Thousands of Venezuelan citizens converged in central Caracas on Wednesday for a major demonstration expressing solidarity with their detained leader. The protest, organized by government supporters and civil society groups, centered on demands for Washington to immediately release President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores from US custody.
Protesters carried national flags and banners proclaiming ‘Hands Off Venezuela’ while chanting slogans defending national sovereignty against what they characterized as American judicial overreach. The gathering represented the first significant public response since Maduro’s extradition to the United States last month to face narcoterrorism charges.
Organizers framed the demonstration as both a show of domestic support for the embattled leader and a rejection of foreign interference in Venezuela’s political affairs. Several speakers addressed the crowd, accusing the United States of orchestrating a politically motivated prosecution designed to undermine Venezuela’s sovereign government.
The protest occurred amid escalating diplomatic tensions between Caracas and Washington, with Venezuela’s interim government threatening to review all bilateral agreements should Maduro remain in US detention. Regional allies including Cuba and Nicaragua have issued statements condemning Maduro’s prosecution as a violation of international law.