CARACAS, VENEZUELA — Thousands of Venezuelans took to the streets of the capital on Wednesday, calling for the release of former president Nicolás Maduro, who was captured by U.S. forces earlier this month and is now in U.S. custody facing federal drug‑trafficking and narco‑terrorism charges in New York.
Supporters of Maduro, who marched despite intermittent sun and rain, waved flags and chanted slogans including “Nico, hold on, the people are rising!” and “Trump, give us back Nico!” as they traversed a three‑kilometer route through downtown Caracas. Many wore military fatigues and red berets, symbols long associated with Maduro’s Chavista movement.
“We do not agree with their taking him away like that and planning to try him in another country, because his country is Venezuela,” said community leader Nancy Ramos, her voice breaking as she clutched small figurines of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
Government loyalists have organised daily demonstrations since the early‑January U.S. operation that toppled Maduro’s government and took him and Flores into custody. Venezuelan authorities have urged continued public pressure, denouncing the attack as an act of imperialism and a violation of national sovereignty.
The mobilisations come amid heightened tensions and fears of further conflict. Protester Tania Rodriguez said marchers were driven by grief and anger over the military strikes and the loss of life during the operation. Venezuelan officials have reported scores of fatalities among soldiers and civilians during the U.S. attack, with some estimates placing the toll at around 100.
The Venezuelan government has also shared solemn footage and images from funerals for troops killed during the assault, with coffins draped in national colours and mourners gathered to pay tribute. Interim president Delcy Rodríguez has declared a week of national mourning to honour the dead.
While Maduro’s supporters remain vocal, Venezuelan opposition leaders have largely kept a lower profile since the upheaval, partially due to an emergency decree that outlaws public praise for the U.S. action.
Maduro and his wife have appeared in U.S. court and pleaded not guilty to the charges against them, while international debate continues over the legality and geopolitical implications of the U.S. operation.
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