While military radars and foreign ministries process the bombings and the subsequent confirmation of the capture of Nicolás Maduro by US forces, in the digital ecosystem the reaction has been immediate and, true to its style, loaded with acid humor. In a matter of minutes, platforms like X (Twitter), TikTok and Instagram have been filled with viral content that oscillates between relief, political irony and popular wit.
Zapatero and the “big losers” of humor
One of the unexpected protagonists of the day was the former Spanish president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. Internet users have made him a target of ridicule, publishing montages where he is seen “desperately searching” for an outbound flight or trying to mediate the arrest with one of his famous phrases about dialogue.
– The dissolution of the PSOE just around the corner
– Maduro detained
– Zapatero and Pablo Iglesias shitting liquid
– The World Cup knocking at the door
– GTA 6 warm up when you go outWelcome, 2026.pic.twitter.com/oOPLZO9wnN
— Rеvеn (@RevenRV) January 3, 2026
The viral meme: An image of Zapatero at the airport with the text: “Does anyone know if the flight to Türkiye still leaves?”
The reward and the “bounty hunters”
Many users have remembered the figure of 15 million dollars that the US Department of Justice offered for information that would lead to his capture. The memes show ordinary people “checking their bank account” or making extravagant plans with the reward money.
The end of an era in vertical format
There has been no shortage of references to pop culture. From scenes from The Simpsons that seem to “predict” the fall of leaders, to comparisons with the arrest of other historical or fictional characters. The famous Artificial Intelligence videos that showed false arrests months ago have fallen short of the real images and montages that users create in real time.
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“In the face of political uncertainty, humor is the first refuge of Venezuelans and the world,” commented a user on X with a publication that already exceeds 100,000 interactions.
Photo of Maduro at this moment pic.twitter.com/E6GqT0U8OX
— National University Memes (@nacional_memes) January 3, 2026
My people are lies, mature is in my house, he broke in at midnight pic.twitter.com/HJyUgpIM2z
— ᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ່࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊կ᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊ࠢ࠘✧*̥₊˚ (@elmalitooo) January 3, 2026
Nicki Minaj@NICKIMINAJ) secretly infiltrated the Venezuelan army to help Trump capture Maduro from the inside pic.twitter.com/cxzO0kk1Ch
— Shakira memes (@shaki_memes) January 3, 2026

