Nicolas Maduro Guerra, son of Venezuela's captured leader Nicolas Maduro, has recounted how the first photo of his father after his detention by the US was taken, saying Maduro wanted the image to convey a message of strength and resistance.
The photo was posted on Maduro’s Telegram account on August 30 and it appeared to show him smiling and showing the victory sign in a US detention centre.
In a post on X, Maduro Guerra said the photo was taken on June 25, one day after two major earthquakes struck Venezuela, leaving his father deeply concerned about the situation.
He said Maduro was closely following developments on television and had called his family four or five times that day to ask about the situation, particularly in La Guaira.
"According to what he told us at the time, he thought, 'All right, God willing, one day this photo may send the message that I am well, standing strong and resisting,'" said Maduro Guerra.
He added that the person taking the photo had initially urged Maduro to pose despite his reluctance, telling him, "Please come. You can send this photo later."
Maduro Guerra said printed copies of the photographs were later sent by mail on July 13 and reached an address in the US on August 25. The family subsequently decided how and when to make the image public.
The photo and a message dictated by Maduro were released publicly on August 30, he said.
Maduro Guerra vowed that the family would continue efforts to secure freedom for Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, expressing hope for "good news" in the near future.
Maduro and Flores were detained after the US military abducted them from Venezuela on January 3. They are being held in a facility in Brooklyn, New York. US authorities have accused Maduro of drug terrorism and cocaine trafficking, among other charges.
