Florida Schools Rush to Add Trump's Capture of Nicolás Maduro to History Books

Florida Schools Rush to Add Trump's Capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to History Books The Florida Board of Education unanimously approved adding material about the fall of Maduro into schools' anti-communism curriculum By Paloma Chavez Paloma Chavez Paloma Chavez is a staff writer on PEOPLE's current events team. Before joining PEOPLE, she worked for McClatchy's real-time team covering breaking news, crime, and internet culture. People Editorial Guidelines Published on February 23, 2026 06:22PM EST 3 Comments Credit : XNY/Star Max/GC Images NEED TO KNOW Middle school and high school students in Florida will now be taught about President Donald Trump's capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro while learning about communismThe new addition to Florida social studies curriculum will be implemented in the upcoming academic year, even as the events surrounding Maduro's capture continue to unfold“We don’t even know the true ramifications of it," said Democratic state Sen. Lori Berman, a critic of the Florida Board of Education's decision. "We’re hearing there’s not much change in the country itself" Middle school and high school students in Florida will learn about the United States' capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as part of new history of communism curriculum that will be implemented during the upcoming academic year. On Friday, Feb. 20, the State Board of Education unanimously approved adding the January 2026 fall of Maduro into their social studies lessons. Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas, who pushed for the information to be added even as the real-world saga continues to play out, argued that the change needed to be made quickly, saying, “It’s important we do this because we’re about ready to do bids for textbooks." He added that students should learn that “oppressive regimes that have torn so many families apart can be toppled.” Though the curriculum adjustments will be rolled into lessons on communism, the Tampa Beacon reports that the state's proposal to add new learning material included references to Maduro as the leader of an international drug trafficking ring, the Trump administration's indictments against Maduro and his wife, and Venezuela's ties to Iran. Related Stories Pam Bondi Quietly Drops False Claim from Trump That Nicolás Maduro Was Leading a Drug Cartel Donald Trump Announces U.S. Will Now 'Run' Venezuela After Ordering Capture of Venezuelan President and First Lady The new curriculum on Maduro — first proposed just a few days after his capture — concerned some who believe it's premature to teach students about a chapter in history that's still being written, particularly amid suggestions that Maduro's dictatorship remains intact even while he sits behind bars. “We don’t even know the true ramifications of it. We’re hearing there’s not much change in the country itself,” said Democratic state Sen. Lori Berman, a member of the Education pre-K-12 Committee, according to the Beacon. “I don’t think it should be in the history books at this point in time.” Adam Laats, an education and history professor at Binghamton University, told the Beacon that the new social studies guidelines appear to "fuse curriculum with administration talking points," such as the dubious assertions about his role with a drug trafficking cartel. “In addition, they muddle together information in a way that will only confuse students, such as including Maduro’s support for Iran and Hezbollah in a section purportedly about communism,” Laats added. Paul Burns, a senior chancellor with the Florida Department of Education, assured the board that the information could be changed over time and said teachers would be trained in the new information over the summer. Our new app is here! Free, fun and full of exclusives. Scan to download now! The unanimous vote by the Florida Board of Education comes nearly three months after Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured by U.S. military troops and removed from the country on Jan. 3. President Donald Trump confirmed in a Truth Social post on Saturday, Jan. 3, that a "large-scale strike" on the nation's capital, Caracas, led to the arrests of the Venezuelan first couple. He accused the Venezuelan president of narco-terrorism and said that the U.S. plans to "run" the country for now. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. In Maduro's absence, his second-in-command, Delcy Rodríguez, has been serving as its interim leader. Though Rodríguez has expressed openness to cooperating with the Trump administration, she continues to insist that Maduro remains the "legitimate president" of the country. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil has demanded Maduro's "immediate release," claiming the U.S. attack on Caracas resulted in more than 100 deaths and describing Maduro's capture as a "political operation disguised as a legal debate." Close Leave a Comment Read more: Politics