Smiling in gray prison uniform, Maduro posts photos from detention two days after Venezuela oil deal

Nicolas Maduro, the 64-year-old former Venezuelan president ousted in a US military operation earlier this year and awaiting trial in the United States, has released photos of himself taken inside a detention facility — smiling in a gray prison uniform and flashing a V sign with his fingers.

Maduro posted two photos to his account on X, formerly Twitter, from the federal detention center in Brooklyn, New York, according to AFP and Britain's The Telegraph on Sunday (local time).

The photos are dated June 25. AFP said he appeared to have lost a noticeable amount of weight since his detention.

"To all my grandchildren and all the noble people who love us, I offer this small gift filled with love and hope," Maduro wrote in the post.

He added that "we stand firm with hearts full of love," and quoted scripture: "God will open the way. Venezuela will rise again."

It is the first time images of Maduro taken inside the federal detention center have been made public. It has not been confirmed who took the photos or who uploaded them to social media.

Maduro, who ruled Venezuela for more than a decade, was arrested and transferred to the United States following a US military raid on Caracas on Jan. 3. According to foreign media reports, his trial is set to begin June 1, 2027, with a hearing on whether to recognize his head-of-state immunity scheduled for Nov. 17 beforehand.

US President Donald Trump announced a deal with Venezuela on Friday (local time), calling it "the largest oil agreement in the history of the world."

Under the deal, the United States would secure 100-year development rights to 17 undeveloped Venezuelan oil fields and take 55 percent of output. The estimated reserves across the 17 fields stand at 65 billion barrels.

The office of Delcy Rodriguez, Venezuela's interim president, said the agreement would bring in $100 billion in investment and generate $209 billion in tax revenue.

The photos of Maduro were released two days after the deal was announced.