Venezuelans across the world have taken to the streets to celebrate the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, who was flown out of the country and indicted in the United States on drug and weapons charges.
The development has sparked scenes of jubilation among Venezuelans at home and in the diaspora, many of whom say they were forced to flee the country due to years of violence, hyperinflation, gang activity, and shortages of food and medicine. More than eight million people have left Venezuela since 2014, leaving the nation with one of the largest displacement crises in the world, according to the United Nations.
Venezuela is also home to the world’s largest proven crude oil reserves, a resource wealth that contrasts sharply with years of economic collapse, mass migration, and political crisis under Maduro’s rule.
Following news of Maduro’s capture, crowds gathered in cities across Latin America, the United States, and Europe, singing, dancing, and waving Venezuelan and US flags. Many said the moment symbolised the collapse of what they described as a dictatorship.
One celebrant in Chile said, “I’ve come to celebrate because the dictatorship has fallen, Maduro’s drug trafficking has fallen. We are free and happy that the dictatorship has fallen and that we will have a free country.”
Another Venezuelan in Doral, Florida, said, “Today, justice is being served for all the Venezuelans who were forced to leave our country. We are fighters, entrepreneurs, and good people, and we want to return home to rebuild Venezuela.”
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were seized during a US military operation carried out in the early hours of Saturday in Caracas. Explosions, low flying aircraft, and columns of smoke were reported across the capital as the operation unfolded.
Speaking shortly after announcing the raid, US President Donald Trump described it as a “brilliant operation,” crediting extensive planning and elite troops. Asked whether Congress had been consulted before authorising the strike, Trump said the issue would be discussed later.
US officials say Maduro has long been under indictment for drug trafficking, dating back to 2020, when he was accused of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States. Rewards for information leading to his arrest reportedly rose as high as $50 million in 2025. Washington alleges Maduro leads a drug trafficking network known as the Cartel de los Soles, which it has designated a foreign terrorist organisation.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro would soon “face the full wrath of American justice on American soil,” adding that multiple weapons charges accompany the drug counts.
Inside Venezuela, the reaction has been sharply divided. While many citizens celebrated, the country’s attorney general, Tarek William Saab, condemned the US operation, claiming civilians were killed or wounded and calling for peaceful protests. Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez demanded proof that Maduro and Flores were alive, raising concerns over their condition following the raid.
Internationally, the operation triggered shockwaves. Russia, a close ally of Venezuela, expressed concern and suggested the United States may have violated international law by forcibly removing a sitting head of state. A Russian foreign ministry spokesperson called for immediate clarification of the situation.
Maduro, who has ruled Venezuela since 2013 as leader of the United Socialist Party, has been widely criticised by opponents and international observers, who accuse him of authoritarian rule, election manipulation, and overseeing the economic collapse of the country. His capture marks one of the most dramatic geopolitical events involving Venezuela in decades and has reshaped the political mood among millions of Venezuelans worldwide.
