Nicolas Maduro, once a powerful South American socialist leader, now faces a stark new reality: a cell inside a notorious US federal prison. MDC Brooklyn, a facility some judges call “hell on earth,” is where the former Venezuelan president will be held after a dramatic US military operation led to his capture in the dead of night.
Images shared by President Trump showed Maduro, blindfolded, being escorted by military personnel after his removal from Venezuela. His arrival in Brooklyn was met with cheers from Venezuelan expatriates lining the streets. But this isn’t just any jail. MDC Brooklyn has a notorious reputation, having housed high-profile figures from drug kingpins like “El Mayo” Zambada to celebrities like Sean “Diddy” Combs, and even figures like Ghislaine Maxwell and Sam Bankman-Fried.
The prison itself has a troubled past. Inmates have complained of violence, and two prisoners were killed in 2024 alone. A 2019 power outage left detainees in the dark for a week, and staff have faced charges for corruption. Despite being near the Statue of Liberty, its conditions have been widely criticized.
The US Bureau of Prisons claims improvements are underway, with new staff and upgrades to systems like plumbing and heating, aiming to tackle long-standing issues and reduce crime. However, the shadow of its history remains.
Interestingly, Maduro might find a familiar face inside: Hugo Carvajal, a former Venezuelan spy chief who famously turned against him. From the presidential palace to a cell in a facility dubbed “hell on earth,” Maduro’s new chapter marks a truly astonishing turn of events.
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/2153365/inside-hell-earth-prison-maduro-languish-us-capture
