Sunday, January 4, 2026 - 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 authorizing
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 organization.
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.
Venezuelans celebrate the capture of president NICOLÁS MADURO by US government pic.twitter.com/zcbIh8KC9k
— DAILY POST 🇳🇬 (@dailypost_ng) January 4, 2026
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