduro and his wife were booked into the jail late Saturday night. On Monday, they both pleaded "not guilty" in court. They'll stay in the MDC until their next court date on 17 March.
A History of Scandal
The MDC is one of the biggest federal jails in the US, but it's famous for all the wrong reasons:
Abuse:Several guards have been convicted of sexually assaulting female inmates in recent years.
Freezing Conditions:In 2019, over 1,000 inmates were left in freezing cells for a week when the power failed. Temperatures inside were reportedly as low as 1°C (34°F).
Filth and Hunger: One inmate's lawyer claimed his client was served food containing maggots and given fish despite having a known allergy.
Violence: In the summer of 2024, two inmates were killed within a month—one was stabbed and another was beaten to death.
The conditions are so bad that last September, a judge threatened to let a 75-year-old tax fraudster stay at home rather than send him to the MDC.
Famous Neighbours
Despite the scandals, the jail continues to hold high-profile suspects. Currently, Maduro and his wife are sharing the facility with Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing the UnitedHealthcare CEO in late 2024.
He also follows in the footsteps of another former leader, Juan Orlando Hernández of Honduras, who was held there until he was pardoned by President Trump last year.
The Bottom Line
Maduro's fall from power has been swift. He's gone from ruling a nation to surviving one of America's most dangerous and neglected jails. From presidential palace to "hell on earth"—in less than a week.