Nicolás Maduro Awaits Trial in Brooklyn's Notorious Federal Prison

In the early hours of January 3, 2026, Nicolás Maduro was apprehended during an unprecedented U.S. military operation in Caracas. Since last Saturday, he has been held in one of America's most notorious federal facilities: Brooklyn, New York's Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC).

The Venezuelan regime leader, facing charges of narcoterrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, and possession of war weapons, awaits his initial appearance before a federal judge, scheduled for Monday, January 5, in Manhattan. Located in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, this prison is infamous for its high-profile inmates and the harsh conditions imposed on its prisoners.

Brooklyn's "Hell on Earth" Prison

Currently, the MDC in Brooklyn stands as the only active federal prison in New York City, following the 2021 closure of Manhattan's Metropolitan Correctional Center. Built in the 1990s to alleviate overcrowding in New York's jails, the facility was designed for 1,000 inmates but currently houses between 1,200 and 1,600 individuals.

Over the years, the prison has faced numerous complaints regarding poor infrastructure, staff shortages, internal violence, and limited access to basic services. Such conditions have earned it the moniker "hell on earth" among U.S. media and human rights advocates.

The grievances against MDC Brooklyn are both frequent and severe. Inmates report rampant violence, terrible living conditions, significant staff shortages, and drug trafficking. In November 2023, court documents revealed the prison was operating with about 55% of its required staff, with only around 500 employees, exacerbating security issues.

Critical Episodes Highlighting MDC's Challenges

One of the most alarming incidents occurred in January 2019 when a power failure left over 1,600 inmates without electricity or heating for a week during freezing winter temperatures. Prisoners were seen banging on windows for help as they shivered in the cold.

This incident led to a substantial state settlement and exposed systemic failures. In 2024, the facility recorded at least two violent inmate deaths: Uriel Whyte was stabbed to death in June, and Edwin Cordero died from injuries in a fight a month later. Cordero's lawyer told the New York Times that his client was "another victim of the Brooklyn MDC, an overcrowded, understaffed, and neglected federal prison that is a hell on earth."

The dire situation prompted federal judge Jesse Furman in September 2024 to refuse sending a defendant to the MDC, citing "appalling" and "unacceptable" conditions. Furman noted "at least four inmates have committed suicide in the past three years" and that contraband, ranging from drugs to cellphones, was widespread.

The Extreme Isolation of the Special Housing Unit

Within the MDC is an even more severe area known as the Special Housing Unit (SHU) or "9-South," on the 10th floor of the main building. Nicknamed "the hole" by inmates, this sector is reserved for those considered extremely dangerous or high-profile.

In this unit, conditions are harsh: inmates spend up to 23 hours a day in solitary confinement in cells measuring roughly 1.5 square meters, with no interaction. Meals are eaten inside the cells, and exercise is limited to one hour a day in isolated spaces. The cells feature security cameras and lights that remain on 24/7, a practice defense attorneys have condemned as psychological torture.

According to a CNN source, high-profile inmates in the SHU have just 1.5 square meters to move around. The space includes a small window, a toilet, a stainless steel sink, and a fixed desk, creating a highly restricted and monitored environment.

The MDC's daily routine involves extended periods of confinement, with limited recreation and visiting hours. Phone communications are tightly controlled, and internal movements follow strict schedules. The facility features intense security measures, with steel barricades, long-range cameras, and constant electronic surveillance. There are even enclosed passageways connecting directly to court buildings, allowing internal transfers without public exposure, a common condition for high-risk detainees.

Inhabitants of MDC: Drug Lords and Organized Crime Figures

Brooklyn's MDC has historically served as a temporary holding place for key figures in organized crime, international drug trafficking, and corrupt politics. Currently, some of the most notorious and dangerous criminals in the Western Hemisphere are housed there.

The facility holds individuals like Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, the historic Mexican drug lord and leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, captured in July 2025 and facing charges of murder and drug trafficking. Also present is José Adolfo Macías Villamar, aka "Fito," leader of Ecuador's criminal gang Los Choneros, known for his dramatic prison escape in Ecuador.

Among Mexican drug traffickers are Rafael Caro Quintero, co-founder of the Guadalajara Cartel and known as "The Narco of Narcos," and Vicente Carrillo Fuentes, alias "El Viceroy," leader of the Juárez Cartel. Chinese businessman Miles Kwok (Guo Wengui), convicted of fraud and extortion and a former associate of Steve Bannon, is also incarcerated there.

High-Profile Political Precedents

The MDC has housed several Latin American political leaders accused of corruption and drug trafficking. One notable case is that of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, sentenced to 45 years in prison for drug trafficking in June 2024, along with an eight million dollar fine for accepting bribes from the Sinaloa Cartel. Hernández was extradited just 18 days after leaving office in January 2022 and remained at the MDC during his trial before being moved to a federal prison in West Virginia.

Another prominent case is Genaro García Luna, Mexico's former Secretary of Public Security under President Felipe Calderón, who was sentenced to 38 years for collaborating with drug traffickers. García Luna spent 58 months at the MDC — nearly five years — before being transferred to a prison in Oklahoma. In a letter to the media before his sentencing, García Luna described his experience: "I have been detained at MDC Brooklyn for 58 months under inhumane conditions. I have witnessed murders, stabbings, and threats to integrity. I was isolated for almost a year in punitive cells without violating any rules and with no history of misconduct."

Dairo Antonio Úsuga David, aka "Otoniel," former leader of Colombia's Clan del Golfo, one of the country's most powerful criminal organizations, also passed through Brooklyn's MDC after his extradition in May 2022. During his detention, "Otoniel" was kept in total isolation, with only one hour outside his cell each day, which had to be spent in an outdoor cage. His lawyers reported that "his cell lights never turned off" and that he had "no contact with other inmates or access to basic media." In August 2023, "Otoniel" was sentenced to 45 years by Judge Dora Irizarry, along with a 216 million dollar forfeiture, one of the highest amounts ever imposed on an extradited drug lord. He was later transferred from MDC Brooklyn to a maximum-security federal prison, likely ADX Florence in Colorado, where other criminal leaders are held.

Maduro will remain in MDC Brooklyn as his case progresses in the Manhattan federal court. In practice, this means isolation, strict controls, limited visits and calls, and a routine marked by staff shortages and constant tension within the prison. Despite being a former head of state, he will receive no special treatment; he will be managed like any high-risk defendant.

His immediate future includes a series of hearings — formal reading of charges, decisions on preventive detention, and case scheduling — followed by months of litigation or the possibility of negotiating with prosecutors. If no agreement is reached and he is found guilty, he faces a long sentence in the federal system, with most of it served without the possibility of early release. In other words, his future is no longer dictated by speeches or political power but by a file, a judge, and a verdict.