Members of the Freedom Roads Socialist Organization, Jacksonville Community Action Committee, Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network, Take ‘Em Down Jax and the Jacksonville Immigrant Rights Alliance spoke out against the United States government removing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro during a Jan. 3, 2026 rally outside of Sen. Rick Scott's office at the Charles Bennett Federal Building in downtown Jacksonville. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
Published on January 4, 2026 at 9:54 pm
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After the U.S. military removed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, the reaction in Jacksonville was mixed, with both a demonstration against President Donald Trump’s action and expressions of support for it by elected officials and other residents.
Jacksonville was among the cities in Florida where residents had visible reactions to the news over the weekend. In Miami, the Venezuelan diaspora celebrated the removal of a politician who was viewed as an illegitimate leader.
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The American strikes leading up to Maduro’s capture killed at least 40, including civilians, according to Venezuelan officials. Maduro faces American criminal charges of narco-terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine. He is being jailed in New York City.
In a press conference Saturday morning, President Donald Trump blamed socialists in the South American country for stealing American oil infrastructure: “They took all of our property. We built it. We never had a president that decided to do anything about it. Instead, they fought wars that were 10,000 miles away.”
Venezuela has the largest reserve of heavy crude oil in the world. Trump said Saturday he hopes American oil companies will invest billions to “get the oil flowing.”
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The president also said, “We are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.”
On Sunday, when asked to clarify, Trump said, “We’re in charge,” as The New York Times reported.
Jaxsons react to Maduro’s removal
Jacksonville resident Joel Gonzalez praised the American government for ensuring the Maduro regime faced consequences. Gonzalez, who was born in Venezuela, has lived in the U.S. since 2009 and considered Jacksonville his home for nearly a decade. He says he’s encouraging people not to think strictly about political affiliation when it comes to this operation.
“It’s not about the right or the left or Democrats or Republicans,” Gonzalez told Jacksonville Today. This is the United States demonstrating leadership, regardless of who is in power, to protect their interest and their allies’ interest. The human rights issue means millions fled Venezuela.”
Gonzalez says mafiosos have controlled his native country, creating political instability, stealing elections and violating citizens’ human rights.
“Millions of Venezuelans have used every possible resource, inside Venezuela and out, trying to get our voice heard. We’ve tried every legal pathway to give the Venezuelan people sovereignty. It’s been extremely difficult. It’s been talk and talk and no decoration, with no action. The United States had to show the world that they had to take action,” Gonzalez said.
On the other hand, the U.S. bombing of a foreign country, without congressional approval, led other Jacksonville residents to rally Saturday outside Sen. Rick Scott’s Jacksonville office.
About three dozen protesters stood in the rain outside the Charles E. Bennett Federal Building Downtown to decry what they said was the government’s spending money to fund foreign regime changes while systematically ignoring the issues of working-class Americans.
The speakers said they were self-described “people of conscience,” not members of the Venezuelan diaspora, who stood in support of the Venezuelan people. They represented organizations like the Freedom Roads Socialist Organization, Jacksonville Community Action Committee, Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network and Take ‘Em Down Jax.
Michael Sampson, with the Jacksonville Community Action Committee, called the action “blatant gangsterism by Trump and U.S. imperialism.”
Sampson argued Maduro should be freed.
America’s actions in Caracas left Jacksonville Immigrant Rights Alliance member Crystal Aguilar with concern for the people who may be displaced.
Last year, the Trump administration removed temporary protected status for Venezuelan immigrants, which had given them protection from deportation.
“It’s a really important conversation to have. We have been at the center of detention with ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ and the Baker County Detention Center,” Aguilar said. “Now that temporary protected status is removed, they face targeted attacks by (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and threat of detention.”
Elected officials respond
Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution says Congress has the power “to declare War…and make rules concerning Captures on Land and Water.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on This Week on ABC News that the administration did not notify Congress of the military plan because it was “a law enforcement operation” rather than an “invasion.” Rubio is a former U.S. senator from Florida.
The Jacksonville area’s representatives in both branches of Congress — all of whom are Republican — also expressed support for the operation.
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott tweeted, “Maduro was never the president of Venezuela. He’s a thug and narco-terrorist whose regime enacted terror on the people of Venezuela and sent drugs into our country to kill our kids and grandkids.”
Rep. Aaron Bean also dubbed Maduro a “narco-terrorist” in a social media post Saturday afternoon.
“This marks a significant step toward strengthening security for the United States. God bless America,” Bean tweeted.
Rep. John Rutherford expressed appreciation to the military service members who carried out the president’s order and posted his support for the criminal indictments of Maduro, along with his wife and four others.
“They will finally face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts,” Rutherford tweeted. “We are all safer because of President Trump.”
Rep. Randy Fine, a Republican whose district includes portions of St. Johns and Flagler counties, also said America is safer because of Trump’s decision to remove Maduro.
Jacksonville City Council member Raul Arias, who was born in Panama City, Panama, and says he knows people who have fled dictatorships, echoed their sentiments.
“Jacksonville’s Hispanic community is diverse, and many understand firsthand the consequences of dictatorship,” Arias wrote in a statement sent to Jacksonville Today. “When an authoritarian regime exports instability, crime, and humanitarian crises, it affects our region and our communities here at home.”
Arias told Jacksonville Today Maduro governed Venezuela without democratic legitimacy for years, and his removal brings cautious hope for restoring democracy while ensuring stability and dignity for the Venezuelan people.
“The United States should not permanently govern another sovereign nation,” Arias wrote, “but when democratic institutions collapse and a regime refuses to relinquish power, the international community has a responsibility to support a lawful, temporary transition back to democracy, one that ultimately allows Venezuelans to freely choose their own leaders.”
