In the days following the dramatic US military operation that led to the capture of ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, a misleading video circulated widely online and was amplified by prominent figures including US President Donald Trump.
Trump shared the clip on his social platform Truth Social, implying it showed mass celebrations by Venezuelans following Maduro’s removal from power by US forces. It quickly gained traction on social media, drawing thousands of reactions. Far-right commentator Alex Jones also shared the same video with similar claims.
Was the video old?
A senior BBC journalist took to X to state that the video did not depict recent celebrations and was recorded much earlier than claimed.
“This video, shared by Alex Jones, falsely claims to show millions of Venezuelans in Caracas celebrating Maduro’s capture. It in fact shows anti-Maduro protests in July 2024 over a highly disputed election,” journalist Shayan Sardarizadeh wrote on X.
THREAD: Viral misinformation on US capture of Nicolas Maduro – 4 January
— Shayan Sardarizadeh (@Shayan86) January 4, 2026
This video, shared by Alex Jones, falsely claims to show millions of Venezuelans in Caracas celebrating Maduro's capture.
It in fact shows anti-Maduro protests in July 2024 over a highly disputed election. https://t.co/0RoCuvpKGt pic.twitter.com/fNUIw3x8kv
Reporting from independent news organisations also indicated that Venezuelan streets were largely quiet immediately after the US operation, with no evidence of widespread public celebrations inside the country.
Some exiled Venezuelans abroad including those in Florida and Chicago, did express relief or joy over the news, but inside Venezuela, reactions were mixed and did not resemble the scenes shown in the viral clip, PolitiFact reported.
Trump has shared several celebratory clips
Trump, who has shared several celebratory clips of Venezuelans rejoicing Maduro’s capture online, hailed the US’ operations in Venezuela, calling it a “brilliant strike” and added that only the US is capable of conducting such an operation.
“It was amazing. And think of it, nobody was killed. And on the other side, a lot of people were killed,” Trump said, noting the large number of Cubans who were killed in attacks. “They knew we were coming, and they were protected, and our guys weren’t,” he further said.
There is no independent verification that the other clips he shared are authentic.
Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores are currently lodged in a Brooklyn detention facility. At their recent court appearance in New York, both of them pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking and other federal charges. Both of them are slated to next appear before court on March 17.