Former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro said Sunday he was "standing firm" in social media posts from a New York prison, where he has been held since his capture by U.S. forces.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were seized in Caracas during a U.S. military operation in January. They are being detained in a Brooklyn, New York jail on drug trafficking and firearms possession charges, which they deny.
"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," he wrote on the Telegram messaging service.
"I want you to know that we are standing firm, with our hearts full of your love," he added.
In the two photographs, Maduro is wearing a gray tracksuit and making peace signs with his hands. He appears to have lost considerable weight since his capture.
Although the photographs emerged Sunday, camera data indicates they were taken on June 25, a day after twin deadly earthquakes killed more than 6,500 people and caused widespread destruction in northern Venezuela.
"We will remain strong, calm and confident: God is with us. God will provide. Venezuela will rise again," he concluded.
The message was posted two days after his successor, interim President Delcy Rodriguez, announced a "historic" oil agreement allowing the United States to operate oil fields in Venezuela.
Rodriguez is governing under intense pressure from Washington and says she has "chosen the path of diplomacy" with the United States because she wants Venezuela to become an "energy powerhouse."
Maduro does not have access to newspapers or the internet in prison, but he is allowed to speak by telephone with his family and lawyers for approximately 300 minutes a month, with a maximum of 15 minutes per call, according to a source close to the former leader.
His son, Nicolas Maduro Guerra, says he is in good shape and spends his time studying the Bible.
Maduro and his wife's trial in the United States will begin on June 1, 2027, a federal court in New York announced in late July.
