Cilia Flores will appear before the court in New York seeking release on bail
The legal situation of Cilia Flores, wife of former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, will have a new chapter this Thursday. The detainee’s legal defense will appear before Judge Alvin Hellerstein at the Southern District Court of New York with the goal of requesting her release on bail and a transfer to house arrest, arguing a critical deterioration in her state of health.
Since her arrest on January 3rd by U.S. forces, Flores, 69, has remained held at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn. Her lawyers maintain that the prison environment, where she shares a unit with dozens of inmates, is incompatible with the medical needs she currently requires.
Medical arguments and opposing positions
The defense team has submitted reports detailing significant health complications. According to court documents, Flores has presented the following clinical conditions:
- Ventricular tachycardia.
- Recurrent episodes of chest tightness.
- Significant weight loss (more than ten kilos).
- Loss of teeth.
- Lack of treatment for mitral valve prolapse.
Although the prison’s medical staff has recommended a catheterization, Flores has declined to undergo the procedure for the time being, conditioning his acceptance on having guarantees of an adequate postoperative recovery outside of the prison.
The United States Attorney’s Office strongly opposes the release, arguing that the detainee poses an extreme flight risk and that her release would pose a danger to public safety, given the fear that she might establish contact with external collaborators.
Security proposal and judicial context
In light of the Prosecutor’s Office’s allegations, the defense has proposed a private security scheme, the use of an electronic GPS ankle monitor, the monitoring of their communications, and confinement in a residence in New York whose location remains confidential. The lawyers insist that Flores lacks the necessary funds to be considered a flight risk on their own.
Both Cilia Flores and Nicolás Maduro face serious federal charges in the United States, including conspiracy to import cocaine and crimes linked to the use of weapons. While the main process involving claims of sovereign immunity is scheduled for November, and the final trial for June 2027, tomorrow’s hearing will be limited exclusively to resolving the request for a change in confinement conditions for Flores.
