Venezuela’s socialist regime is actively arresting Venezuelans who celebrate the downfall socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro.
The Venezuelan socialist regime, still reeling from the United States’ capture of Nicolás Maduro, is actively arresting Venezuelans who celebrate the downfall of the now-deposed dictator, the regime confirmed on Tuesday.
Shortly after U.S. forces conducted a law enforcement action in Caracas that resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, the Venezuelan socialist regime, presently led by “acting President” Delcy Rodríguez, issued a decree imposing a “State of Emergency” throughout Venezuela.
Article Five of the decree states that national, state, and municipal police forces shall immediately undertake the search and capture of “any person involved in promoting or supporting the armed attack by the United States of America against the territory of the Republic.”
The decree was allegedly “signed” by Maduro on Saturday, January 3, 2026 — the same day he was captured by U.S. forces. At press time, the Venezuelan regime has not publicly explained how Maduro was able to “sign” the January 3 decree when he was captured by U.S. forces on the early morning hours of that day.
Since then, Venezuelan outlets and exiled activists have denounced that regime law enforcement officials and the Colectivos, armed socialist gangs that directly serve the regime, are actively intimidating and persecuting civilians and journalists throughout Venezuela — with several reports of individuals being detained across Venezuela for celebrating Maduro’s downfall.
In Merida, the local state police announced through Instagram this week that two unidentified men, aged 64 and 65, were arrested by the police at the municipality of Guaraque for having celebrated what the police described as the “kidnapping” of Nicolás Maduro. At press time, it remains unclear if the two elderly men were ultimately released. According to Venezuelan outlets, this case is the first publicly registered instance of Venezuelans being arrested for celebrating the downfall of Maduro.
The Venezuelan outlet Efecto Cocuyo reported on Tuesday that the non-government organization Human Kaleidoscope documented the arrest of at least six individuals for having celebrated Maduro’s capture, of which two were still reportedly under arrest.
