Nicolas Maduro’s wife requests house arrest / What reasons does she cite

Cilia Flores, the wife of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, has asked to be released from federal detention in Brooklyn and placed under house arrest after reportedly developing serious cardiac problems. The request was filed by her defense team, which argues that the 69-year-old woman cannot receive the necessary medical treatment while in detention.

Attorney Mark Donnelly said in a court filing that Flores may need a coronary angiogram or even surgery. According to the defense, she was in good health before her detention and was receiving treatment administered by injection once a month.

If transferred, Flores would be under permanent military supervision, required to wear an electronic bracelet, and have her passport confiscated. She and Maduro are accused of drug trafficking and are awaiting trial in the United States. The two were captured in Caracas on January 3, 2026, in a U.S. Army operation ordered by President Donald Trump. Maduro has denied the accusations and declared himself a “prisoner of war” of the United States.