Are the Venezuelan celebrating the capture of Madero?

1. Visible celebrations abroad: exiles and border cities danced in the streets

Large, public celebrations were widely reported among Venezuelan expatriates and refugees in cities across Latin America and beyond—crowds dancing and chanting in places like Cúcuta on the Colombian border and in capitals such as Buenos Aires, Lima, Quito and Santiago—an outpouring framed by many outlets as relief or hope among those who fled Maduro’s rule ^{[1] [2] [3]}. Photographs and video compilations circulated showing people waving Venezuelan flags and chanting slogans of freedom, and news organizations from Reuters to BBC and AP noted jubilant scenes in diaspora hubs, including Miami’s Venezuelan community, underscoring that significant pockets of Venezuelans celebrated the leader’s capture ^{[4] [6] [7]}.

2. Strong counter‑reaction inside Venezuela: protests and official denunciations

At the same time, inside Venezuela the political apparatus and pro‑Maduro supporters mobilized quickly: the PSUV and government officials called the action a “kidnapping” and staged demonstrations demanding Maduro’s release, with supporters holding portraits of Maduro and Chávez in Caracas and other locations ^{[8] [1] [3]}. The defense minister and high command publicly asserted Maduro remained the rightful leader even as vice‑presidential and judicial moves sought to manage succession, a narrative that fueled protests and state messaging condemning the U.S. operation ^[5].

3. Fear, uncertainty and damage tempered public jubilation

Even among those who celebrated, reporters recorded unease: many Venezuelans expressed hope for change but fear about U.S. intentions, uncertainty about the aftermath, and skepticism about promises of investment or stability from the Trump administration ^{[2] [9]}. In Venezuela, the U.S. strikes that accompanied the capture caused property damage and an unspecified number of deaths, leaving residents cleaning up and uneasy—facts that conditioned the domestic mood and complicate a simple “celebration” narrative ^{[10] [11]}.

4. Political polarization and international ripple effects shaped reactions

Reactions outside Venezuela mirrored geopolitical splits: some Western politicians and commentators hailed enforcement of a narco‑trafficking indictment, while many international leaders criticized the U.S. operation as a dangerous precedent or violation of international law, and allies like Russia and regional actors voiced solidarity with Venezuela ^{[6] [7] [12]}. U.S. domestic political voices were divided too—Republicans broadly supported the move, Democrats warned of escalation and legal questions—heightening the framing through which different Venezuelan communities interpreted the capture ^[13].

5. What “celebration” means: heterogeneous, symbolic and location‑dependent

To say “Venezuelans are celebrating” flattens a complex reality: sizable celebrations occurred, especially among the diaspora and in some border areas, but inside the country the immediate response included official condemnation, pro‑Maduro protests, fear and damage from military strikes ^{[1] [3] [5]}. The available reporting demonstrates a geographically split reaction—public rejoicing concentrated among exiles and abroad; resistance and alarm concentrated within Venezuela—so any sweeping statement about Venezuelans as a whole would be inaccurate ^{[2] [4]}.

6. Caveats and limits of current reporting

Coverage to date relies on discrete snapshots—photos, videos and interviews in cities with visible activity—and cannot perfectly measure private sentiments across Venezuela’s 28 million‑plus population; several sources note uncertainty and fear among citizens even where celebrations were seen, and casualty figures and longer‑term public opinion remain incompletely reported ^{[2] [10]}. Where reporting is silent on nationwide polling or rural attitudes, this analysis does not speculate beyond what those accounts document.