For a long time, numerous Venezuelan exiles in Spain, including prominent opposition figures and citizens, have held onto the aspiration of seeing Nicolás Maduro removed from power. Xiomara Sierra has harbored this hope since the July 2024 elections in Venezuela, during which she faced threats while managing a rival political party’s campaign. Accused of terrorism on national television by the country’s justice minister, Sierra vividly recalls the moment she decided to flee, fearing the repercussions of Operación Tun Tun, a notorious crackdown on dissent by Venezuelan authorities. Without bidding farewell to her family, she left in secrecy, now serving as a spokesperson in Spain for opposition leader María Corina Machado.
Sierra’s concerns extend to Venezuela’s vice-president, Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed the role of interim leader. Describing Rodríguez as a tool of repression for the Venezuelan government, Sierra voices mistrust and apprehension. The oppressive tactics of the Maduro regime have driven many Venezuelans to seek refuge in Spain in recent years. With shared language, cultural affinities, and accommodating migration policies, approximately 400,000 Venezuelans have made Spain their home, according to official statistics.
The sentiments among the Venezuelan community in Spain are mixed, as exemplified by Sarahy Chirinos, a Venezuelan bakery owner in Madrid. Disappointed by the current state of affairs, Chirinos expresses uncertainty about the future and the unfulfilled expectations of a democratic transition under María Corina Machado’s leadership. The capture of Maduro by American forces on January 3 has prompted some opposition members in Spain, like Sierra, to cautiously evaluate their prospects of returning to Venezuela.
Human rights organizations report that Venezuela detains between 800 to 900 political prisoners, mostly arrested during Maduro’s tenure. Many of these individuals are believed to be held at El Helicoide, a notorious detention facility in Caracas known for its history of abuse and torture. While some political prisoners were recently released, the move was deemed insufficient by Sierra, who advocates for the liberation of all detainees and the closure of torture centers to pave the way for genuine change in Venezuela.
In the wake of these developments, Venezuelan exiles in Spain, such as former diplomat Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia and exiled opposition figures like Antonio Ledezma and Leopoldo López, are navigating the uncertain political landscape with calls for recognition of electoral results and strategic patience. The future remains ambiguous for Venezuelan asylum seekers in Spain, with concerns about the processing of their applications and the potential implications of changing asylum policies.
Despite the challenges and complexities of their circumstances, Venezuelans in Spain remain hopeful for a better future in their homeland. Eriana Zuleta, a young Venezuelan exile in Madrid, reflects on the ongoing democratic transition in Venezuela with cautious optimism. Her father, Erick Zuleta, a former opposition deputy and union president, envisions a role in rebuilding Venezuela’s transportation system once the political landscape stabilizes under new leadership.
Amidst these aspirations for a brighter future, Sierra also holds onto hope for a reunion with her family in Venezuela, spurred by the recent events that hint at the possibility of returning home someday.