Millions of Venezuelans across Latin America cautious about returning after Maduro's removal

U.S. forces captured and removed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and many Venezuelan migrants in Latin America — nearly 7 million by R4V counts, plus about 1 million in the United States — say they are cautious about returning home.

U.S. forces captured and removed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, officials reported, prompting reactions across the region. Leaders in Washington, Peru and Chile suggested some Venezuelans consider returning, but many who left over the past decade said they were not ready to go home. Economic hardship, ongoing institutional problems in Venezuela and uncertain legal status in host countries shaped migrants' cautious responses. Key facts: - U.S. forces captured and removed President Nicolás Maduro, as reported in the accounts cited. - R4V data cited in the report notes nearly 7 million Venezuelan migrants and refugees in Latin America and about 1 million in the United States. - Many Venezuelans in host countries said they were relieved but cautious about returning, and political changes in host countries — including Chile's president-elect taking office in March and elections planned in Peru and Colombia this year — may affect migration policies. Summary: The immediate effect of Maduro's removal has been varied reactions among the Venezuelan diaspora, with relief tempered by continued worries about Venezuela's economy and security. How host countries respond in the coming months, and outcomes of scheduled political transitions, will influence whether larger numbers of migrants choose to return; the scale of any return is undetermined at this time.