Venezuelans living around the world poured into the streets on Saturday to celebrate after the US took custody of Nicolás Maduro, the country’s longtime leader whose rule many blame for years of repression and a massive wave of migration.
From the United States to South America and Europe, scenes of joy unfolded just hours after Maduro and his wife were flown to the US and formally charged in federal court. For many in the Venezuelan diaspora, the moment felt historic.
In Doral, Florida — which has the largest Venezuelan population in the US — crowds gathered as early as 4 a.m., filling the streets with music, dancing, and emotion. Some people hugged, others wept, and champagne bottles were opened as Venezuelan songs played in the background.
“I started crying. I’ve seen my dad cry three times in my life: his dad dying, Fidel dying and today…It’s historic,” one woman told NBC Miami.
Another man said the news filled him with hope. “I’m very excited…We are celebrating. Thanks to President Trump and the U.S. military for this perfect operation,” he said, adding that he believes Venezuela now has a chance for a better future.
Others struggled to put the moment into words. One celebrant said he had “no words” to describe what the day meant to him.
Celebrations were also reported in cities such as Madrid and Santiago, where Venezuelans waved both Venezuelan and American flags in public squares.
“We are free. We are all happy that the dictatorship has fallen and that we have a free country,” said Khaty Yanez, a Venezuelan who has lived in Chile for the past seven years, in comments to Reuters.
“My joy is too big,” fellow Venezuelan Jose Gregorio said.
“After so many years, after so many struggles, after so much work, today is the day. Today is the day of freedom.”
Inside Venezuela, however, the mood was very different. There were no large public celebrations. Security forces were seen patrolling mostly quiet streets in Caracas at daybreak following US airstrikes. A small number of people were spotted holding portraits of Maduro and embracing in the capital.
Venezuela has experienced a dramatic population exodus during Maduro’s time in power, driven by economic collapse and widespread shortages. Since 2018, nearly 8 million people — about one-fifth of the population — have left the country after being unable to afford basic necessities such as food.
According to the UN’s International Organization for Migration, about 85% of those who fled settled in other parts of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Maduro now faces multiple federal charges in the US. Prosecutors allege he led “a corrupt, illegitimate government that, for decades, has leveraged government power to protect and promote illegal activity, including drug trafficking.”
The indictment further claims that Maduro worked with “some of the most violent and prolific drug traffickers and narco-terrorists in the world” and helped move as much as 250 tons of cocaine into the US by 2020, using speedboats, fishing vessels, cargo ships, and aircraft flying from hidden airstrips.
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