From US prison, Nicolas Maduro says he is standing firm as Venezuela embraces Trump

Former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has shared photographs from the US prison where he is being held, declaring that he is "standing firm" as his successor, interim President Delcy Rodriguez, moves ahead with a historic oil agreement with the Donald Trump administration.

Maduro posted the photographs on Sunday, offering a rare glimpse of his life inside a Brooklyn prison months after he and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured in Caracas during a US military operation in January. Maduro and Flores were taken into US custody and are being held in a Brooklyn, New York, jail. They face charges of drug trafficking and firearms possession, which both have denied.

"I am sending these photos as a small gift to all my grandchildren, to the boys and girls, and to all the good people who love us," Maduro wrote on social media.

"I want you to know that we are standing firm, with our hearts full of your love," he added.

MADURO APPEARS THINNER IN PRISON PHOTOS

The two photographs show Maduro wearing a grey tracksuit and raising both hands in peace signs. He appears to have lost considerable weight since his capture. While the images were posted on Sunday, camera data indicates they were taken on June 25, a day after twin deadly earthquakes struck northern Venezuela, killing more than 6,500 people and causing widespread destruction.

Maduro ended his message with a further declaration of resolve.

"We will remain strong, calm and confident: God is with us. God will provide. Venezuela will rise again," he said.

The 63-year-old leader does not have access to newspapers or the internet in prison, but he is permitted to speak by telephone with family members and lawyers for about 300 minutes a month, with individual calls limited to 15 minutes, according to a news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP). His son, Nicolas Maduro Guerra, has said that his father is in good shape and spends his time studying the Bible.

TRUMP'S SOLUTION TO HIS VENEZUELA PROBLEM

Maduro's message surfaces hours after Trump's announcement of a major Venezuela oil deal, which the US President has linked to plans to replenish America's depleted Strategic Petroleum Reserve. On Sunday, the US President said Venezuelan oil from the new arrangement would be used to replenish the emergency stockpile, which has fallen to its lowest level in more than four decades.

Trump said the process of "topping out" the reserve would begin shortly, describing the Venezuelan crude as a "Gift from Venezuela to the People of the United States".

The US Strategic Petroleum Reserve held about 289.7 million barrels in August, its lowest level since November 1982, according to Department of Energy data. The reserve was created after the 1973 Arab oil embargo and is intended to provide the US with a buffer against major supply disruptions.

TIMING OF MESSAGE DRAWS ATTENTION

This comes two days after Rodriguez announced a "historic" oil agreement that would allow the US to operate Venezuelan oil fields.

Rodriguez has said she has "chosen the path of diplomacy" with Washington, arguing that the arrangement could help transform Venezuela into an "energy powerhouse". Her government is operating under intense pressure from the Trump administration while attempting to revive an oil industry weakened by years of underinvestment, mismanagement and sanctions.

Under the agreement announced by US President Donald Trump, Washington would gain majority control over more than 65 billion barrels of Venezuela's proven oil reserves through partnerships with private companies.

Rodriguez said the arrangement would run for 25 years and involve the development of 17 strategic oil fields, with an initial production target of more than 1.5 million barrels per day. The broader plan also includes eight greenfield oil blocks.

Despite the proposed US role, Rodriguez has maintained that Venezuela will retain ownership and sovereignty over its natural resources, with foreign capital, technology and expertise being used to rebuild production.

The announcement, however, does not mean Venezuelan crude can immediately flow into the US reserve. Details of the agreement, including the specific fields and companies involved and how majority US control would work, remain limited. Venezuela's ageing oil infrastructure also requires substantial investment, particularly to increase its capacity to extract and transport the country's heavy crude.

Venezuela has the world's largest proven oil reserves but currently produces only around 1.25 million barrels per day, far below its potential. Several companies, including US firms, are expected to receive new exploration and production rights. Chevron is among those expected to finalise talks to bring its existing Venezuelan joint ventures under the new framework.

Maduro and his wife are in a Brooklyn jail as his US case moves towards trial. A federal court in New York has scheduled the trial for June 1, 2027.

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With inputs from agency