On Jan. 3, President Nicolas Maduro along with his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured by U.S. troops at 2 a.m. and were brought to the U.S. at 3 a.m. No troops sustained major injuries, and no notable damage was reported on the U.S. side apart from an aircraft that was able to be flown back safely noted the BBC.
On the other hand, Venezuela’s interior minister claimed 100 Venezuelans died in the attack. Maduro, his wife, son and other officials were taken to New York to stand trial and are accused of narco-terrorism as well as other charges including conspiracy to traffic drugs, which they pleaded not guilty to on Jan. 5. Their next hearing will be on March 17., meanwhile, they are to remain in U.S. custody according to a Time reporter.
Opinions on the matter are divided—some applaud the capture of Maduro, while others see it as an overreach of authority on Trump’s end. Other aspects that are under scrutiny are Trump completely bypassing Congress by failing to bring up the operation, essentially ignoring the three branches of government and the division of power within the U.S. government. As well as his claims of controlling Venezuela’s government indefinitely until a new leader is established and “fixing” their oil infrastructure are facing some backlash.
All these concerns beg the question: what are people’s insights on the matter? More specifically, those in our midst, such as University of Houston-Downtown students and professors.
Karla, a Venezuelan student at UHD, shared her own opinions regarding Trump’s actions and statements. When she was asked whether she believed Trump’s actions were helpful to the Venezuelan people or not, she stated she was glad Maduro was in U.S custody.
“We [Venezuelans] have been living under a dictatorship for a long time; Trump gave us liberty,” stated Karla.
His claims to oil or to the government are not a concern for her; she hopes for a better future for Venezuela once corrupt officials and politicians are ousted, such as Vice President Delcy Rodriguez
“Delcy acts just like Maduro” according to Karla.
Maduro still has many loyalists in Venezuela, and the future will remain uncertain for Venezuela’s citizens unless all corruption is revealed and new officials elected.
Not all Venezuelans think the same as seen online. Reactions are very divided and not without reason. Yet there is still hope for a better future, and students uncertain of the outcome are not alone.
This sentiment is echoed by Dr. DeJesus-Rivera and Dr. Ramirez from the Center for Latino Studies with a statement they shared with the Dateline:
“At the Center for Latino Studies, we recognize that this is a profoundly heavy and uncertain moment. Not only for Venezuela, but for Latino communities across the globe who are watching these events unfold with deep concern, hope, and fear. The situation in Venezuela is especially complex. The Venezuelan people have endured years of instability, economic collapse and repression, and it is not surprising that reactions to recent developments are deeply divided. For some, change represents the possibility of relief and renewal. For others, it raises fears of replacing one form of authoritarian control with another. These perspectives all deserve to be taken seriously. What remains clear to us is that Venezuela’s future must be shaped by the will, dignity and safety of its people and not by geopolitical interests, economic extraction, or external power struggles. Conversations about oil, infrastructure and intervention must center humanitarian outcomes, sovereignty and long-term stability rather than short-term political or economic gain. As a Center committed to Latino communities, we stand in solidarity with Venezuelans and with Latinos worldwide who are impacted by these decisions. Our hope is for solutions rooted in international cooperation, democratic principles and genuine concern for human life. In moments like these, compassion, accountability and respect for self-determination are not optional, they are essential.”
Any students experiencing anxiety regarding current events can reach out to the Student Counseling Services office in OMB S280 or OMB S601. Their phone number is 713-221-8121.
