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2h ago

After Maduro’s Capture, Calls to Return Meet Caution Across Venezuelan Diaspora

Expiring protections alongside deportation threats heighten pressure on a reluctant diaspora.

People celebrate after President Donald Trump announced Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had been captured and flown out of the country, in Doral, Fla., Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Jen Golbeck)
People order food at El Arepazo, a popular restaurant in the local Venezuelan community, as a television broadcast shows Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro being led from a helicopter to a court appearance in New York, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Doral, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
People celebrate outside Versailles Cuban Cuisine after President Donald Trump announced Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had been captured and flown out of the country, in Miami, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Jen Golbeck)
Jorge Galicia, a Venezuelan political activist who requested asylum seven years ago, wears a Venezuelan flag around his neck, as he talks about his support of the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by the U.S., Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Doral, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Overview

  • U.S. forces seized Nicolás Maduro, prompting officials from Washington to Lima to urge some of the roughly 8 million Venezuelans abroad to consider going home.
  • Many migrants welcomed the news yet hesitate to return after President Donald Trump said he would work with interim leader Delcy Rodríguez rather than the opposition.
  • Conditions in Venezuela remain dire, with an estimated eight in ten people in poverty and most of the governing apparatus intact, deterring large-scale repatriation.
  • Regional policies are tightening, as Chile’s president-elect José Antonio Kast threatens mass deportations within 63 days and explores a return corridor with Peru’s interim leader.
  • Rights advocates warn that deportations and expiring U.S. protections could expose Venezuelans to crime and trafficking, even as Colombia continues offering long-term residency permits to millions already settled.