This is Not a Video of People Celebrating Maduro’s Capture

Misbar has investigated the claim and found it to be misleading. Following a thorough examination of the footage, including an analysis of the landmarks visible in the video, Misbar determined that it was not filmed in Caracas, Venezuela’s capital, but in Santiago, the capital of Chile.

Video Filmed in Santiago, Chile

Initially, by monitoring the landmarks visible in the clip, we identified the brand name of a shopping center called Lider, which is located in Chile and not in Venezuela.

We narrowed our search by looking for shopping centers with the same name that matched the geographical features shown in the video, including a highway adjacent to the shopping center, towering mountains in the background, and surrounding buildings.

By matching these landmarks with satellite images from Google Earth, specifically the Andes Mountains surrounding Santiago, Chile’s capital, which appear in pink and sky blue in the two images, along with the blue highway and the shopping center marked by the blue Lider sign highlighted in yellow, we concluded that the clip was filmed east of Santiago, Chile, and not in Caracas, near the following coordinates: "-33.4545173,-70.694416,3a,75y,333.78h,96.09t"

By examining the footage, we also identified a fire extinguisher store called “Extintores COMERCIALIZADORA ISRAEL E HIJOS LTDA” on Google Maps and were able to map the surrounding buildings in the area.

Based on the views observed in Google Maps, we also identified that an upper floor of the following building could possibly be the location from which the footage was filmed.

The Spanish-language ABC.es account on X reported that the clip shows celebrations by the Venezuelan community in Chile and was filmed in Santiago, the capital of Chile.

“Shouts of ‘freedom’ and applause from Venezuelans living in Chile at dawn upon hearing the news of Maduro's capture by the United States. The video was recorded in Santiago de Chile,” ABC reported.

Meanwhile, the chants, whistles, and applause appear inconsistent with the video, as no marches or groups are visible in the streets or seen at windows shouting. 

A live broadcast can also be heard throughout the video, which may have been playing near the location of the person filming. However, several indications suggest that the audio may have been manipulated or added.

We ran the footage through the Hive Moderation AI detector, which flagged inconsistencies and assigned a high score for AI-generated content, suggesting that the audio may indeed be AI-generated.

Similar clips were circulated to suggest widespread support, mass celebrations, and endorsement of the U.S. military operation in Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro during the early hours of January 3, 2026.

Global Attention Focuses on U.S. Military Operation in Venezuela 

Over the weekend, the U.S. captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in a military operation in Caracas after intelligence agencies located him. 

The U.S. President announced that Maduro and his wife had been flown out of the country to New York, where sources reported he would face criminal charges in the United States. Maduro had previously been indicted years earlier on allegations of drug trafficking and collaborating with gangs designated as terrorist organizations—claims he denied.

News reports indicated that a CIA source within Venezuela’s government assisted the U.S. in tracking Maduro’s location, which led to his capture.

Venezuela condemned the operation as a serious act of military aggression, declared a nationwide state of external disturbance, and ordered the implementation of its national defense plans.

The operation has drawn international attention, with several countries condemning the U.S. operations, including raids in Caracas and other areas of Venezuela. 

Spain expressed its willingness to mediate. Meanwhile, China called on the United States to immediately release President Maduro, stressing the safety of him and his wife as a priority. Beijing described the attack as a “clear violation of international law” that infringes on Venezuela’s sovereignty and threatens peace and security in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Chinese government also labeled the operation a “hegemonic act” and a “blatant use of force,” urging Washington to respect the United Nations Charter.

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