capture by US forces. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were seized in Caracas during a US military operation in January and face drug trafficking and firearms possession charges, which they deny. Writing on Telegram, Maduro described the photos as "a small gift to all my grandchildren" and insisted he and his wife remain "standing firm, with our hearts full of your love”. In the images, he wears a gray tracksuit, makes peace signs, and appears to have lost considerable weight.

While the photos emerged on Sunday, camera data indicates they were taken on June 25 — a day after twin earthquakes killed more than 6,500 people in northern Venezuela. Maduro concluded by declaring, "We will remain strong, calm and confident: God is with us. God will provide. Venezuela will rise again."  AFP could not verify the photos' authenticity and received no immediate response from the detention center when asked whether they were genuine and authorized. The message came two days after Maduro's successor, interim President Delcy Rodríguez, announced a "historic" oil agreement allowing the US to operate Venezuelan oil fields. Rodríguez, governing under intense pressure from Washington, says she has "chosen the path of diplomacy" to make Venezuela an "energy powerhouse." Maduro reportedly lacks access to newspapers or the internet in prison, but is allowed roughly 300 minutes of telephone calls per month with family and lawyers, capped at 15 minutes per call. His son, Nicolás Maduro Guerra, says his father is in good health and spends his time studying the Bible. A federal court in New York announced in late July that Maduro and his wife's trial will begin on June 1, 2027. (Bssnews)