The Venezuelan community in Columbus continues to react to the U.S. military's raid early Saturday that pulled President Nicolas Maduro and his wife out of Venezuela on narco-terrorism charges.
Carlos Gutierrez owns the Arepazo Tapas Bar Grille restaurant in the Brewery District. Gutierrez came to the United States in 1990. Arepazo opened in 2005.
Gutierrez, 51, said he was surprised by the raid. He also said something had to be done about Maduro.
"Maduro wasn't elected as president. He stole the presidency. He had an opportunity to leave. I think the United States told him on a few occasions, 'You gotta go. This is your time to go.' He didn't do it," Gutierrez said.
He said Venezuelans have long been fighting the dictatorship. "They were trying to get him out via voting. This is something that it got to the point where we were asking for help," Gutierrez said.
Gutierrez said he's concerned about Venezuela's future, but hopes more investment will come to lift people out of poverty.
While many Venezuelans are cheering the American removal of Maduro and his wife, others are concerned with the way the Trump administration's raid was conducted.
While the U.S. called it a law enforcement operation, arresting Maduro on narco-terrorism charges, the United Nations Security Council called the raid an illegitimate attack, with some countries questioning its legality.
Gutierrez said he supports Maduro's removal no matter how it was done.
"Finally, somebody's put a foot down and whether it was you know, the right way or not the right way in other people's eyes, that guy's out," Gutierrez said.
He said the military operation that removed Maduro and his wife show the region and especially the Venezuelan government that they have to do things the right way or there will be consequences.
Gutierrez said he looks at the United States as a partner willing to help Venezuela.
"I don't look at it as they're trying to govern our country. I don't think they are trying to tell us what to do. I don't think they're trying to come in and take over gold or our oil," Gutierrez said.
"For years, we have China, Russia, Iran in Venezuela. We have no benefits from them," he said.
People got poorer, and 7 million to 8 million people fled the country, Gutierrez said.
As president, Maduro presided for more than a decade with policies that sent Venezuela's economy into free fall and helped drive the migration of millions from the country.
Maduro presided over the collapse of what had once been one of Latin America's most prosperous economies.
That included authorities ordering the Central Bank of Venezuela to print money, a move that rendered the currency effectively worthless.
From 2012 to last year, Venezuela's gross domestic product shrank by nearly 80%, according to figures from the International Monetary Fund. Inflation in 2018 exceeded 65,000%.
In 2024, the Carter Center for Democracy monitored Venezuela's presidential election. The center said the Maduro government imposed so many restrictions — including barring opposition candidate María Corina Machado from running — that the vote could not be considered legitimate.
The Carter Center said opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia won in a landslide with 67% of the vote. González fled the country, Machado was forced into hiding and Maduro declared himself the winner.
Maduro also punished political opponents, instilling fear in the population.
"You've got to be careful how you talk, how you celebrate. There's ears out on the street. It's not a place where you feel you can express yourself," Gutierrez said.
"People who don't live there don't understand that," he said.
Gutierrez said he has three brothers and other relatives who still live in Venezuela. He said he last visited in 2016 and was surprised how much his hometown of Merida had deteriorated.
He wants the U.S. to be committed to helping South America.
"This is their back yard. We're neighbors," Gutierrez said.
NPR contributed to this story.
