The U.S. military’s capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has ignited jubilation among Venezuelan expats in South Florida, while triggering widespread fear and uncertainty in Caracas, as experts warn of potential chaos and a fragile transition.
Early Saturday, the news that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife had been captured by U.S. forces in Caracas sent waves of euphoria through South Florida’s Venezuelan community, particularly in Doral — a city affectionately known as “Doralzuela” for hosting more Venezuelan immigrants than any other in the United States. Demonstrators danced, sang Venezuela’s national anthem, and wept tears of joy, waving the country’s yellow, blue, and red flags. Some carried signs reading “Make Venezuela Great Again,” while others gathered outside El Arepazo, a popular arepa shop and gathering place for Venezuelans displaced by repression and economic collapse.
“Justice is being served for all the Venezuelans who left our country,” said Kirvin Suarez, a Venezuelan-American resident of Doral, to Reuters. “Last night may have been the beginning of the end of a 30-year nightmare.”
Yet, in Caracas, the reaction was markedly different. Streets and highways remained largely empty, and residents lined up at supermarkets and pharmacies amid fear and confusion. The U.S. military strike, which left a lingering smell of gunpowder in the capital’s air, created a tense, warlike atmosphere. “I see a somewhat warlike atmosphere. Silence can say many things,” a driver from eastern Caracas told CNN, requesting anonymity for security reasons.
Experts warn that while Maduro’s removal may be a victory for the Venezuelan people, the nation’s future remains perilously uncertain. Michael Shifter, a senior fellow on Latin America at the Inter-American Dialogue think tank, told CNN that Venezuelans have far more at stake than the diaspora in the U.S. “They have to live with the consequences of what happens,” he said. “They may be relieved that Maduro is no longer in power. They’re certainly not confident that what comes next is going to be better.”
Hours after Maduro’s capture, President Donald Trump announced the U.S. would “run the country” until a proper transition of power could be arranged — a declaration that deepened anxiety among Venezuelans. “They’re not very sure that what comes next is going to be orderly and smooth and is going to diminish their suffering,” Shifter added.
Meanwhile, in U.S. cities from Boston to Minneapolis, anti-war protesters took to the streets, voicing concerns over the potential for U.S. military escalation. Some carried signs reading “No war for oil,” highlighting the broader geopolitical stakes of the operation.
Millions of Venezuelans have fled their homeland over the past 25 years, many arriving in the U.S. and other nations in recent years amid economic collapse and political repression. For months, they have watched anxiously as Venezuela’s long-standing confrontation with the U.S. escalated under the Trump administration, including military exercises in the Caribbean and deadly airstrikes on boats from the South American country.
“We’re scared but hopeful,” said Marisela Lara, a Venezuelan-American resident of Miami. “Last night may have been the beginning of the end of a 30-year nightmare.”
“There’s too much uncertainty,” added Daniel Castillo, a Venezuelan-American in New York City. “We don’t know what’s going to happen next.”
While some of Maduro’s opponents celebrated his departure from afar, playing music from their balconies, others feared reprisals and stayed indoors. Meanwhile, groups of Maduro’s supporters ventured out near the presidential palace, demonstrating solidarity with their leader. “We are asking for the liberation of our president,” Maria Ayde told Reuters. “We’re going to be here fighting until they give us back Nicolas.”
The capture of Maduro marks a seismic moment in Venezuela’s history — one that may end a 30-year authoritarian rule but also risks plunging the nation into deeper instability. The U.S. assumption of control, while welcomed by the diaspora, raises critical questions about the future of Venezuela’s democracy, its economy, and its people.
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