CARACAS, Venezuela — Like many other Venezuelans, Ramon Arape said the image of former President Nicolas Maduro in U.S. custody was a stunning and welcome sight.
“I confess that I was relieved when I saw the photo of Maduro in his hands gringo” said Arape, 59, a welder and father of three.
Less encouraging, however, were President Trump's comments about Washington's determination to take control of the government and the oil industry, the nation's defining natural resource.
“We already had this with outsiders – the Cubans, the Iranians, the Chinese – and now the Americans come and want to name leaders and sell our oil?” Arape said, referring to a number of foreign allies sought by the socialist governments of Maduro and his predecessor, the late Hugo Chavez. “This is a violation of law and sovereignty.”
Many Venezuelans are hoping for deliverance, but it doesn't seem to be through selling off the country's wealth. How this compares with Trump's view that Venezuela has “stolen” the US-built oil industry is one of the big questions as Washington embarks on a massive nation-building effort in South America.
Like many other countries, Venezuela nationalized its oil industry in the 20th century. This process began in the 1970s under the US-allied government in Caracas. Several US oil giants later brought charges of illegal expropriation against the government of Chavez, Maduro's mentor. But few here seemed inclined to believe Trump's assertion, made on social media, that Venezuela should return “all the oil, land and other assets they previously stole from us.”
Sunday came just a day after shocking events in which US troops stormed the capital and kidnapped Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores from the Miraflores Palace, the seat of government, and flew them out of the country – and eventually to New York, where they both face drug trafficking charges. Both deny the accusations, calling them US propaganda.
Venezuelans with access to the Internet were treated to an unlikely image of Maduro, dressed for decidedly non-tropical temperatures and surrounded by federal agents, taking a criminal stroll through a New York military base and appearing to tell viewers, “Happy New Year.”
In Venezuela's capital, life slowly returned to a semblance of normalcy on Sunday, albeit at a weekend pace.
Cars and some public transport plied along the streets that had been deserted the day before. People cautiously emerged from their homes after spending much of Saturday indoors, fearing explosions and possible fallout. Many went to church in this predominantly Roman Catholic country. The sermons called for peace.
There was a palpable sense of relief that the threat of war had diminished, at least temporarily. Many were still reeling from the almost unbelievable turn of events that would undoubtedly change the future of the country, albeit in unpredictable ways.
But there was a determination among both supporters and critics of the ousted president that the country's oil and other resources were sacrosanct and not to be transferred to the United States—or anyone else.
“It was actually very emotional to finally see Maduro and Cilia in handcuffs and captivity,” said Fernando Gonzalez, 29, a plumber who says he supports Marina Corina Machado, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and longtime opposition leader. “These two must pay for their crimes. For that, we thank Trump. But that doesn't mean we agree with everything he seems to want to do.”
The president's determination to “rule” Venezuela – and seize control of its oil – did not sit well with Gonzalez, an ardent nationalist in a country with a long history of nationalist activism.
“It’s all a farce if they get rid of Maduro just to steal and sell the oil,” he said. “It can't be this way. We want progress, change, but a transition led by the Venezuelans. Everything can't happen according to the will of the Americans.”
Gonzalez saw the role of the United States: “To help us deal with this social drama of a poor country.” But he added: “They must respect our will.”
Welder Arape expressed the opinion of many. “We didn’t go through all this so Trump could name his people and take our oil,” he said.
On Saturday, Trump said: “We will govern until we can achieve a safe, proper and reasonable transition.” However, administration officials rejected that statement on Sunday, saying the US would put pressure on the Venezuelan government agree to US demands.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the threat of new military action would serve as “leverage” on the Venezuelan government.
In Caracas, doubts about the future prevailed among Maduro's critics and supporters.
“We would like to know who is really in charge,” said William Rojas, 31, a father of two who lives in the El Valle neighborhood, long a Maduro stronghold.
At his news conference on Saturday, Trump said Maduro's Vice President Delcy Rodriguez had been named interim president, a fact that was apparently confirmed on Sunday by Telesur, the government broadcaster. But Rodriguez, in an address from the Miraflores Palace on Saturday, demanded that Washington return the “kidnapped” Maduro, whom she called the country’s “only” president.
Late Sunday, Rodriguez displayed a strikingly conciliatory stance toward the Trump administration, expressing hope that Caracas and Washington could work together “on a program of cooperation.”
“Delcy Rodriguez says Maduro is still president, but he is no longer here,” Rojas said. “And how were they able to take him away? Who betrayed our president?”
He added: “We cannot live with the idea that we are actually being controlled by Trump and Marco Rubio! We are completely confused.”
Despite all the prevailing ambiguity, authorities urged people to return to everyday habits – as if Maduro were still around.
There was still no official count of casualties from Saturday's raid. In his address, Defense Minister General Vladimir Padrino Lopez called the operation a “cowardly kidnapping” that was carried out “after the cold-blooded murder of a large part of the presidential security force, soldiers and innocent civilians,” Telesur reported.
Padrino called on Venezuelans to return to work and school, adding: “I call on the Venezuelan people for peace, order, not to give in to temptation or psychological warfare, threats and fear that they want to impose on us.”
Special correspondent Mogollon reported from Caracas and staff writer McDonnell reported from Boston.
