NEW YORK — Cilia Flores, the wife of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, is asking a US federal judge to release her from jail and allow her to remain under strict home confinement while awaiting trial, arguing that her heart condition has worsened during her incarceration.
Flores, Venezuela’s former first lady, is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn alongside her husband as they await trial on drug trafficking charges. Both have pleaded not guilty.
Her lawyers filed court papers arguing that Flores requires specialised medical care for a heart condition known as mitral valve prolapse, saying her health has deteriorated while she has been in custody.
According to the filing, Flores has also suffered significant weight loss and dental problems and may need a cardiac catheterisation as doctors assess her condition. Her legal team argues that a jail setting is not suitable for her recovery if medical procedures become necessary.
Lawyers Propose 24-Hour Armed Guard and Video Monitoring
Flores’s defence team is not asking for unrestricted freedom.
Instead, her lawyers have proposed an extraordinary home-confinement arrangement that would include 24-hour armed surveillance, video monitoring, tightly controlled visitors and restrictions on her communications.
She would remain at a residence within the Manhattan federal court district, where she and Maduro are expected to stand trial.
The proposed conditions are designed to address concerns that Flores could flee while allowing her to receive medical care outside the Brooklyn detention facility.
Flores Says Her Health Needs Cannot Be Fully Addressed in Jail
Her lawyers acknowledged that Flores has received respectful treatment and medical attention while in custody.
However, they argued that the detention centre cannot provide the specialised conditions needed if she undergoes a significant cardiac procedure and requires recovery outside a secure medical environment.
The defence is seeking a judge’s approval for her release before the trial, which is currently expected to take place next June.
The court had not yet ruled on the request, and US prosecutors had not publicly commented on the latest filing.
Maduro and Flores Both Face Serious US Charges
The request comes as Flores and Maduro prepare to fight serious criminal charges in the United States.
The couple were taken into US custody in January and transferred to New York, where they entered not guilty pleas.
Their legal teams have also challenged the prosecution, including arguments concerning diplomatic immunity and the circumstances surrounding their transfer to US custody.
The case has become one of the most closely watched international criminal proceedings involving a former foreign leader and his spouse, drawing intense attention in both the United States and Venezuela.
A Major Test for the US Court
Flores’s request now puts the focus on a difficult question for the court: whether a defendant facing serious international drug trafficking allegations can be safely released under highly restrictive conditions because of worsening health problems.
Her lawyers insist that strict monitoring, armed guards and electronic surveillance could ensure she remains under control.
But prosecutors and the court will also have to weigh the seriousness of the charges, the potential risk of flight and the medical evidence surrounding her condition.
The decision could have major implications for how Flores spends the months leading up to trial.
The Bottom Line
Cilia Flores, the wife of Nicolás Maduro, is seeking release from a Brooklyn jail, arguing that her heart condition has worsened and requires specialised care.
Her lawyers are proposing one of the most tightly controlled home-confinement arrangements possible, including round-the-clock armed guards, video surveillance and restricted visitors.
For now, Flores remains in custody as the court considers her request.
The case adds another dramatic chapter to the legal battle surrounding Maduro and his wife — with their upcoming trial now increasingly intertwined with questions of health, detention and international justice.
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