Nicolás Maduro seems to be living his detention well since being arrested and imprisoned in the United States at the beginning of January. In an interview, the son of the Venezuelan president claims that his father is in a cell with 18 other detainees and is “learning English.” He still does not believe in any involvement of his father in drug trafficking, which is why he was arrested.
In an interview with the German media “Der Spiegel,” Nicolás Maduro Guerra, the only son of Nicolás Maduro, who was arrested by the United States in early January 2026, explains that his father is doing well. Since last month, Maduro has been sharing his cell with 18 other detainees, according to the Belgian news media 7sur7.
“At first, when he was still in isolation, he did an hour of exercise every morning. Then he wrote in his journal everything that came to his mind. Since Easter week, he has been in a communal cell. Half of the prisoners speak Spanish. He talks with them, watches TV, and also learns a little English.”
Maduro’s son, Nicolás Maduro Guerra, is concerned about his father’s health. He says, “I’m especially worried about his health. My father has always eaten very healthily, but now he mainly consumes carbohydrates, processed foods, and too much salt.”
Nicolás Maduro is allowed to call home every day. Guerra explains, “We hear him every evening around 7 p.m. On the phone, he always tries to give us the impression that he is strong.”
Despite the news about his father, Nicolás Maduro Guerra does not believe that his father is involved in any way in the drug trafficking and denounces it as a political maneuver. He believes that “the amnesty law (aiming to release many political prisoners in Venezuela) and the opening of the oil sector: everything changing at the moment is our own initiative.”
The arrest of the Venezuelan presidential couple, which occurred in the middle of the night on January 3, follows months of threats from President Donald Trump, accusing the Venezuelan leader of drug trafficking, accusations that Nicolás Maduro has always denied.
