'Dirty' and 'infested with drugs': the New York jail holding Maduro and Mangione

US Military Hands Over Maduro to Brooklyn Jail Amid Controversy

Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela's former president, and his wife Cilia Flores were transferred from Caracas to the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, New York, following a pre-dawn raid by US military forces. The move has sparked controversy over the conditions at the notorious jail, which is infamous for holding high-profile inmates like Sean "Diddy" Combs, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Mexican drug kingpin "El Chapo".

Located in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, MDC holds prisoners with pending cases in the United States district court for the eastern district of New York as well as those serving brief sentences. The facility has been plagued by overcrowding, staff shortages, and reports of violence, including four inmate deaths by suicide over the past three years.

Defense lawyers representing high-profile detainees have repeatedly complained about the inhumane conditions at MDC. In one case, Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos cited violence at MDC in making their pitch for bail, citing an inmate who was killed there earlier this year and four others who died by suicide in recent years.

Federal judges have refused to send defendants to MDC if they deem the conditions unacceptable. Manhattan federal court judge Jesse Furman, for instance, declined to send a defendant to MDC before his sentencing due to the facility's poor conditions, including "food contamination" and "hazardous physical conditions".

Despite claims by the Federal Bureau of Prisons that conditions have improved at MDC since January 2024, many reports still paint a grim picture. Staffing has increased with 87% of positions filled, but overcrowding remains a problem.

Maduro and Flores appeared in Manhattan federal court on Monday following their transfer to MDC and both pleaded not guilty. Despite being former leaders of troubled nations, the pair's courtroom presence revealed that they are now "bedraggled detainees awaiting trial", stripped of their former power and influence.

The case highlights the complexities of extraditing high-profile figures like Maduro, who faces federal charges related to narcotics trafficking and weapons possession.

omg can you believe this i mean what happened to nicolás madrid?? one day he's president of venezuela and next thing you know he's chillin in a brooklyn jail it's just so wild that he and his wife are being held in this super sketchy facility mdc is literally infamous for its crappy conditions and now they're getting all the attention the fact that federal judges have been refusing to send defendants to mdc because of how bad it is is pretty mind-blowing and don't even get me started on the overcrowding and stuff shortages i guess this is just another example of how messed up the system can be in the us

I gotta say, this is a wild move by the US military . I mean, they're literally bringing a former head of state to Brooklyn jail? It's just so... intense . And can we talk about the conditions at MDC for a second? It's like, they're trying to play hardball with these high-profile detainees, but honestly, it's just not looking good . I mean, four inmate deaths by suicide in three years? That's just heartbreaking . And what about all the reports of violence and overcrowding? It's a recipe for disaster . I don't think anyone can seriously be arguing that this is a humane way to treat people... or former heads of state, at least .

I gotta ask, what's the real motive here? Is it just a case of Maduro being too big to be ignored or is there more to this than meets the eye? I mean, we all know about MDC's shady reputation, but 87% of positions filled? That sounds like a PR stunt to me

And what's with the food contamination and hazardous physical conditions? If that's still true, why hasn't anyone been held accountable? It's one thing to claim improvement, but where's the proof? Have we seen any concrete evidence of change?

I'm also curious about the role of the Federal Bureau of Prisons in all this. Are they really making efforts to improve conditions at MDC or are they just trying to make a good impression? We need some real transparency here, not just PR spin

I'm telling ya, back in my day we didn't have all these fancy international extradition deals... now they're shipping out Venezuela's president to a Brooklyn jail? Like, what's next? Sending world leaders to the big house for a little R&R? I mean, I'm no expert but it seems like a lot of drama just for some narcotics trafficking charges. And poor Cilia Flores, she's got a new address and a fancy court date... guess that whole "first lady" thing didn't help her avoid the big squeeze. The conditions at MDC are a mess, who thought that was a good idea? At least they're getting some decent food now, right? Maybe.

I guess it's not surprising that the US is just gonna hold on to Nicolas Maduro for as long as possible... I mean, who wouldn't want a little extra "character-building" experience in Brooklyn . It's not like he's going anywhere anytime soon, right? And poor Cilia Flores, can't even get a decent seat at the table anymore . Who needs dignity when you're stuck in the big house, huh? The whole thing just smells like a PR stunt to me...

So they're just gonna stick him in some crappy Brooklyn jail with a bunch of other thugs and expect everything to be okay? Like, what's next? They're gonna throw some A-list celebrities in there for kicks too. I mean, who needs the Department of Corrections when you got MDC right? It's like a toxic waste dump on wheels. And what's the real deal here? Are we just talking about some fancy PR stunt to make it look like they actually care about justice? Newsflash: Maduro's gonna rot in there, and who knows what'll happen to him next?

I'm low-key surprised the US military went through with this transfer. Like, isn't there a better place for Maduro to rot? The conditions at MDC are straight-up crazy . I mean, four deaths by suicide in three years is insane. And let's be real, who wants to hold high-profile inmates like Diddy and El Chapo? It's not exactly a glowing reputation for the facility. I'm curious to see how this whole thing plays out. Will Maduro get a fair trial or is it just a PR stunt? Either way, I hope he gets to enjoy some decent food and sanitation while he's there .

I don't know how a country with so much wealth can have a prison system that's literally falling apart ... I mean, what's going on with MDC? It sounds like they're more worried about holding high-profile inmates than actually taking care of the people who are incarcerated. And now they're housing Nicolás Maduro and his wife in one of these conditions? It's just not right .

I'm shocked by this news . The conditions at MDC are a nightmare, and it's crazy that they're holding Maduros and his wife there . Four inmate deaths by suicide in three years? That's insane! And the stuff about food contamination and hazardous physical conditions... how can the US government justify this?

I mean, I know Maduro is wanted for some serious charges, but does it really have to be a maximum-security prison like MDC? Can't they at least try to treat him with some dignity after everything he's been through? And what about Cilia Flores? She's not even facing any federal charges!

This whole thing stinks, and I'm calling BS on the claim that conditions have improved at MDC since January 2024 . I need to see some actual proof before I believe it. Where are the sources for this? Who's been inspecting the prison? How do we know they're not just making up numbers to sound better than they actually are?

I don’t usually comment but it’s just so crazy what’s happening with Nicolás Maduro and his wife being locked up in this Brooklyn jail. I mean, I know conditions there are a mess, but to think they’re basically treated like regular prisoners after being heads of state is wild . It’s all about how the US justice system works, right? But at the same time, it raises questions about how you treat people who have been in positions of power and influence – do they get special treatment or are they held to the same standards as everyone else? I don’t know what the answer is, but it’s definitely food for thought .

omg what is happening ? so they're just gonna hand over nicolás madrid and his wife to a jail in brooklyn that's super notorious for being crappy? i mean, i get it, the guy has some serious charges against him, but c'mon, can't they do better than this? 87% of staff are now employed, but overcrowding is still a huge issue and food contamination? like, no thanks. also, four inmates have died by suicide in the past three years... that's insane i don't blame defence lawyers for speaking out against these conditions, they gotta represent their clients to the best of their abilities.

omg what r we even doin with Maduro? i mean he's supposed 2 b in some fancy coll but now hes just another inmate @ MDC newsflash tho, it's not like he's gonna get a warm welcome the conditions at that place r straight up sketchy, i don't know how they expect him 2 survive let alone plead guilty & the fact that defense lawyers r speakin out about it is just another layer of crazy but like what's next? Is Maduro gonna start eatin' outta tin cans like everyone else @ MDC

I'm low-key shocked about Nicolás Maduro being sent to Brooklyn Jail ! The conditions there are allegedly pretty rough, with overcrowding and staff shortages... it's a ticking time bomb . I mean, four inmate deaths by suicide in three years is a major red flag . And what about the claims of food contamination and hazardous physical conditions? It's not exactly the Ritz Hotel, you know? I'm all for keeping those who commit serious crimes accountable, but MDC just doesn't seem like the right fit #JusticeForAll #MDCProblems #MaduroInBrooklyn

idk man ... i just read that Nicolas Maduro is being held in some super sketchy Brooklyn jail & i'm all for it, but then again, have you seen the conditions at this place? it's crazy overcrowded & staffed with like 13% of the needed positions... how can they expect Maduro to get a fair trial when he's gonna be stuck in this tiny cell with no privacy? at the same time, i'm kinda glad that someone's holding him accountable for his alleged crimes... but is it really right to lock up a former head of state without giving him any say in his own defense?

Ugh, come on , do you guys even know how this all went down? Like, Maduro gets transferred to a super sketchy Brooklyn jail that's basically a nightmare for inmates . I mean, have you seen the conditions at MDC? It's like a war zone in there, with overcrowding and staff shortages galore . And don't even get me started on the violence – four inmate deaths by suicide in just three years?! That's just insane .

And what really gets my goat is that federal judges are still sending defendants to MDC despite all these reports of subpar conditions . I mean, come on, can't they see that this place is a recipe for disaster? And now Maduro and his wife are stuck in there, pleading not guilty like normal people who don't have the resources or influence to get out .

I'm just saying, if you're gonna extradite someone, at least make sure they're not gonna end up in some toxic waste dump of a jail . This whole thing is just a mess, and I'm still waiting for someone to come clean about what really went down .

US is more concerned with housing a fugitive than fixing its own prison system

I mean... this whole thing is crazy . So, you got Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela's ex-president, and his wife Cilia Flores, who are basically former heads of state now, being treated like regular inmates in Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC). I don't get it - they're facing charges related to narcotics trafficking and weapons possession, but the conditions at MDC are so bad that federal judges won't even send defendants there if they think it's unacceptable.

I'm not surprised, though. I mean, have you seen those pictures of MDC? It's like a prison within a prison - overcrowding, staff shortages, violence... it's a ticking time bomb just waiting to happen . And now, you got Maduro and Flores being held in those conditions, it's like they're trapped in some kind of bad joke.

It's also weird that the US military would be involved in something like this - I mean, aren't they supposed to be about national security and all that? Instead, they're helping out with a domestic law enforcement issue. It just doesn't add up .

Anyway, it's clear that Maduro's extradition was never going to be easy, but this whole situation is just really complicated... and I'm not even getting into the bigger picture here .

OMG what a mess this is I mean, come on US military shows up in Venezuela, takes Maduro & wife to Brooklyn jail and no one batted an eyelid? Like, aren't they worried about human rights or something? It's not exactly the most secure prison facility out there, with all those inmate deaths and whatnot... poor guys

I don't get why they can't just keep him in a regular jail like everyone else, it's not like he's going to fly the coop or anything . And now that we know about the conditions at MDC, I'm like totally questioning all this extradition business . It's all so... shady