The former narcoterrorist dictator Nicolás Maduro has deepened his interest in religion since being detained in a jail in Brooklyn, United States.
According to reports, the Venezuelan spends a large part of his time reading the Bible, the Quran, and religious texts, in addition to holding meetings with prison chaplains, including a priest and a rabbi. During his incarceration, he also lost a considerable amount of weight.
Sources familiar with his situation inside the penitentiary, who spoke on condition of anonymity to U.S. media, stated that Maduro takes advantage of his free time to read religious and philosophical texts.
Former dictator Nicolás Maduro.
The former dictator's interest in spiritual matters is not new. During his time as the leader of the Chavista regime, he publicly claimed to have a supposed "Jewish ancestry" and described himself as a descendant of a Sephardic community that emigrated from the Netherlands Antilles to Venezuela during the last century.
Maduro's life in prison and his weight loss
The authoritarian socialist leader, 63 years old, remains detained in a unit that previously housed other high-profile inmates, such as Sean Combs, Sam Bankman-Fried, and Luigi Mangione.
During his confinement, Maduro also lost a significant amount of weight. People who see him claim that he looks noticeably thinner and that he has complained on several occasions about the quality of the food he receives.
The Brooklyn Jail.
The trial in the United States and Cilia Flores' situation
Maduro and his wife have been detained since the U.S. military operation on January 3, when special forces entered Caracas, neutralized the guards of the then-dictator, and captured both of them. They both pleaded not guilty to the charges they face.
The former president is scheduled to stand trial next year on charges related to the facilitation of the trafficking of thousands of tons of cocaine to the United States, among other crimes, such as narcoterrorism conspiracy and conspiracy to commit torture.
On the other hand, former first lady Cilia Flores, 70 years old, is recovering from a hysterectomy. Additionally, according to leaked information, she lost two teeth and more than 11 kilos.
Flores spent three months in isolation and, after being transferred to the general population, was affected by pepper spray used to control a fight among inmates. Her legal team believes she may have suffered a mild heart attack in July and noted that she sleeps only between three and four hours a night.
