When Nicolás Maduro was brought into a New York courtroom under U.S. custody on Jan. 5, the news sent shockwaves through Venezuela like an earthquake. It’s a personal crisis for the former president, whose grip on power has finally slipped. But for Venezuelans families, it sparks questions that hit closer to home: Will this change life for the millions struggling to survive, or is the country still trapped in the shadows of leadership gone wrong?

Maduro appeared in a Manhattan federal court this week after being taken into U.S. custody, where he denied all drug trafficking charges against him. “I am innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man. I am still president of my country,” he told the court. 

While he claims that he is still Venezuela’s legitimate President, Delcy Rodriguez has been sworn in as the new leader of Venezuela. President Donald Trump believes she is “essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again.”

Under the leadership of the former President Maduro, the residents of Venezuela have endured years of political turmoil, economic collapse, and shortages of food and medicine which have left millions struggling to survive. So much so that millions of people had to leave their homes in Venezuela in order to be able to provide for their families and live in a better economic state. 

According to CBS News, Nicole Guillen, who came to the U.S. from Venezuela three years ago, believes President Trump’s intentions are good. She told CBS that in his leadership as the president, Maduro took away her university’s independence and that she is trying to support her family back home. 

“I’m feeling very, very happy. Very, very excited. We waited for this for 26 years,” she said. “I want to go back. This is my dream, back with my family.”

For families who have fled the country, the arrest may feel like a symbolic victory, giving them hope that maybe one day they may be able to return to Venezuela. However, the uncertainty is noticeable. For those who are still in Venezuela, daily struggles continued amid inflation, shortages, and political instability.

 Jorge, a resident of Venezuela who lives near the capital of Venezuela, Caracas, told BBC, “Now that they are taking this man away, what’s going to happen?” he asked. “It doesn’t guarantee us anything. So there is a bit of uncertainty. We don’t know what the coming days will bring.”

Maduro’s supporters have called his arrest a kidnapping and a violation of national sovereignty. While U.S. officials have argued that the case is about enforcing the law and holding powerful figures accountable. “All personnel involved acted professionally, decisively, and in strict accordance with U.S. law and established protocols,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement.

Maduro, who now faces justice thousands of miles away from the people his decisions have shaped – and yet, for millions of Venezuelans, the real reckoning is far from over. As this case develops and unfolds will his arrest change their daily struggle, or is this just a moment the world watches while they keep paying the price?