Venezuela is gripped by fear and uncertainty in the aftermath of the removal of longtime leader Nicolás Maduro, with many inside the country questioning whether his capture truly signals the end of the authoritarian system that has ruled for years.

Gabriela Mesones Rojo, a Venezuelan freelance journalist living in Caracas, said the mood on the ground is tense, with residents unsure what comes next. 

"I think there is a huge reflection here in Venezuela that taking out the dictator doesn't necessarily mean the end of the dictatorship," Mesones Rojo said.

She said many Venezuelans are particularly troubled by the fact that Maduro's inner circle remains largely intact. 

"High ranking political actors are still there, and they're still making the decisions," Mesones Rojo said, adding that the absence of accountability for those closest to Maduro has deepened skepticism about real change.

South Florida leaders and experts weigh the transition

From South Florida, political leaders and analysts are closely watching how the transition unfolds. 

Macarena Iglesias, president of the Democratic Hispanic Caucus of Florida, pointed to opposition leader Edmundo González as the figure Venezuelans overwhelmingly chose at the ballot box. 

"Edmundo Gonzales is the person that the Venezuelan people elected in a landslide in 2024 and a president that was recognized by President Biden as the legitimate president of Venezuela," Iglesias said.

But experts say the U.S. appears to be backing a more cautious approach. 

Eduardo Gamarra, a professor of politics and international relations at Florida International University, said the Trump administration may have opted for stability over a clean break from the past. 

"The administration opted for a transition headed by the regime itself, right, under U.S. supervision or oversight, if you will, that would be much more stable and less problematic," Gamarra said.

Gamarra warned the strategy carries significant risks, especially given the history of corruption and repression within the current power structure. 

"As long as this regime, full of bad people that we've classified them as bad people, is in line with U.S. interests, things will go smoothly," he said. "It's a calculated approach, which is full of pitfalls. It's very risky."

For Venezuelans inside the country, those risks feel immediate, as uncertainty hangs over whether the fall of one man will lead to meaningful democratic change, or simply a reshuffling of power at the top.