Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., celebrated the Saturday capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro by U.S. forces during a Tuesday appearance on Newsmax's "The Record With Greta Van Susteren," calling it a "great day for Venezuelans."

Scott said the development represents the "first real opportunity to experience democracy and freedom" for Venezuelans in Florida across the region, and inside the South American country, after years of authoritarian rule.

"This is an issue that I and a lot of others have been fighting about for a long, long time," he told Van Susteren.

The Florida Republican specifically thanked President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, while also praising Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado as "the unsung hero" who has fought "for so long for her country."

"I talked to Maria a little bit earlier today, and she knows it's going to be hard to ultimately get there," he said, referring to a democratic transition.

Scott also sharpened his criticism of the regime's leadership, arguing Venezuela's top figures have no legitimacy. He said interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez "is not elected" and insisted she is "the head of a drug cartel" tied to "the Maduro regime."

"So, we're going to hold her accountable," he said.

Any shift away from autocracy must start with releasing prisoners and ending oppression, he argued.

"We've got to get the political prisoners released, including five Americans," Scott said, calling for action to stop "this oppression."

Despite warnings that progress may take time, Scott said the president will stay focused.

"President Trump wants democracy and freedom," he said. "He's not going to allow bad things to happen ... While it might take a while, the right thing will happen."

Scott, a former two-term Florida governor, revealed he learned about the operation through Rubio, who "called me early in the morning" after Maduro and his wife were detained.

"I always hoped and prayed this would happen," Scott said.

He spoke emotionally about his visit to Cucuta, Colombia, near the Venezuelan border, recalling the suffering of Venezuelan children.

"I think about how many Venezuelan little boys and girls were sleeping on the streets," Scott said, describing children crossing a river just to "get one meal a day."

"Now those poor little kids are going to have an opportunity," he said.

Scott said Venezuelans in Florida are jubilant, even as the question of returning to their home country remains complicated.

"I think it's mixed," he said when asked about the reaction of Venezuelan expatriates. "Their families are there. That's where they grew up. I think if there's opportunity, I think a lot of them are going to go back."

"But a lot of them, you know, they've rebuilt their families here, and they've married and have children here," Scott added. "So, it's going to be mixed."

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