New England Patriots rookie kicker Andy Borregales is among the Venezuelan‑Americans celebrating the recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Speaking with MassLive following a Jan. 4 victory over the Miami Dolphins, Borregales said his wife woke him early Saturday morning and told him that the United States captured Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Although the 23‑year‑old Borregales was born in Caracas, he and his parents moved to the U.S. when he was a toddler.
“At the end of the day, a lot of us Venezuelans are happy,” he said. “It’s been 26 years of hardship. That’s why my parents had to leave and came here. That’s really why a lot of us left. I’m in support of [Maduro’s capture]. My whole family had to move out.”
Borregales and his parents left Venezuela when Hugo Chávez was still president. Chávez remained in power until his death in 2013, and Maduro took over the presidency afterward.
New Altica Poll shows countries in Latin America overwhelmingly support the U.S. action to arrest Illegitimate Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro. pic.twitter.com/b2hMmHT955
— AG (@AGHamilton29) January 6, 2026
Maduro, 63, and his wife pleaded not guilty to federal drug‑trafficking charges on Monday. President Donald Trump told NBC that he considers himself — and the U.S. government — to be in charge of Venezuela’s interim affairs following the operation.
Borregales told MassLive that a gas station in his native Miami was “filled with Venezuelans” who gathered and celebrated Maduro’s capture. He added that he has not been back to Venezuela since he and his family left.
“I don’t remember it,” Borregales said. “Going back would mean a lot. I could see where I’m from, where my parents grew up. Hopefully, things keep getting better and I can go back and visit.”
A sixth‑round pick from the University of Miami and a two-time All-ACC selection with the Hurricanes, Borregales went 27 of 32 (84.4 percent) on field‑goal attempts this season as the Patriots’ kicker. He also made 53 of 55 extra‑point tries, and his 96.4 percent extra‑point rate finished above the league average of 95.9 percent.
Andy Borregales from 59 yards to end the half 🎯
MIAvsNE on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/Kwh3HWNjYK
— NFL (@NFL) January 4, 2026
However, Borregales’ 84.4 percent field‑goal rate was slightly below the league average of 85.6 percent. The Patriots nonetheless finished 14‑3 and won the AFC East for the first time since 2019. New England earned the No. 2 seed and a home playoff game in Mike Vrabel’s first season as head coach. This year marks only the Patriots’ second postseason appearance since Tom Brady left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers following the 2019 season.
Borregales and the Patriots officially begin their playoff journey against the No. 7 Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday night. The FanDuel Sportsbook lists the Patriots as 3.5‑point favorites (‑110; bet $100 for a $190.91 payout) as of Jan. 7. New England has not won a playoff game since its Super Bowl victory in February 2019.
FanDuel also lists the Patriots at +1000 to win the Super Bowl, which is tied with the Buffalo Bills for fifth‑best among the 14 playoff teams. The Denver Broncos (+650) have the highest odds among AFC teams and third‑best overall, trailing the Seattle Seahawks (+390) and the Los Angeles Rams (+430).
