In the wake of the U.S. military operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, starkly contrasting reactions are emerging globally. While the Venezuelan diaspora floods the streets in celebratory tears, another narrative is unfolding among some young Nigerians, who view the operation as an act of foreign aggression.
"A Long Night May Finally Be Ending": Venezuelans Celebrate
Across cities from Miami to Madrid, and Santiago to Panama, Venezuelans abroad are gathering in emotional outpourings of hope. For many of the nearly eight million who fled economic collapse, hunger, and repression under Maduro’s rule, his capture is seen as a potential turning point.
“For the first time, we can truly think about going back home,” said Yurimar Rojas, a street vendor in Chile, echoing the sentiment of a population that views Maduro as a symbol of their nation’s suffering. In online spaces, celebratory posts from Venezuelans describe the moment as the end of a dark chapter for their homeland.
"A Dangerous Precedent": Some Nigerian Youth Push Back
In contrast, a vocal segment of Nigerian youth, particularly in online forums and on social media platforms, are condemning the U.S. action. Hashtags criticizing President Donald Trump and the intervention have trended, with many calling it an illegal violation of Venezuela's sovereignty and a dangerous precedent for powerful nations to unilaterally remove foreign leaders.
“We cannot celebrate imperialism, no matter the target,” read one widely shared post. Some commentators from Northern Nigeria have drawn parallels to perceived foreign interference in African affairs, framing the operation as a continuation of neo-colonial tactics by Western powers.
A Painful Global Contrast
This divergence presents a painful global contrast. On one hand, those who directly suffered under Maduro’s rule see a chance for liberation. On the other, external observers, including some in Nigeria, interpret the same event as an unwarranted assault on national sovereignty.
The debate forces a difficult question about global solidarity: Should support align with the immediate relief of oppressed populations, or with the principled defense of national sovereignty against external intervention?
As history watches, the reaction to Venezuela’s crisis reveals a world deeply divided on where justice truly lies—with the people who lived under a regime, or with the international norms that seek to govern how regimes are changed.
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