PODCAST:
Jan. 6, 2026 ~ Chris Renwick, Lloyd Jackson, and Jamie Edmonds spoke with Venezuelan immigrant Lismar Berro. She shared her cautious hope for Venezuela after Nicholas Maduro’s capture.
DEARBORN HEIGHTS, MI ~ Venezuelans are sharing mixed reactions to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by the U.S. due to the uncertainty of what comes next.
Many Venezuelans, particularly those who have been displaced from the country, are celebrating the arrest of Maduro, with videos of Venezuelans from around the country showing them celebrating the move. One of these diaspora members is Dearborn Heights resident Lismar Berro, who told WJR that she is cautiously optimistic and that the arrest is a “significant first step.”
However, many videos circulating online from inside Venezuela show massive protests against U.S. intervention and military strikes, demanding that their country’s elected leader be returned. Many are also concerned about what could happen to the nation’s oil industry under U.S. control.
A recent poll from AtlasIntel found that about 64% of Venezuelans living abroad support U.S. intervention to remove Maduro, while just 34% inside Latin America support it.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are currently inside a New York City jail after the U.S. arrested them over the weekend. They are being charged with drug trafficking and weapons charges, which they pleaded not guilty to on Monday.
