Quick Summary: Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores are likely being held in segregated, tightly controlled units at Brooklyn's MDC, facing austere conditions and limited contact with others. Experts say high-profile detainees at MDC often endure restrictive routines—potentially up to 23 hours locked in a cell—with scheduled legal access and constrained recreation. MDC has chronic infrastructure and staffing problems, and recent inmate violence has prompted heightened security measures to avoid another high-profile incident.
From Palace to MDC: How Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores Are Likely Being Held in Brooklyn
Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are seen in handcuffs after landing at a Manhattan helipad, on their way to court on January 5. - XNY/Star Max/GC Images/Getty Images
Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were recently brought to the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, are likely facing austere conditions and strict separation from other inmates as they adjust to federal custody.
What To Expect Inside MDC
Federal prison consultant Sam Mangel, who has consulted on conditions at MDC, described the facility bluntly: "It truly is hell." He and other former officials point to poor climate control, limited heating, a single issued wool blanket and a thin two-inch mattress atop a metal slab as examples of the harsh physical environment.
Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, appear in Manhattan federal court on January 5. - Christine Cornell
Segregation And Security
The Bureau of Prisons declines to comment on specific inmates, but experts told CNN that high-profile detainees like Maduro and Flores are usually kept in segregated units apart from the general population. That typically means separate cells, limited contact with other detainees and tightly controlled movement within the facility.
Former Bureau of Prisons acting director Hugh Hurwitz said the couple probably have limited contact with each other unless attorney visits are scheduled concurrently. They may be housed in the Special Housing Unit (SHU), where detainees often face restrictive conditions, including extended cell time and strict escort protocols.
The Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, as seen on January 3. - John Lamparski/AFP/Getty Images
Daily Routine And Restrictions
The Bureau of Prisons handbook outlines a regimented routine for segregated inmates: an early wake-up, scheduled attorney visits, daily health checks and roughly five hours of outdoor recreation per week. A Department of Justice report notes SHU inmates can spend up to 23 hours a day locked in their cells with constrained access to legal calls and movement.
Facility Concerns And Security Incidents
MDC has a documented history of power outages, staffing shortages and detainee complaints. Attorneys and former inmates have described parts of the facility as "disgusting" or "horrifying." In 2024, federal prosecutors reported two inmate homicides at MDC, reinforcing concerns about safety.
Officials are expected to take heightened precautions for high-profile prisoners to prevent another highly publicized incident such as Jeffrey Epstein's 2019 death at a Manhattan pretrial center. Observers say that means close supervision, vetted housing placements and limited, monitored contact to reduce security risks.
At their first New York court appearance the couple pleaded not guilty to drug- and weapons-related charges. The judge reminded them of their right as Venezuelan nationals to consult their consular officials, a point the prosecution said it would review.
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