Translated with AI
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife posted a statement on social media. They are currently in custody at a Brooklyn detention center, awaiting trial on drug trafficking and other charges.
The statement said Maduro and his wife express "deep gratitude" to the people of Venezuela and all people of good will for their support.
"Your messages, your letters, and your prayers have reached us. Every word of love, every gesture of care, every expression of support fills our souls and strengthens us spiritually. We are well, resilient, calm, and in constant prayer," the post reads.
The address also calls on the people to "continue to strengthen peace in the country, national unity, reconciliation, forgiveness and the revival of relations between all."
On January 3, the United States conducted an operation to detain Nicolás Maduro. His wife, Cilia Flores, was also removed from the country.
On January 5, they appeared in federal court in New York on charges of involvement in drug trafficking. Maduro and his wife pleaded not guilty.
According to CNN journalists present at the latest hearing on March 26, the prisoners' physical condition is questionable. Both appear noticeably thinner than they did in January. Maduro, 63, continues to limp, the result of an injury sustained during his "transport" to the United States. His 69-year-old wife, who suffers from a heart condition, has had difficulty accessing medical care.
Despite living in near-isolation and confined to a cell measuring just 6 square meters, Maduro calls on his compatriots to embrace peace. In his statement, he emphasized the need to move toward national reconciliation, dialogue, and mutual respect.
"Let no one deviate from the path of dialogue, coexistence, and respect—for this is the path of the Motherland, this is the path of goodness," the text notes.
