Venezuelans react to US arrest of Maduro with hope and uncertainty

As the dust settles in Caracas, Venezuelans are reacting to the news of President Nicolas Maduro’s capture by the United States with hope, fear and uncertainty.

People began taking to the streets Saturday after a night rocked by explosions in the Caracas Valley, in a mood ranging from celebration to condemnation.

Dina, a local resident, told the BBC that for now she was grateful to the United States for “getting Maduro out of here” because now she “can at least see some light at the end of the tunnel again.”

But the political climate remains tense, which partly explains why she did not give her real name to the BBC.

Jorge, another Venezuelan who lives near Caracas, told the BBC that while he was grateful to be “well supported by Trump and by the whole United States,” he fears the days ahead will not be easy.

“Now that they are taking this man away, what will happen?” Jorge told the BBC. “It doesn’t guarantee us anything. So there is a bit of uncertainty. We don’t know what the next few days will bring.”

Supporters of Maduro’s government have also been gathering in the streets of Caracas, demanding that the United States release their leader. Caracas Mayor Carmen Meléndez, a staunch government loyalist, joined the rally to protest what she called the “kidnapping” of Maduro.

On Saturday morning, US forces led by President Donald Trump carried out a series of targeted attacks in the Venezuelan capital, eventually placing the country’s leader in US custody.

The United States accuses Maduro of leading a “narcoterrorist” regime. He is widely seen by opponents at home as well as foreign governments as having illegally won Venezuela’s 2024 elections.

Maduro – who leads the United Socialist Party and has been in power since 2013 – has frequently been accused of suppressing opposition groups and silencing dissent in Venezuela, sometimes using violence.

As Maduro and his wife are extradited to New York to face drug and arms trafficking charges, Venezuela’s future remains uncertain. Trump said the United States would lead the country — and manage its oil reserves — until a permanent replacement for Maduro could be appointed.

Maduro has previously rejected US claims that he is directly involved in drug trafficking.

But even for those who are grateful for Maduro’s departure, there remains much fear and uncertainty, several Venezuelans told the BBC.

Dina doesn’t trust Trump much.

“He says something now and tomorrow he changes his mind,” Dina said of Trump. “I mean, I don’t usually take his words seriously.”

The “only thing that was good” about what Trump has said since Maduro’s capture, Dina said, is that the United States will invest in Venezuela, which she hopes will lead to “a better economic situation” for the struggling country.

The danger of denouncing Maduro is still very real in Venezuela, since the National Assembly – which is dominated by Maduro loyalists – passed a law a few weeks ago declaring anyone who expresses support for US naval blockades a “traitor.”

Jorge said yesterday he saw motorcyclists from colectivos, pro-government paramilitary groups in Venezuela, roaming the streets with weapons.

“It makes you a little afraid to go out and buy bread right now,” he said. “We will have to wait for the best and be patient.”

Jorge added that he worries about the influence of Maduro ally Diosdado Cabello, Venezuela’s minister of Interior, Justice and Peace.

“He’s a very bad person, very mean,” Jorge said of Cabello. “I don’t know how many people he has on his side. Hopefully the army is on the side of the people and he loses control a little.”

Sandra echoed Jorge and Dina’s relief at Maduro’s ouster. But she, too, is skeptical about the future and what it means for Venezuelans in exile.

Nearly eight million Venezuelans have left Venezuela since Maduro came to power – and many of them are openly celebrating Maduro’s capture in the streets of the cities where they have settled.

In addition to the millions in exile, others are “missing, imprisoned, dead or simply surviving,” constituting “a true tragedy that no country has faced,” Sandra said.

“This is just the beginning; we know there is still a long way to go,” added Sandra. “No country had before heard the cry of Venezuelans in the face of this tragedy.”

Tom Bateman, Cristobal Vasquez and Kristina Volk contributed to this report.