Venezuelans in NY Celebrate Maduro’s Ouster as He Appears in US Court

‘Maduro destroyed thousands of families, not just a country,’ one sign in Spanish read. ‘Now he must pay.’

People gather to celebrate the capture of former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, outside the Federal District Court in Lower Manhattan, New York City, on Jan. 5, 2026. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times

NEW YORK—As Venezuela’s deposed leader Nicolás Maduro heard his charges read against him from within a New York City federal courthouse on Jan. 5, large crowds of demonstrators gathered outside.

Many of these demonstrators were Venezuelans, praising his fall. They recounted stories of their experiences under the regime, the declining state of living, and the human rights violations suffered at the hands of the state.

“Maduro destroyed thousands of families, not just a country,” one sign in Spanish read. “Now he must pay.”

Others held signs showing a red X sign over Maduro’s face with text reading “Maduro Out—Real Venezuelans Here.”

“Maduro, your legacy is pain, death, exile, and separation,” read another sign.

Many people waved Venezuelan flags in celebration.

‘Venezuela Has Been in Chaos’

Others came out in opposition to the U.S. strike that resulted in Maduro’s capture on Jan. 3.

The early morning operation in and around Caracas by the U.S. military resulted in the capture of both Maduro and his wife, and included a series of airstrikes on strategic targets, including infrastructure, ports, cell towers, and more.

One Venezuelan, who spoke to NTD, sister media outlet of The Epoch Times, outside the courthouse, expressed frustration at these counter-demonstrators, describing them as “a group of people who don’t even speak Spanish, who don’t even know anything about Venezuela’s people, they were just fighting against what’s going on with Maduro.”

She said they were calling for Maduro to be freed, with many expressing support for Palestinians or waving Palestinian flags. 

“They don’t even know what we feel about Venezuela,” she said. “Venezuela has been in chaos. It’s been really bad for 26 years, and finally, we can be free.”

Since his capture, Maduro has been charged with narco-terrorism and a litany of other charges that have him facing possible life imprisonment.

On Monday, Maduro made his first appearance in court while his former citizens shared their stories of the socialist regime outside.

‘I Was Tortured’

One attendee held a sign showing graphic images of himself being tortured by Maduro’s regime. Next to these, the demonstrator had written “Killer” beside a photo of Maduro.

Beneath the photos, text read, “Twelve years of waiting, pain, and silence. Today, my aggressor is captured.”

The attendee told NTD, a sister outlet to The Epoch Times: “[I was] tortured. General Rodriguez Torres kidnapped me on the orders of Maduro.”

“During the torture, they urinated on me and covered me in gasoline. Every morning, they would throw cold water on me,” he said, adding that for three days, he was kept entirely nude.

“Every day, they beat me, put leeches on my face,” he said, adding that they applied “cotton swabs” soaked in irritants to his face after.

He was referring to a torture method employed by the Venezuelan regime that involves applying irritating substances to cotton swabs or balls of cotton and placing them in the mouth, on open wounds, or on other areas to inflict pain.

“And all this for protesting, for wanting a change, because our parents lost their business, and for being just another student who wanted a change—here are the consequences,” he said.

The demonstrator expressed joy at Maduro’s capture and the U.S. charges.

“I’m so happy to be here,” he said. “Yes, I’m very happy. It’s a step, it’s a change. We don’t know how long it’s going to last, but it’s a joy for those mothers who lost their sons, for my friends, it’s a small gift.

“There’s a long way to go, but we’re starting over.”

‘This Is Not Iraq’

Another Venezuelan could be seen arguing with Americans who expressed skepticism about the U.S. intervention, with some likening it to Iraq.

“Venezuela is ... not the Middle East. We have a democracy. We elected a democratically elected president,” the demonstrator told NTD. “This is not Iraq.”

In 2024, opposition parties united behind candidate Edmundo Gonzalez in a bid to oust Maduro, who had been in power for more than a decade. Maduro was declared the winner in the contest, with the results being described by the opposition as fraudulent. The United States and other Western nations said they did not recognize Maduro’s claims of electoral success.

Some projections at the time suggested that Gonzalez had won as much as 70 percent of the vote, though the official results showed him with 44 percent.

The demonstrator rejected concerns among some Americans that the conflict could become another Iraq War-style investment of American troops and resources.

“[There are] plenty of cases of the U.S. having positive influences in other countries like Panama, like Kosovo. There’s plenty of cases, and this is one of those cases, and we’re very happy about what happened,” the Venezuelan said.

He praised the U.S. military action, noting the lack of civilian casualties.

“Do you think if [Maduro] had support in Venezuela, [the U.S.] would have been able to take him out in two hours? Were any U.S. soldiers killed? Was there resistance to what the U.S. did? No, because he’s an unpopular dictator,” he said.