Venezuela requested the United Nations on February 23, 2026, at approximately 5:00 PM UTC to demand the United States release President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores, according to AlbertoRodNews on X, amid their reported detention during the 2 hours and 29 minutes reporting window from 3:16 PM to 5:46 PM UTC. The request was announced in breaking news shared via a link to further details, marking a significant diplomatic escalation at the UN in New York. No immediate response from US or UN officials was reported in this period, per the X post by AlbertoRodNews. This development follows earlier regional tensions, including Cuba's Foreign Minister meeting Venezuelan counterpart Yvan Gil in Caracas between 12:16 PM and 3:16 PM UTC, after Venezuela ended oil subsidies to Cuba and ordered withdrawal of Cuban personnel, as previously reported.
