Cilia Flores, the wife of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, has asked a US court to release her from a Brooklyn detention centre while she awaits trial on drug-trafficking charges. Her lawyers filed the request on Wednesday.
The filing states that Flores deserves the opportunity to await trial under home confinement while dealing with a heart condition that has worsened during her detention. Her attorneys, Mark Donnelly and Andres Sanchez, argued that a detention facility cannot provide the cardiac treatment and recovery facilities she requires.
Flores and Maduro face US charges tied to allegations of drug trafficking. Both remain in American custody ahead of trial. The couple were taken into US hands after operations in Venezuela earlier this year.
The court papers ask a judge to permit Flores to leave the Brooklyn facility for home detention, where her legal team says she could access medical care unavailable behind bars. No ruling on the request has been issued.
Maduro’s transfer to US custody followed months of contested developments surrounding his removal from power. Washington’s actions in Venezuela drew condemnation from several governments, including Beijing, which called for the former president’s release.
The proceedings against Maduro and Flores are being closely watched given the political weight of the case. Prosecutors have not publicly detailed the trial timeline in the latest filings.
The judge has yet to rule on the motion for home confinement.