Cilia Flores, the wife of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday, where her attorneys will request her release from jail and a transfer to house arrest due to her reported heart problems. Flores and Maduro have been detained in New York since early January following their capture during a raid on their Caracas home. Both have pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from a criminal case initiated six years ago, which alleges their involvement in a conspiracy to smuggle cocaine into the United States, carrying potential life sentences if convicted.
Flores's legal team argues that they should be granted immunity as the first lady of a foreign country and that her medical conditions cannot be adequately addressed while incarcerated. They have indicated that she could be placed under 24-hour guard at a residence in New York instead. Flores, who is 69 years old, has reportedly lost 25 pounds while in custody and may require heart surgery. Her lawyers have also noted that she experiences symptoms such as lightheadedness, dizziness, and shortness of breath, and they claim she might have suffered a minor heart attack in July.
Prosecutors have opposed the request for bail, citing concerns that Flores would pose an extreme flight risk and danger to the public if released. They noted that she has received medical treatment at a local hospital when necessary. The U.S. government, under President Donald Trump, has characterized the operation that led to Maduro's capture as a surgical law enforcement action. Maduro has referred to his detention as a kidnapping and claims to be a prisoner of war. Flores is charged alongside Maduro in connection with the cocaine importation conspiracy, which has been a significant focus of U.S. law enforcement efforts.