Venezuelan Communities Worldwide Celebrate Historic Arrest of Maduro [WATCH]

Venezuelans across the globe erupted in celebration Saturday after U.S. forces captured longtime Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and transported him and his wife to the United States to face federal charges, marking a dramatic turning point for a country whose political and economic collapse has driven one of the largest migration crises in recent history.

Celebrations broke out within hours of the operation in cities across the United States, South America, and Europe, as news spread that Maduro had been taken into custody and formally indicted on multiple federal counts.

For many Venezuelans living abroad, the development represented a moment they had waited years to see.

🚨 JUST IN: Venezuelans are literally crying TEARS OF JOY all because President Trump captured Maduro

“We want to thank GOD for His miracle!”

“THANK YOU, UNITED STATES!”

“Long live Venezuela!”

“Venezuela is great, and it will be resurrected among the ashes!” 🇺🇸🇻🇪 pic.twitter.com/2G2xTzQH7w

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 3, 2026

In Doral, Florida — a South Florida city that is home to the largest Venezuelan community in the United States — hundreds of people flooded the streets beginning around 4 a.m., gathering outside El Arepazo, a popular Venezuelan restaurant that quickly became the focal point of the celebration.

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“Liberty! Liberty! Liberty!” the crowd chanted as they waved Venezuelan flags, banged pots and pans, and embraced one another.

Videos and photos from the scene showed emotional scenes, with some participants crying, others dancing to Venezuelan music, and several popping champagne bottles as the celebrations continued into the morning.

NEW: Venezuelans in Doral, Florida, break down in tears, celebrate at a gas station after the U.S. military captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.

President Trump says Maduro and his wife were captured and flown out of the country.

“This is beyond comparison. Thank you,… pic.twitter.com/bP3q7rfcFl

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 3, 2026

One woman, speaking to NBC Miami, described the moment as deeply personal and historic.

“I started crying. I’ve seen my dad cry three times in my life: his dad dying, Fidel dying and today…It’s historic,” she said.

Another man credited the United States for the operation and expressed optimism about Venezuela’s future.

“I’m very excited…We are celebrating. Thanks to President Trump and the U.S. military for this perfect operation,” he said.

A third participant summed up his reaction more simply, saying he had “no words” for what he described as a monumental moment.

Similar scenes unfolded overseas.

In Madrid, Spain, and Santiago, Chile, Venezuelans gathered in public spaces, raising Venezuelan flags alongside American flags as they marked the capture of Maduro.

Madrid, Spain (Jan. 3) — Thousands of Venezuelan migrants gathered to celebrate the arrest of Nicolas Maduro and his wife by the U.S. government. pic.twitter.com/IMUPyUxjPh

— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) January 4, 2026

“We are free. We are all happy that the dictatorship has fallen and that we have a free country,” said Khaty Yanez, a Venezuelan woman who has lived in Chile for the past seven years, speaking to Reuters.

“My joy is too big,” said Jose Gregorio, another Venezuelan living in Chile.

“After so many years, after so many struggles, after so much work, today is the day. Today is the day of freedom,” he added.

Venezuelans in Chile are out celebrating that Maduro has been arrested.

All over the world Venezuelans have been celebrating.pic.twitter.com/w9gfjOZLh0

— PeterSweden (@PeterSweden7) January 3, 2026

Maduro’s rule has coincided with a prolonged economic collapse and political repression that triggered a massive exodus from Venezuela.

Since 2018, nearly 8 million Venezuelans — roughly 20 percent of the country’s population — have fled the nation after being unable to afford basic necessities such as food.

According to the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration, approximately 85 percent of those who left settled in neighboring countries throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

Federal prosecutors allege that Maduro presided over what they described as “a corrupt, illegitimate government that, for decades, has leveraged government power to protect and promote illegal activity, including drug trafficking.”

The indictment accuses Maduro of partnering with “some of the most violent and prolific drug traffickers and narco-terrorists in the world” to move massive quantities of cocaine into the United States.

According to court filings, prosecutors allege that by 2020 Maduro and his associates were responsible for facilitating the trafficking of as much as 250 tons of cocaine into the U.S., using a network that included go-fast vessels, fishing boats, container ships, and aircraft operating from clandestine airstrips.

The capture and indictment of Maduro represent one of the most significant developments involving Venezuela in decades, drawing international attention and emotional reactions from Venezuelans who have lived for years in exile as a result of the country’s turmoil.