Venezuelans grapple with sense of uncertainty after capture of Nicolas Maduro

Many people have questions about the capture of Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Local Venezuelans have been coming together at area Venezuelan businesses to talk through what happened and what may be next for their home country.

Maria Alejandra Bastardo migrated to the U.S. in the 90s and now runs Casa de Venezuela New England. She has been meeting with local Venezuelans since the news broke.

“We are not too clear about everything but one thing we want to make sure people here is that most Venezuelans, the vast majority, are very happy for this,” said Bastardo. “It is going to take some time before we see that the country is run the right way.”

Bastardo believes there is a path to the right leadership. “I trust in the United States. I know they are not doing things out of craziness, that there is some sort of strategy in place,” she said.

We have team coverage following the major development Saturday that the U.S. conducted a large-scale strike in Venezuela and captured its president and his wife.

The Venezuelan dictator and his wife pleaded not guilty to federal drug trafficking and other charges in New York after being taken into custody over the weekend in a U.S. military operation alongside federal law enforcement.

Retired FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael Tabman says federal law enforcement has worked with the military before – most notably when Manuel Noriega was apprehended in Panama and later successfully convicted.

“It has happened before, not often,” explained Tapman. “At least it will be out in the open, and the public will see what the government has in terms of evidence and why they decided to go in and get him.”

NBC10 Boston Chief Legal Analyst Michael Coyne says attorneys will raise questions about the White House tactics but he says there is Supreme Court precedent. 

“It’s going to raise a number of legal challenges that will be fought for years in our federal court system,” said Coyne. “His (Maduro’s) problem is, there is precedent when we look at the situation that occurred in Panama a number of years ago, that his capture and his…being brought to the United States is likely going to be supported by the courts.”

Many of the locals are most concerned about the unknowns for their home country. They are hoping time and more information from the White House will help clear up those concerns.