Maduro and his wife inside New York’s most exciting federal prison

Suspended Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Celia Flores, are the latest prominent figures detained in the federal prison in Brooklyn, a controversial facility due to its deteriorating facilities, lack of health care, and the frequency of violent incidents, in addition to inadequate supervision of inmates, according to American media.

Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty on Monday to the charges against him related to drug trafficking when he appeared before a court in New York, two days after he was arrested with his wife in Caracas during a stunning American military operation.

“I am innocent, I am not guilty,” Maduro, 63, said before the court, adding that he was arrested at his home in Caracas and still considers himself the president of Venezuela, according to what American media reported inside the courtroom.

He added in Spanish: “I am the President of the Republic of Venezuela and I have been kidnapped here since Saturday, January 3rd.” But Judge Alvin Hellerstein ordered Maduro to only mention his name. His wife, Celia Flores, also pleaded not guilty.

The judge also issued a detention order for Maduro and his wife, with the couple remaining detained in the Grand Prison until further notice.

Maduro, who faces four charges related to drug trafficking and possession of automatic weapons, has been languishing since Saturday evening in the federal prison in Brooklyn, which is classified as one of the largest prisons in the United States, with a capacity of about 1,600 prisoners, and is known for its poor health conditions and gaps in its management.

Famous visitors

Among the prominent inmates who were detained in the prison were American hip-hop star Sean “Diddy” Combs, Jeffrey Epstein’s partner, Jaylene Maxwell, in addition to the former president of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernandez, whom Trump announced last November, his intention to issue a presidential pardon.

Serious accidents

The prison was famous for a series of serious incidents, including an inmate’s attempt in 2012 to escape through a tunnel he had dug, but the security forces discovered it and prevented him from succeeding. It also witnessed a power outage in the winter of 2019, in addition to stabbing incidents that claimed the lives of several people.

“Hell on Earth”

Some of the detainees described the prison as “hell on earth” due to isolation and intense surveillance, in addition to being deprived of phones, the Internet, and even some unauthorized books. The prison is also known for using advanced surveillance cameras with motion sensors, which makes any escape attempt almost impossible.