Nigeria TV Info 

Protests Erupt One Week After US Forces Captured Venezuela’s Maduro — Detailed Report

CARACAS, Venezuela / GLOBAL — Hundreds to thousands of protesters took to the streets across Venezuela and internationally on Saturday — exactly one week after U.S. special forces carried out a military strike and captured former President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in Caracas.

In Caracas, supporters of the ousted leader rallied with flags, placards and chants demanding the return of Maduro and Cilia Flores, now in U.S. custody facing drug‑trafficking charges in New York. Around 1,000 people gathered in western Caracas, with additional demonstrations in districts like Petare, though turnout was smaller than past pro‑Maduro rallies.

Maduro loyalists demanded his release, calling the U.S. operation an “illegal kidnapping” and imperialist aggression, while interim government figures focused on diplomatic engagement with Washington and reviving oil ties. High‑profile leaders of the previous regime were notably absent from many protests, reflecting internal divisions among the Bolivarian movement.

Outside Venezuela, solidarity protests and condemnations also continued. In cities across the United States and other regions, activists accused the U.S. of violating international law and waging unlawful intervention. Demonstrations have occurred from Washington DC to Philadelphia, with some focusing on broader opposition to U.S. military involvement abroad.

Security and Political Backdrop
The protests unfold amid heightened tensions:

• U.S. citizens in Venezuela have been warned to evacuate due to reports of armed militias (colectivos) setting up checkpoints and searching for Americans.
• President Donald Trump issued an executive order to protect Venezuelan oil revenues held in U.S. accounts, part of efforts to stabilize relations and promote economic cooperation after the capture.
• Regional leaders, including Colombian President Gustavo Petro, have voiced concern about the intervention’s implications for regional stability.

The demonstrations — from Caracas to U.S. state capitals — underscore the deep domestic and international polarization sparked by the unprecedented capture of a sitting government leader by a foreign military. Analysts say the protests reflect not only allegiance to Maduro but broader unease over sovereignty, legal norms and foreign intervention.