New York – Lawyers for Cilia Flores, the former first lady of Venezuela and spouse of ex‑President Nicolás Maduro, have asked a Manhattan federal judge to allow her to serve the remainder of her pre‑trial detention at a monitored residence rather than a Brooklyn jail. The request, filed on Wednesday, cites a worsening heart condition that the attorneys say cannot be adequately treated in the detention center.
Legal request and proposed conditions
Attorneys Mark Donnelly and Andres Sanchez argue that Flores, 69, should be permitted to remain in the Manhattan federal court district under constant armed surveillance. They propose that any visitors be pre‑approved by the court and federal prosecutors, that the home be equipped with video monitoring, and that all of her telephone calls be recorded. The lawyers stress that these safeguards would keep her under strict federal oversight while providing a setting more suitable for her medical needs.
Medical concerns cited
Flores’ legal team notes that she has lived with a mitral‑valve prolapse for years and has not received a monthly injection she requires to manage the condition since her arrest in January. Instead, she has been limited to baby aspirin, a statin, diltiazem and nitroglycerin for chest pain. The attorneys also mention ongoing reflux, gastritis, the loss of two molars and a weight loss of more than 25 pounds (about 11 kilograms). Doctors have advised that she undergo cardiac catheterization, a procedure that could lead to further heart interventions and a recovery period that, according to the lawyers, would be better supported in a home environment.
Current detention conditions
Flores and Maduro have been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since U.S. agents seized them from their Caracas residence in a pre‑dawn raid in early January. The lawyers acknowledge that jail staff have been “extremely respectful” toward the couple and that Flores does not dispute receiving “excellent care” from medical professionals at the facility. Nevertheless, they argue that a detention center lacks the conditions needed for a full cardiac recovery.
Federal response and next steps
Federal prosecutors have not yet filed a response to the request. A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan declined to comment. Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein has not ruled on the motion, and the case remains pending.
Broader context of the case
Both Flores and Maduro face a federal indictment alleging participation in a conspiracy to ship cocaine into the United States. They have pleaded not guilty and are scheduled to stand trial next June. In a separate filing, the couple has asked that the indictment be dismissed on the basis of diplomatic immunity as the leader and former first lady of a foreign nation.
The request for home confinement underscores the intersection of high‑profile foreign‑policy cases and the U.S. criminal‑justice system. While the government maintains that the defendants must remain in custody pending trial, their legal team emphasizes the humanitarian aspect of adequate medical care, especially for a condition as serious as a deteriorating heart ailment.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
