Caracas witnessed massive demonstrations on Tuesday as thousands of Venezuelans mobilized in support of ousted leader Nicolás Maduro, exactly one month after his dramatic capture by U.S. forces. The government-organized protest saw public sector workers and loyalists marching through the capital, brandishing photographs of both Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores—both currently detained facing narcotics charges in New York.
The atmosphere crackled with anti-American sentiment as protesters, many draped in the signature red of the Chavista movement, chanted “Venezuela needs Nicolás” and waved national flags. The demonstration stretched several city blocks, accompanied by music-blaring trucks that amplified the crowd’s energy.
Nicolás Maduro Guerra, the former leader’s son and a National Assembly deputy, addressed the gathering with fiery rhetoric: “These people are not American. We have achieved a profound anti-imperialist consciousness.”
The protests unfold against a complex political backdrop where interim President Delcy Rodríguez navigates competing pressures. While maintaining diplomatic channels with Washington—evidenced by the recent arrival of U.S. envoy Laura Dogu—Rodríguez must also preserve support from Maduro loyalists within her government.
In a significant policy shift, the interim administration has begun releasing political prisoners and opening Venezuela’s nationalized oil industry to private investment. Rodríguez confirmed having “frank conversations” with U.S. officials regarding a three-phase transition plan aiming for a “prosperous and democratic Venezuela.”
Parallel demonstrations occurred as hundreds of students and relatives of political prisoners marched demanding expedited approval of Rodríguez’s promised amnesty law. Opposition deputy Stalin González expressed hope that the legislation, potentially debated Thursday, might “open the door to reconciliation, coexistence, peace and democracy.”
The day’s events highlight Venezuela’s deep political divisions, with pro-Maduro factions chanting “Freedom is in the streets and no one can stop it!” while opposition groups call for new elections following Maduro’s ouster.