COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) – Two Texas A&M students with deep ties to Venezuela say the capture of dictator Nicolas Maduro is more than political, it’s personal.
Maria Corina Daza and Victoria Russo said they have lived their lives in constant fear of the oppressive Venezuelan government.
The two officers from the Venezuelan Student Association at Texas A&M said they hope Maduro’s capture on Saturday marks the end of decades of fear, violence and uncertainty for the people of Venezuela.
RELATED| After capture and removal, Venezuela’s Maduro is being held at notorious Brooklyn jail
“Personally, I can say my dad got kidnapped in 2013, and of course, that was a reason that we moved,” said Daza.
Daza grew up in Caracas, the same city where explosions were seen overnight during the U.S. military operation.
“I was born in Venezuela in two thousand and four. I lived basically my whole life there,” Daza said.
Russo, who was born in America, still has family who live in Venezuela.
“I have a lot of family still there. Cousins on cousins, a lot of them are still there in Caracas,” Russo said.
In the early morning hours of January 3rd, the students said they woke up to frantic messages from loved ones as fire lit up the dark sky.
“Hundreds and hundreds of messages and people sending videos,” Daza said. “People saying be careful, go find coverage.”
After learning about the U.S. operation and Maduro’s capture, both young women said they were overwhelmingly happy.
“This is the best news that Venezuela has ever gotten,” Daza said. “The president, the narco-terrorist, has been captured, like, oh my God.”
As the dust settles, the students look toward the future with the hope that they can once again see their families free from fear.
“We just want to go to our country, see our families that we haven’t seen in years and years and years,” Russo said. “That’s all we want, we want peace.”
While it’s still too early to know what the coming days will look like, both young women said this moment gives them hope for the future of Venezuela.
Copyright 2026 KBTX. All rights reserved.