Protesters for and against the removal of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from power clashed Monday outside a New York City courthouse where he was arraigned.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty to narco-terrorism, weapons, and cocaine importation charges contained in a federal indictment.
The New York Post reported, “Several hundred demonstrators milled about waving signs reading, ‘Free President Maduro’ and ‘No War for Venezuela Oil’ in front of the downtown Manhattan courthouse where Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were set to make their first appearance before a federal judge on narco-terrorism, drug-trafficking and other charges.”
“I don’t understand how the U.S. gets to call him a dictator when he’s been rightfully elected twice by the people of Venezuela in a very transparent election,” said Sherry Finkelman, a protester from Brooklyn.
The Carter Center reported last February that Maduro’s re-election in 2024 was illegitimate.
“This election was an unfortunate example of the will of the people being ignored,” said Jennie Lincoln, the Center’s senior advisor for Latin America and the Caribbean, who led a team of observers on the ground as Venezuelans cast their ballots in July 2024.
Further, NBC News reported last January that Maduro was sworn in for a third six-year term despite “credible evidence” that he lost the election.
“Since 2019, more than 50 countries, including the United States, have refused to recognize Maduro as Venezuela’s head of state,” following the disputed 2018 election results, according to the U.S. State Department.
A New York protester supporting President Donald Trump’s decision to apprehend Maduro shouted at those calling for the former leader’s release, “You are not from my country! What part of Venezuela you are?”
NOW: “You are not from my country! What part of Venezuela you are?” Venezuelan confronts Pro-Maduro Protesters outside of NYC Court where Maduro currently being held
Video by @yyeeaahhhboiii2 @FreedomNTV [email protected] to license pic.twitter.com/xVG1BfJ4Vb
— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) January 5, 2026
Maria Su, who immigrated to New York City from Caracas in 2017, added, “They are not Venezuelans … They are paid protesters. They don’t speak Spanish!” according to the Post.
Another woman with a Venezuelan flag draped around her responded to Maduro’s apprehension, saying, “God bless America!”
🚨🇺🇸🇻🇪 — Venezolanos basados se pelean contra zurditos pro Maduro en Nueva York frente a la corte donde estará el narcoterrorista pic.twitter.com/OAQLxD6C0M
— Gian del 56% 🇦🇷🇺🇸🍊 (@Gianferreyra_) January 5, 2026
“Today we are here happy because he’s going to face justice,” Venezuelan-American Rafael Escalante said of Maduro, according to the Post.
“But we are also making sure that the history of Venezuela is told by Venezuelans, not by a group of paid activists that make a career out of standing up for dictators,” he added.
Nobel-prize-winning Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado posted video footage Monday on social media that she said was of Venezuelans around the world celebrating Maduro’s removal.
“The brave people of Venezuela took to the streets in 30 countries and 130 cities around the world to celebrate a huge step that marks the inevitability and imminence of the transition in Venezuela,” she wrote, according to a translation.
“We Venezuelans thank President Donald Trump (@POTUS) and his administration for their firmness and determination in upholding the law. Venezuela will be the main ally of the United States in matters of security, energy, democracy, and human rights. The freedom of Venezuela is near, and soon we will celebrate on our land. We will shout, pray, and embrace as a family, because our children will return home.”
El bravo pueblo de Venezuela salió a las calles en 30 países y 130 ciudades del mundo para celebrar un paso enorme que marca la inevitabilidad e inminencia de la transición en Venezuela.
Los venezolanos agradecemos al Presidente Donald Trump (@POTUS) y a su administración por… pic.twitter.com/yKPoxp2dPp
— María Corina Machado (@MariaCorinaYA) January 5, 2026
A Venezuelan woman in California told KABC-TV that she is “so happy.”
“We’ve been in jail for so many years… There is no food. [Maduro] controlled everything … We cry because now, somebody did something. This president is the first president who did something,” she said.
Venezuelan woman in California is “so happy” about the news of Nicolás Maduro’s arrest: “We’ve been in jail for so many years… He controlled everything… We cry because now, somebody did something. This President is the first President that did something… this is HOPE.” pic.twitter.com/hsIXhLEDwT
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 5, 2026
“We don’t know what’s going to happen, but at least this is the first step. This is hope for every Venezuelan.”
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
