‘Libertad’: South Florida Venezuelans Flood Streets After U.S. Arrests Maduro
Venezuelans across South Florida erupted in celebration early Saturday after news broke that U.S. forces had captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a dramatic military operation ordered by President Donald Trump.
In Doral, a hub of the Venezuelan diaspora, crowds gathered outside El Arepazo restaurant waving flags, hugging, crying and chanting “Libertad” as the sun rose.
Many sang the Venezuelan and U.S. national anthems, calling the moment historic after years of political repression and economic collapse under Maduro’s rule.
The celebrations followed confirmation from President Trump that U.S. military forces carried out a “large-scale strike” overnight, capturing Maduro and his wife and flying them out of Venezuela.
U.S. officials told CBS News that the operation was led by the Army’s elite Delta Force, following months of intelligence gathering and a military buildup in the Caribbean.
Trump said Maduro was seized from a “highly guarded” location and is being transported to New York to face long-standing federal charges, including narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro would face “the full wrath of American justice” in U.S. courts.
The operation drew swift global reaction, but in South Florida — home to hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan immigrants — the mood was largely jubilant. “We’ve been waiting for this for years,” said one Doral resident, who called the arrest a turning point for Venezuela’s future.
Local leaders also responded. Miami Mayor Eileen Higgins urged the Trump administration to reinstate Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans in the U.S., arguing that ongoing instability makes it unsafe for many to return. TPS protections ended in 2025 and are set to expire for thousands of people unless renewed.
In Venezuela, opposition leader María Corina Machado hailed Maduro’s capture, declaring, “The time for freedom has come,” and calling for opposition figure Edmundo González Urrutia to be recognized as the country’s legitimate president.
President Trump is expected to address the operation later Saturday from Mar-a-Lago, as questions continue over the regional and global consequences of the unprecedented U.S. military action.
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