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By Sam Stevenson, Leonardo Feldman, and Jesus Mesa
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Venezuelans around the world are celebrating the capture of President Nicolas Maduro by the United States.
Why It Matters
After years of political turmoil, economic devastation, and mass migration caused by Maduro’s presidency, Venezuelans are responding with "tears of joy" and expressions of hope for their homeland’s future, many have told Newsweek.
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However, Maduro’s detention by U.S. forces also raises critical questions about international law, U.S. military intervention, and the potential instability awaiting Venezuela.
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What To Know
President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that a U.S.-led military strike in Caracas resulted in the capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
It marks a significant moment in modern Latin American history.
Elite U.S. forces reportedly apprehended Maduro in the capital during a raid, with the operation likened to the 1989 capture of Panama's Manuel Noriega.
According to U.S. officials, Maduro and Flores are en route to New York aboard the USS Iwo Jima, where they face narcotics and weapons charges in a Manhattan federal court.
Among those celebrating around the world, groups of Venezuelan Americans shared their joy in the streets of Doral, Florida Saturday, following the apprehension of Maduro.
Home to the largest population of Venezuelan exiles in the U.S., the overseas Venezuelan community erupted in jubilation after news of Maduro’s capture. Images show people gathering and celebrating, with many people waving flags and cheering.
"I was awakened this morning with the news that Maduro was removed from power by the special force. I could not believe it," Sarita Darer, a Venezuelan-American who lives in Miami, told Newsweek.
"The joy for my country to finally be free. We had a wonderful life in Caracas, where we had four children and where I worked as an architect. People then were nice and friendly all the time. I remembered my life there like a dream and I hope....it will be the same again,” Darer concluded.
Another Venezuelan-American, Eduardo Darer, who also lives in Miami, said: "I am crying tears of joy for my country. Long overdue."
"Our young people will know a different type of government," said Jennifer Santillan, a Venezuelan-American celebrating in South Florida.
She added: "I want to see all the innocent people, who are unjustly imprisoned, be freed."
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Other images showed Venezuelans celebrating in Santiago, Chile, on Saturday. One person celebrating there said: "I've come to celebrate because the dictatorship has fallen, Maduro's drug trafficking has fallen."
"We are free, we are all happy that the dictatorship has fallen and that we have a free country."
Bernarda Moreno, a Venezuelan citizen in Caracas, told Newsweek: "I’m very worried because, first, this could be seen coming—the greed for resources.
"I’m worried because people don’t realize that there are those who support the government, and we don’t know what might happen afterward. Is the dictatorship really that bad, or is what comes next even worse?"
Another resident who asked to remain anonymous told Newsweek: "I woke up at 2 a.m. because of the noise of the explosions in several parts, a lot of uncertainty because we didn't know what was happening. In the sky you could hear planes without being able to see them, this was until 3:30 a.m... then a silence of uncertainty until 5:30 a.m. [and then] news began to come out. Currently the streets are empty, you can see through the networks queue in supermarkets and pharmacies.
"The lady who comes to my house, who lives in front of the airport, was the first to report an explosion at the airport. Be careful."
Delta Force, a U.S. Army special operations unit, led the raid that saw Maduro’s capture, CBS News reported.
The future governance of Venezuela remains in flux, as the country’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, is believed to be in Venezuela, and opposition leaders—including Edmundo González Urrutia and Nobel Peace Prize recipient María Corina Machado—are outside the country.
The DOJ unsealed a new indictment against Maduro, Flores, and their son, alleging corruption and drug trafficking ties with violent narco-terrorist groups.
What People Are Saying
Speaking at a Mar-a-Lago press conference, Trump said: "[Venezuelans] suffered. So much was taken from them. They are not going to suffer anymore."
He added: "We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition. We don’t want to be involved with having someone else get in, and we have the same situation that we had for the last long period of years. So we are going to run the country."
On whether the Cuban regime is able to stay alive now that Maduro is gone, Republican Representative Randy Fine of Florida told Newsweek: "Cuba has been run by communist tyrants and dictators for generations and hopefully the fall of Maduro will lead to its end."
What Happens Next
The political future of Venezuela remains uncertain. The Trump administration has indicated the U.S. will be "very much involved" in Venezuela's transition, but has not publicly endorsed a specific successor.
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