Cilia Flores seeks home detention in US, citing worsening heart condition

September 11, 2026 at 06:07 AM2 min

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Cilia Flores de Maduro, wife of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, has asked a US federal judge to release her from detention in New York, citing a worsening heart condition. Her lawyers filed for pre-trial release on Wednesday, requesting home confinement in Manhattan while she awaits trial. The request comes after her legal team said she may have suffered a minor heart attack on July 29 while in US custody.

Key Facts

Cilia Flores de Maduro has asked a US federal judge for release from detention in New York, citing a worsening heart condition.
Her lawyers filed the pre-trial release application on Wednesday, requesting home confinement in Manhattan.
Flores's legal team said she may have suffered a minor heart attack on July 29 while in US custody.
Since her imprisonment, Flores has not received the monthly injection needed to manage her mitral valve prolapse, according to her lawyers.
Doctors have recommended that Flores undergo a cardiac procedure, which could result in additional heart operations.

Detention and Health Decline

Flores was abducted from Caracas during a US military operation on January 3 and has been imprisoned in New York since then. Before the operation, she was physically healthy and took no ongoing medication other than a monthly injection for mitral valve prolapse, according to the legal filing. Now she is prescribed four medications, keeps nitroglycerin by her side in case of a potential heart attack, and faces continued medical advice suggesting coronary exploration and surgery. Her lawyers said she has not received the monthly injection she needs to manage the condition while in custody.

Legal and Political Context

Flores served as first lady of Venezuela since Nicolas Maduro's inauguration in 2013 and was previously a leading member of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, heading the National Assembly for more than four years. The Trump administration charged both Maduro and Flores with drug- and weapons-related charges after the military operation. Both are currently awaiting trial in New York City.