Hundreds of people gathered in downtown Dallas on Saturday to protest the U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro earlier that morning. The demonstration at Main Street Garden Park was quickly organized as part of a national response to the overnight strike on Venezuela and Maduro’s removal, an event that has divided public opinion in North Texas and across the country.

A coalition of grassroots groups that oppose U.S. intervention abroad organized the Dallas protest. Many people held signs saying “No War on Venezuela,” “Hands Off Latin America,” and “Diplomacy, Not Domination.”

Chants filled the park as speakers called the strike an unnecessary and dangerous use of U.S. military power.

Organizers said this was one of over 100 demonstrations planned across the country after the strike. The U.S. government called it a “large-scale operation” that led to Maduro’s capture and transfer to the United States to face federal charges, including narco-terrorism.

According to the Associated Press, a plane believed to be carrying Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, landed in New York on Saturday evening, as reported by Dallas media outlet WFAA.

Protesters Condemn Military Escalation

Speakers at the Dallas rally said the strike was more about geopolitical and economic interests than about justice.

Several speakers pointed to statements from national anti-war groups, saying the operation was driven by Venezuela’s large oil reserves, not by concerns about democracy or drug trafficking.

“We’ve seen this story before,” one organizer said. “When the U.S. wants resources, it manufactures a crisis. This is about oil, not liberation.”

Others criticized the cost of the operation, noting the recent deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier near Venezuela.

Protesters said that increasing defense spending takes away resources from domestic needs like healthcare, housing, and education.

Mixed Reactions Across North Texas

Although the protest drew a passionate crowd, people across the region had mixed reactions. In interviews with KERA News, some Venezuelan Americans in North Texas said they felt relief and even celebrated Maduro’s capture, calling him an authoritarian leader responsible for years of economic collapse and human rights abuses in Venezuela.

At a Venezuelan restaurant in Garland, several people told reporters they hoped the operation would start a transition toward democracy.

“We’ve been waiting for this moment for years,” one man said. “Maybe now Venezuela can finally breathe again.”

This divide showed up in Dallas too. A small group of counter-protesters gathered near the rally, holding signs supporting the U.S. action and saying Maduro’s capture was a necessary step to end what they called a criminal regime.

National Context

The Dallas protest was part of a larger national movement. Demonstrations also took place in cities like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, and Washington, D.C., with more planned for Sunday in Detroit, Austin, and Nashville.

The operation remains politically controversial. President Donald Trump announced the strike on social media early Saturday morning, calling it a “successful” mission that removed Maduro from power after months of rising tensions and military buildup.

Venezuelan officials condemned the attack as an “imperialist assault” and urged citizens to protest in response.

A City at the Crossroads

As night fell in downtown Dallas, protesters said they would keep organizing in the coming days. Many said they worried the strike could lead to wider conflict in Latin America or set an example for future U.S. interventions.

“We’re here because war is not the answer,” one speaker said. “Not in Venezuela, not anywhere.”

The Dallas demonstration showed the deep divisions, both locally and nationally, over America’s role in global conflicts. It is still unclear whether Maduro’s capture will bring stability or more turmoil, but for many in Dallas, the message on Saturday was clear: No war.

by: Staff