Commissioner Natalie Milian Orbis Statement on the Apprehension of Nicolás Maduro

The apprehension of Nicolás Maduro is a historic turning point and a warning to every criminal socialist regime that brutalizes its people and exports terror. Accountability comes, and consequences are real. As Venezuelan freedom leader María Corina Machado has said, “Hasta el final.”

For nearly three decades, Venezuela was converted into a criminal enterprise. Drugs, violence, and corruption were exported across our hemisphere, fueling chaos that harmed American communities and destroyed families.

Here in Miami-Dade, this is not theoretical. We know Venezuelans who fled repression, left everything behind, and came here to work, rebuild, and live without fear. Their stories expose the truth about socialism. It is not an idea or a slogan. It is a system dictators use to seize power, crush dissent, and destroy nations.

Under the leadership of President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the United States acted decisively against narco terrorist networks and the regime that protected them. I commend the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces and US law enforcement who executed this mission with precision and resolve.

To the Venezuelan people fighting for liberty, you are not alone. To the enemies of freedom in Havana and across our hemisphere, take notice. Your days are numbered.

— Commissioner Natalie Milian Orbis

Miami-Dade County, District 6