He’s Back in Town: Maduro Returns to MDC Brooklyn

By Y.M. Lowy

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is back in the area, and Brooklyn residents got another close up of the high-profile detainee. This morning, around 7 a.m., Maduro left MDC Brooklyn by vehicle, drove to Bush Terminal where a helicopter awaited him in a soccer court, and then returned via the Battery Tunnel—all under careful security.

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, appeared in New York federal court, pleading not guilty to narco-terrorism charges. The couple, captured in an overnight U.S. operation at their home, told Judge Alvin Hellerstein they are innocent. As he left the courtroom, Maduro declared, “I am a kidnapped president. I am a prisoner of war.” Neither he nor his wife are seeking bail or release at this time. Their next hearing is scheduled for March 17 at 11 a.m.

Boro Park residents should be aware that sudden street closures or heightened security may occur in the area, which now houses one of the country’s most closely guarded detainees amid an ongoing federal court process.