Venezuelans and their supporters in Boston shared divided views this week over U.S. involvement in Venezuela.

U.S. forces took Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro into custody early Saturday morning, bringing him to the U.S. to face narcoterrorism charges.

Protesters gathered on the Boston Common on Saturday to denounce American intervention while others celebrated a moment they have waited decades for.

Boston Common protest

Demonstrators on Boston Common held signs reading "No War for Oil" and chanted against U.S. involvement. Many said they fear further instability in the region.

"The actions we saw from the Trump administration are a violation of international law, they're also a violation of American laws," said Cambridge City Councilmember Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler. "No matter how you feel about our president. If another country came into the United States and kidnapped the president, we would be outraged."

One protester said her concerns go beyond Venezuela, framing the issue as part of a broader global pattern.

"For people to be able to live with sovereignty, to stop the resource extraction that's just fueling wars and violence all over the world," she said. "We don't see this as a singular event. We see this as part of a much bigger phenomenon that people are saying no to."

"This means freedom"

Not all Venezuelans in Boston share that view. Some said U.S. involvement represents hope after years of political repression and economic collapse under Maduro.

"The Americans protesting over invasion in Venezuela right now in the Boston Common, they are not correct in their statements because Venezuela has been invaded for 25 years," said Carlina Velasquez, president of the Venezuelan Association of Massachusetts. 

Velasquez said she views recent developments as a step toward freedom and stability.

"This means freedom. It means prosperity," she said. "This narco regime has been not only killing people who think differently politically, but the population is being controlled by hunger."

Maduro faces several charges in the United States, including allegations related to narco-terrorism, drug trafficking and weapons offenses. The situation in Venezuela continues to draw strong reactions from Venezuelans abroad, reflecting deep divisions over foreign intervention and the country's path forward.