Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is now held at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center, or MDC Brooklyn. The facility is infamous for past safety and security issues, though it has recently undergone improvements.
Opened in the early 1990s, MDC Brooklyn currently houses about 1,300 inmates. The jail primarily holds people awaiting trial in Manhattan and Brooklyn federal courts. These include gang members, drug traffickers, and white-collar crime suspects.
Maduro’s arrival drew crowds of Venezuelan expatriates. Many waved flags and cheered as a law enforcement motorcade, believed to carry Maduro and his wife, entered the facility.
MDC Brooklyn has housed high-profile figures before. Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández was imprisoned there for trafficking cocaine into the U.S. Other past inmates include R. Kelly, Sean “Diddy” Combs, crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried, and Ghislaine Maxwell, an associate of Jeffrey Epstein. Current detainees include Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada Garcia, co-founder of Mexico’s Sinaloa drug cartel, and Luigi Mangione, accused of killing the CEO of UnitedHealthcare.
Located near a waterfront and a shopping mall, the jail is within view of the Statue of Liberty. In its worst years, it has been described as “hell on earth.” Inmates and lawyers have long complained about violence, corrupt staff, and poor living conditions. Two prisoners were killed in 2024, and staff members have faced charges for accepting bribes or smuggling contraband. A 2019 winter power outage left the facility in darkness for a week.
In recent years, the federal Bureau of Prisons has worked to improve the jail. It added correctional and medical staff, fixed more than 700 backlogged maintenance requests, and upgraded plumbing, electrical, heating, and air conditioning systems. Food service has also been improved.
Federal authorities have also cracked down on crime inside the jail. In March 2025, 23 inmates faced charges for offenses ranging from smuggling weapons in a snack bag to stabbing another prisoner. The inmate population has decreased from 1,580 in January 2024, leading to a substantial drop in crime and contraband, according to officials.
While in MDC Brooklyn, Maduro may encounter other Venezuelans involved in legal issues. These include Hugo Carvajal, former Venezuelan spy chief and co-defendant who has indicated willingness to cooperate with U.S. authorities. Another is Anderson Zambrano-Pacheco, alleged member of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang, arrested in New York for firearms charges. Video captured him terrorizing residents in Denver, an incident former President Trump highlighted during his campaign.
The jail has faced heightened scrutiny since 2021. The Bureau of Prisons closed the Metropolitan Correctional Center after Jeffrey Epstein’s suicide exposed dangerous conditions, crumbling infrastructure, and lax security. MDC Brooklyn has since been the main federal facility in New York City for high-profile detainees.
Despite its reputation, federal officials insist the facility is now safer. The Bureau of Prisons said in September that MDC Brooklyn is safe for both inmates and staff.
Maduro’s detention marks a rare instance of a sitting or recently deposed president held in a U.S. federal facility. Observers note that his time at MDC Brooklyn could be closely watched, given the presence of other Venezuelan figures and the jail’s high-profile nature.
The facility’s location, near Manhattan, its long history of notorious inmates, and recent improvements make MDC Brooklyn a complex environment. It continues to balance security, safety, and federal trial needs while housing some of the country’s most high-profile prisoners.
