Kathrine Frich
The fall from power can be sudden.
Removed from public view and stripped of authority, the reality that follows is often hidden behind walls few ever see.
For one former head of state, that reality is now unfolding inside one of America’s toughest detention facilities.
Behind prison walls
Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, the only federal prison still operating in New York.
The facility has earned a grim reputation among inmates, who refer to it as “hell on earth,” according to HLN.
The couple appeared for the first time in a Manhattan courtroom on Monday,
January 5. After the hearing, they were returned to the detention center, where they are being kept in a specialised isolation unit.
Spartan conditions
Maduro and Flores are confined to a small cell measuring approximately two by three metres.
Inside, there is a steel bed fitted with a mattress just three centimetres thick, and no pillow.
They are locked in their cell for 23 hours a day. The remaining hour is spent in a slightly larger enclosed space, where they are allowed to walk.
Strict routine
Like other federal detainees, the former Venezuelan leaders must follow rigid prison rules.
They wear the standard brown prison uniform and are permitted three showers per week.
Meals follow a strict schedule. Breakfast is served at 7 a.m., while lunch is eaten inside the cell on a tray placed on the bed.
Although some meals include dishes such as lasagna, additional items must be purchased separately.
Prices inside the facility are high. A pack of Snickers costs around six euros, while a bag of potato chips costs about 3.60 euros.
Limited contact
Visits are restricted to Tuesdays, and phone calls are limited to 15 minutes. All communication is closely monitored by prison authorities.
The detention follows serious charges related to drug trafficking and weapons offences.
Although Maduro and Flores have pleaded not guilty, they will remain in custody until at least their next court appearance, scheduled for March 17.
Sources: HLN, L’independent.
