There was a lot of mixed reaction Saturday to President Donald Trump and the U.S. forces capturing Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, from strong opposition to full celebration — both nationally and here locally in Massachusetts.
The president of the Venezuelan Association of Massachusetts tells NBC10 Boston that she woke up smiling when she heard the news and she applauds the Trump administration.
“It was happening. I couldn’t believe it. I’m very joyful and very thankful for this administration,” Carlina Velasquez said.
Velasquez says her organization is not against the way the attack and capture of the sitting Venezuelan leader and his wife went down.
“They have done what no one has done in the past for 25 years, which is to take the narcoterrorism out of Venezuela,” she said.
New England politicians are reacting to President Donald Trump’s announcement that the United States conducted a “large-scale strike” on Venezuela early Saturday, capturing its president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife following months of attacks on boats accused of carrying drugs.
At a home in Foxboro, there was a celebration with more local Venezuelans chanting freedom and liberty.
“This is a very bad man. Maduro needs to be in jail. We don’t want him dead. We want him to pay what he’s done to many people in Venezuela,” said Maria Alejandra Bastardo.
There was a very different reaction on the Boston Common, however, where a there was a large crowd of people strongly opposed to what went down in the South American nation, and what could follow.
The Boston Party for Socialism and Liberation voiced their frustration over the U.S. spending more money invading other countries.
Those in opposition to Trump’s actions say they’ll continue to make their voices heard, while there’s a large gathering scheduled for Sunday afternoon for others who plan to continue their celebration.