On the ground in Venezuela: Shock, fear and defiance

CARACAS, Venezuela — It was about two o'clock in the morning, Caracas time, when the explosions began, lighting up the gloomy sky like post-New Year's fireworks.

“¡Ya Comenzo!” The phrase was repeated at home, in phone conversations and in social media chats as another wave of American “shock and awe” rocked the Venezuelan capital. “It has begun!”

Then the question: “¿Maduro?”

The big uncertainty was the whereabouts of President Nicolas Maduro, who has been under threat from the Trump administration for months.

Scenes of joy from the cheerful Venezuelan diaspora celebrating from Miami to Madrid were not repeated here. Fear of the unknown kept most at home.

It would be hours before news from outside Venezuela confirmed that U.S. forces had captured Maduro and placed him on a U.S. ship to face criminal charges in New York federal court.

Venezuelans watched the spectacle unfold from their homes, using social media to share images of explosions and sounds of bombing. It was clear that the moment marked the beginning of a new era of uncertainty for Venezuela, a country experiencing a decade of economic, political and social unrest.

The end result was unimaginable. But that it was a transformative moment – for better or worse – seemed undeniable.

By dawn, an uneasy calm had engulfed the city of more than 3 million people. The explosions and drone of US planes stopped. Blackouts caused power cuts in parts of the capital.

Pro-government youth with machine guns set up roadblocks or raced through the streets on motorcycles, warning those who might be celebrating Maduro's fall.

Stores, gas stations and other businesses were largely closed. There was little traffic.

“When I heard the explosions, I grabbed my rosary and started praying,” said Carolina Mendez, 50, who was among the few who ventured out to buy medicine at the pharmacy on Saturday, although no staff arrived to help customers waiting in line. “I'm very scared right now. That's why I came to buy what I need.”

The feeling of anxiety was widespread.

“People are buying bottled water, milk and eggs,” said Luz Perez, a security guard at one of the few open stores near La Carlota airport, one of the sites targeted by the U.S. strikes. “I heard explosions. It was very scary. But the owner still decided to open up to help people.”

Customers were allowed to enter three at a time. Most didn't want to talk. Their priority was to stock up on essentials and get home safely.

Rumors quickly spread that US troops had taken away Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

There was no immediate official confirmation of the detention of Maduro and Flores, who are wanted in the United States on drug trafficking charges. Maduro called these accusations American propaganda. But images soon circulated on social media of an apparently captive Maduro wearing a tracksuit and blindfolded.

There was no official estimate of Venezuelan casualties in the U.S. raid.

There were rumors that several senior Maduro aides had been killed, including Diosdado Cabello, the security minister who is a staunch Maduro ally. Cabello is often the face of the government.

But Cabello soon appeared on official television, condemning the “terrorist attack on our people,” adding: “Let no one contribute to the actions of the enemy invader.”

While Trump confidently predicted at his Saturday news conference that the United States would “run” Venezuela, apparently during some unspecified transition period, it is unclear how this will be achieved.

The key question is whether the military, long allies of Maduro, will remain loyal now that he is in U.S. custody. There were no public signs of mass defections from Venezuela's armed forces on Saturday. It was also not clear that Maduro's government infrastructure had lost control of the country. Official media reported claims of loyalty from pro-government politicians and citizens across Venezuela.

Trump's comments spoke of a limited U.S. troop presence in Venezuela, focused largely on protecting oil infrastructure that his administration says was stolen from the United States – a characterization here widely rejected even among Maduro's critics. But Trump gave no details about sending U.S. personnel to ease what could be a turbulent transition.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez appeared on official television and demanded the immediate release of Maduro and his wife, official broadcaster Telesur reported. Her comments appeared to be the first official acknowledgment that Maduro had been kidnapped.

“There is one president in this country, and his name is Nicolás Maduro,” the vice president said in an address from the Miraflores palace, where Maduro and his wife were seized hours earlier.

During an emergency meeting of the National Defense Council, Rodriguez called the couple's detention an “illegal kidnapping,” Telesur reported.

The Trump administration, the vice president said, was intent on “seizing our energy, minerals and [other] natural resources.”

Her bold words came after Trump said at a news conference that Rodriguez had been sworn in as the country's interim president and had demonstrated a willingness to cooperate with Washington.

“Essentially, she is willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again,” Trump said.

Somewhat surprisingly, Trump also appears to have ruled out a role in the interim government. Marina Corina MachadoVenezuelan Nobel Peace Prize laureate and longtime anti-Maduro activist.

“She’s a very nice woman, but she’s not respected domestically,” Trump said of Machado.

Machado is indeed a controversial figure in the fractured Venezuelan opposition. Some object to her open calls for US intervention, preferring a democratic change of government.

However, her deputy, Edmundo Gonzalez, did win the presidential election last year, according to opposition activists and others who say Maduro stole the election.

“Venezuelans, the moment of freedom has arrived!” Machado wrote in a letter published on X: “We have been fighting for years…What should have happened is happening.”

Not everyone agreed.

“They want our oil and say it's theirs,” said Roberto, 65, a taxi driver who declined to give his last name for security reasons. “Venezuelans disagree. Yes, I think people will come out and defend their homeland.”

Special correspondent Mogollon reported from Caracas and staff writer McDonnell reported from Boston. Special correspondent Cecilia Sanchez Vidal in Mexico City contributed.