MADRID—Following the stunning capture of Nicolás Maduro, thousands of Venezuelan expatriates poured into the streets of Spain to wave flags, sing the national anthem, and immediately call their landlords to lock in their current rental rates through 2027.

“This is a historic day for our people, and freedom is finally within reach, which is why I just put a deposit down on a new sectional sofa from IKEA that I really don’t want to move across the Atlantic right now,” said 34-year-old exile Diego Ferrans, noting that while the head of the snake had been cut off, the snake’s body, venom, internal organs, and heavily armed military high command were unfortunately still intact.

“My heart is in Caracas, but my reliable high-speed internet connection and access to 24-hour electricity are in the Salamanca district. We must be realistic. Even with Maduro gone, it’s going to take at least six months for the regime’s remaining cronies to lose power, and another 40 years for the inflation rate to drop below four digits. I’ll head back the second the country is a fully functioning Scandinavian-style social democracy. Until then, ¡Viva Venezuela Libre! from this very nice tapas bar.”

At press time, the exile community had decided to delay their return home until they finish watching the current season of a show that isn’t available on Venezuelan Netflix.