Son of Maduro Vows Relentless Effort Until His Father's Return Nine Months After Capture

Congressman Nicolás Maduro Guerra, often referred to as "Nicolasito," vowed on Sunday to persist tirelessly in his quest to see the return of his father, former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. It has been nine months since Maduro was apprehended by U.S. forces in Caracas and detained in New York.

“Nine months after the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores, we reaffirm with the people of Caracas that we will not rest until we see them back. For the youth, for life, for our grandparents, for the future ahead, this fight continues and we, God willing, will prevail!” he declared on X, alongside images from an event demanding the former leader’s release.

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were apprehended on January 3, 2026, during the U.S.-led operation "Absolute Resolution" carried out in Caracas and nearby areas, in connection with federal charges of alleged drug trafficking.

The charges they face include conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns, and destructive devices, all part of a narcoterrorism and corruption scheme that, according to prosecutors, spanned over two decades.

Their joint trial, presided over by federal judge Alvin K. Hellerstein, is scheduled for June 1, 2027.

Both Maduro and Flores have unsuccessfully sought to have the case dismissed on claims of sovereign immunity.

In a separate motion, Flores’ legal team pushed for bail, citing her worsening heart condition while in custody.

The prosecution opposed the bail request, citing extreme flight risk and danger to the public. Judge Hellerstein has set a hearing for the upcoming Wednesday to consider the request.

The case is also facing internal challenges: prosecutor Jason A. Richman, co-chief of National Security in the Southern District of New York's Federal Prosecutor's Office and a key overseer of the case, left the office at the end of September, though the National Security Division continues to manage the proceedings.

Meanwhile, Maduro’s own X account shared a message expressing gratitude to supporters: “We have felt loyalty as a shared and practiced value by simple and noble people. Today more than ever we feel loved and embraced by so many good people.”

At 35, Maduro Guerra, a deputy in the Venezuelan National Assembly, has emerged as the most visible spokesperson for the family since his father's capture, engaging in public activities and keeping the campaign for the former leader's release alive, as the trial is not set to begin until next June.