The arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro sparks emotional responses in Houston’s Venezuelan community.

HOUSTON — Several voices across the Houston area are reacting to news that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is in custody. On Sunday, a large group of protesters gathered in the Galleria at the intersection of Westheimer and Post Oak.

Elizabeth Peters expressed opposition to U.S. involvement. 

“I feel really strongly about how there shouldn’t be more U.S. interference in Venezuela,” Peters said.

Maria, a woman who moved to Houston from Venezuela at 9 years old, said the situation has left her thinking about family members still living there.

“We just got a call from my uncle. He said there are parts of Caracas that don’t have power right now,” she said.

With Maduro currently in custody, Maria said she feels a renewed sense of hope, though uncertainty remains.

“A lot of people are really hopeful, but people are scared to share that hope in the [Venezuelan] streets,” she said.

On the streets of Houston, protest organizers said U.S. involvement in Venezuela could have serious economic and political consequences.

“We’re feeling if [President] Trump has the power to kidnap a head of state and bring him back to a foreign country, what does that mean for the rest of us?” Caleb Kurowski, one organizer, said.

The same day as the Houston protest against Maduro’s capture, a different reaction unfolded in Katy, home to one of the country’s largest Venezuelan communities.

“I think it’s important to remember just like in the U.S., we have diverse opinions,” Kurowski responded.

“A large portion of the population did support [Maduro], and those are the voices we never hear in the media. Obviously, we think we should represent all voices, but in particular those that support Maduro are always lost,” the speaker added.

Back in Houston, Maria said she hopes to help others better understand her perspective.

“I understand people that are only American, and they say, ‘I don’t want to be involved in other countries,’ but as someone who’s Venezuelan, I think it’s more nuanced than that,” she said.

For Peters, however, the situation appears more straightforward.

“It is amazing for the Venezuelan people to no longer be under the Maduro regime. It is insane that Trump thought we are the people to go in and do that,” she said.

Peters said she hopes the situation ultimately leads to a resolution that allows for a fair democracy for Venezuela’s people.

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