New York activists rally for release of Maduro and Cilia Flores

Activists held a day of action in New York on October 3 to demand the release of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores, who are being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. The demonstrations, organized by groups such as the Anti-War Action Network and Brooklyn Against War, follow claims that the two leaders were abducted from Caracas during a U.S. military operation in January 2026.

Protesters focused specifically on the deteriorating health of Cilia Flores. Legal representatives for Flores have requested she be placed under house arrest to receive necessary medical treatment for serious cardiac issues. Court documents filed in late September allege that Flores was previously transported for heart surgery without her consent. A court hearing regarding her request for home detention is scheduled for October 8.