'I Am a fighter': Maduro sends defiant message from US detention, son reveals

Caracas: In his first reported communication since being seized by US forces, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has sent a message of resilience to his supporters, declaring that he remains "strong" and "a fighter."

The message was relayed by his son, lawmaker Nicolas Maduro Guerra, who addressed leaders of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) on Saturday. Guerra stated that lawyers had visited his father and stepmother, Cilia Flores, who are both being held in the United States following the January 3 military operation.

"The lawyers told us they are strong and that we should not be sad," Guerra told the assembly. Quoting his father directly, he added: "We are well. I am a fighter."

Maduro Guerra used the opportunity to rally the party base, insisting that his father remains unbroken despite his captivity. He emphasized that the survival of the movement depends on internal cohesion during this leadership crisis. "The strength of Chavismo lies in unity. Whatever happens, we must remain united," he asserted.

The revelation of Maduro’s message coincides with a firm pledge from Acting President Delcy Rodriguez to secure the couple's release. Speaking in Miranda state on Saturday, Rodriguez dismissed notions of a power vacuum in Caracas.

"There is no uncertainty here. The Venezuelan people are in charge," Rodriguez said, vowing not to rest "for a single minute" until Maduro is returned. She framed the government's current stance as a "rescue" mission, marking the one-year anniversary of Maduro’s third term by swearing a new oath for his freedom.

The ongoing standoff follows controversial US military strikes in Caracas and three other cities earlier this month, which resulted in the capture of the Venezuelan leader, a move that has triggered significant international debate over sovereignty and interventionism.

(Inputs from IANS)