Maduro blames Rubio and ‘Miami Mafia’ for revocation of TPS for Venezuelans in the U.S.
Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro is blaming Cuban-American officials in the U.S., specifically Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Miami U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar, for the Trump administration’s decision to revoke the Temporary Protected Status that allows hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans to live and work in the United States.
“Marco Rubio, María Elvira Salazar, and the Miami Mafia are the authors of this decision,” Maduro said Tuesday during a televised speech in Caracas. He called the revocation of TPS a “criminal act” against Venezuelan migrants who he claimed left the country due to an “economic war and media manipulation” in pursuit of the so-called American dream.
“Migration is not a crime but a human necessity,” he added. “Taking away TPS is a crime, because it is a right that they have. Many believed in the United States and went north. Things went very badly for some, and badly for others, but they have their little houses, they all live together, a small room for each one.”
Salazar responded sharply to Maduro’s comments on social media, accusing him of deflecting responsibility.
“You’re not the president, Maduro. You’re a cowardly dictator who destroyed Venezuela. Millions fled and received TPS to protect them... from you!” she wrote on X. “Now you admit they deserve it, because you know your regime only brings misery and repression. The mafia is in Miraflores, not Miami,” she said, a reference to the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas.
The remarks came in the wake of Monday’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling that will allow the Trump administration to move forward with canceling deportation protections and work permits for approximately 350,000 Venezuelans living in Florida and other states. The court lifted a lower court’s stay without providing a detailed explanation.
TPS for Venezuelans was extended to October 2026 by the Biden administration in response to the country’s deepening political and economic crisis. The Trump administration attempted to end the program, citing improved conditions in Venezuela—an assertion disputed by critics — and court actions stopping the administration led to the Supreme Court order on Monday.
During his comments, Maduro said Venezuela would welcome deported citizens back, promising a better future at home.
“Sooner rather than later, in a prosperous and strong Venezuela, we will reunite the entire Venezuelan family,” he said, calling for the creation of a “great and blessed” homeland.
This story was originally published May 21, 2025 at 11:22 AM.
