Carlos Baute, Danny Ocean, Ricardo Montaner, Erika Ender and more Latin music artists reacted on Saturday (Jan. 3) to the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in a surprising U.S. military operation carried out overnight in Caracas. The news was confirmed by U.S. president Donald Trump early in the morning.

“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolás Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. He later reported that Maduro and his wife were being transported on a U.S. warship to New York, where they would face criminal charges related to narco-terrorism, according to the Associated Press, and stated that the military operation in Venezuela was necessary to curb the flow of drugs into the United States.

The news was largely received with a mix of joy and cautious optimism.

“All profound changes are painful. We know that difficult days are coming, but after the storm, calm always comes,” Carlos Baute wrote in an Instagram post. “To everyone inside — family, friends, our people — we are praying for you and supporting you from afar in every way possible. God does not abandon good people, and Venezuela is a country of good people,” added the singer-songwriter of the mid-’90s hit “Yo Me Quedo en Venezuela,” which became an anthem for many compatriots.

“We haven’t slept. With rum since 3 a.m. The moment we’ve been waiting for has arrived. Is this reallll???? Venezuelaaaaaaaa,” posted Mau y Ricky.

With tears in her eyes, singer Karina celebrated that “Venezuela will be free” in a video posted to her Instagram Stories. “It has begun,” she said. “This cannot be stopped. Please take care of yourselves… Miracles do happen.”

Some opted to share messages of peace and prayer. “Lord, take care of and bless the Venezuelan people, remove the bad ones and let peace reign, and may your love and mercy guide the future of all who love you. Amen amen,” posted Ricardo Montaner in his Instagram Stories, alongside the hashtags #venezuela and #venezuelalibre (#freevenezuela). Similarly, Elena Rose, known for her spirituality, shared a prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel for protection in her Instagram Stories, as well as Psalm 21 about divine protection, refuge and safety.

Others simply reposted a statement from opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate of 2025, María Corina Machado, titled “The Hour of Freedom Has Come”: “Today we are prepared to enforce our mandate and take power,” she wrote. “Let us remain vigilant, active, and organized until the democratic transition is achieved. A transition that needs all of us.”

This was the case with popular Venezuelan artist Danny Ocean, who has been vocal about the situation in his country and recently performed in Oslo at the Nobel ceremony in honor of Machado. In his Instagram Stories, the musician shared an image of the Venezuelan flag accompanied by Mathias Fritsche’s musical piece “Honor Him” from the movie Gladiator, followed by Machado’s statement.

Machado also wrote that opposition figure Edmundo González should assume power after Maduro’s departure, claiming he legitimately won the 2024 presidential elections. However, by midday, in a press conference at Mar-a-Lago, Trump declared that the U.S. government would administer the South American country, at least temporarily, and would take advantage of its vast oil reserves until a “proper transition” could take place.

Panamanian singer-songwriter Erika Ender, whose country experienced a U.S. invasion in the late 1980s, shared a heartfelt message on social media. “Venezuela, Panama went through what you are going through today. And even so, from that pain, it rose again stronger than ever. That’s why I know it’s possible. And that’s exactly what I wish for you too,” she wrote. “I deeply understand what you have had to endure — the silent wounds, the paths so many had to take far from home to survive, grow, and reinvent themselves. An entire generation that started over in other lands and, with hard work and dignity, also helped other countries grow. Venezuela has sown much beyond its borders… Today, I wish, from the bottom of my heart, that your rebirth is the one you deserve.”