Members of Montreal’s Venezuelan community gathered Saturday afternoon at the city’s Old Port, waving flags and celebrating news they say brings long-awaited hope. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was captured on Saturday during an attack by U.S. forces. Among those celebrating was Belkis Ortega, who arrived in Montreal three years ago after fleeing political turmoil in Venezuela. She said emotions have been running high since the news broke. “I haven’t slept,” said Ortega. “We’re happy, shaken… we see videos, so many images of what’s happening, and sometimes we can’t even believe it.” Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, was also apprehended. U.S. President Donald Trump announced the capture in an early morning social media post. Venezuela’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, later said the whereabouts of Maduro and Flores remained unknown. Trump’s attorney general, Pam Bondi, said Maduro and Flores would face charges following an indictment in New York. Celebrations, however, were tempered by concern. Many Venezuelans in Montreal remain worried about what the developments could mean for family members still living in Venezuela. According to the latest available Statistics Canada data, more than 4,000 Venezuelans were living in Montreal as of 2016. Maduro’s fall came after months of increased U.S. pressure on various fronts. Montrealer Mairim Castillo said the news brought a sense of relief. “It’s justice, finally,” she said. Maduro’s presidency was marked by a complex social, political, and economic crisis that pushed millions into poverty, drove more than 7.7 million Venezuelans to migrate, and saw thousands of real or perceived government opponents imprisoned, with many tortured, some at his direction. He complemented the repressive apparatus by purging institutions of anyone who dared dissent. Many Venezuelans in Montreal said their focus is less on how the capture happened and more on what comes next. President Trump said his administration would “run” Venezuela with the help of Vice President Rodríguez, who is now interim president following a high court order. “It doesn’t matter how we are getting freedom,” said Castillo. “We need freedom.” With files from the Associated Press and CTV’s Marisela Amador.
