Venezuelans in Southern California react to Nicolas Maduro’s arrest

PASADENA, Calif. (NBC, KYMA) - People at a Venezuelan restaurant in Pasadena, California are mostly happy about President Nicolas Maduro's exit, although they are closely watching what's happening.

The reaction comes as Venezuela enters a period of transition with potential changes to leadership, laws, and national policies.

For many Venezuelans, those shifts bring the possibility of improvement but also uncertainty of how quickly real change can happen.

Still, many came to the restaurant to find community and celebrate what they're calling a first step in the right direction.

"It was so amazing to see something that we had been praying for years. A free Venezuela, hopefully, we're on the way to that with Maduro being captured," said Tania Llavaneras, a Venezuelan.

"Last night around 11, everyone was, like, crying, everybody's happy, music, celebration, but it's a lot of questions in the air, you know? It's a lot of questions. We don't know what's going to happen," said Yesika Baker, the restaurant's owner.

An NBC affiliate in the Los Angeles area also spoke with Jose Mitchell who is living in Venezuela. He says he's not in the country's capital, but shared a little of what life looks like out there right now.

"I would say around 7am, 8am this morning, a lot of people were outside just buying groceries, just getting ready because we don't know what's going to happen," Mitchell shared.

All Venezuelans say this moment feels good, not certain or easy, but full of possibility.