West Orange Venezuelans speak on Maduro's capture

Horizon West resident Ana Kimelton received a text from a family member living in Venezuela at 1:01 a.m. Jan. 3.

They just bombed us. What’s going on?

At the urging of her father, Kimelton had fled Venezuela years ago. However, her family still lives in Venezuela, near one of the sites that was bombed during Nicolás Maduro’s capture. 

And while the news of Maduro’s capture shocked the world, Kimelton and many Venezuelans who have found refuge in West Orange say they finally have a reason to celebrate.

“This is the first time that we feel heard,” Kimelton said. “It’s the first time that something like this (has happened). We’ve been screaming for help, and we’ve been doing everything we can for over 25 years, and this is the first time that we can celebrate something.” 

To her, this means hope of introducing her children to her family in Venezuela. 

This means a step in the right direction.

Maduro had been in power for 13 years. He succeeded Hugo Chavez, who made the country increasingly resemble an authoritarian state. 

Once Maduro took over, the oil industry collapsed due to government corruption and mismanagement, and millions of Venezuelans suffered in poverty under his regime.

That all changed when President Donald Trump gave the order to capture Maduro. 

Maduro has pleaded not guilty to four charges — narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine-importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and conspiracy to possess machine guns — brought against him by the United States.

Winter Garden’s Maritza Noely Vivas Franco said she is grateful for what has been done. 

“He’s a criminal,” she said of Maduro. “He stole all of our money, and he stole our country’s future.” 

She hopes the U.S. is able to manage Venezuela’s oil and lead the country’s economic recovery.

“We trust that this (U.S. administration) is honest, and it’ll do what’s best for our country, for our hospitals, for the electrical industry, for the health department and everything else,” she said. “We trust in these actions coming from the government of President Trump.” 

And although this is the first step in the right direction, some Venezuelans worry about their status in the U.S.

If the U.S. deems Venezuela safe for return, Venezuelans may not be able to apply for asylum.

“It’s impossible on a very honest way to have a job and be able to buy food and basic needs for your family right now in Venezuela,” Winter Garden resident Vanessa Vollmer said. 

She said her father-in-law died because of a lack of health care in Venezuela under Maduro’s regime. 

She has had to send groceries and hidden money to her family in Venezuela, because food was impossible to find and no one could afford anything. 

And although she acknowledged U.S.’s intervention as crucial, she warns Venezuelans to stay cautious and safe as conditions remain the same. 

“Nothing has changed,” she said. “But there is hope. Just the fact that it was so easy to bring him here gives hope to everyone.”

Although she doesn’t support all of Trump’s decisions, she applauds this action. 

“Not everything is black and white,” she said. “This is something good for Venezuelans, for the region and for Americans.”