A tense silence settled over ‘s capital on Sunday, with unease and happiness blending together as the country waited to see what would happen next.
Residents of Caracas were slow to get back to their daily routines after in a dramatic U.S. . Dozens of shops, eateries, and churches stayed shut. People on the streets appeared stunned, either gazing at their phones or off into the distance.
“People are still rattled,” stated 77-year-old David Leal, who showed up for his job as a parking attendant only to realize he probably wouldn’t have any customers. He gestured toward the empty street, a few blocks from Venezuela’s presidential palace—guarded by armed civilians and military personnel.
‘May God give us strength’
is no stranger to political upheaval, but the overnight U.S. military operation early Saturday marked a new chapter with no pre-planned script.
U.S. President Donald Trump initially stated that the U.S. would “manage” the country until stability was restored—a comment that Secretary of State Marco Rubio .
Rubio emphasized in interviews that Washington will leverage its control over Venezuela’s oil sector to push for policy shifts, and labeled the current government as illegitimate. The nation is home to the .
“We hope to see Venezuela evolve into a country entirely different from what it is now. But clearly, we don’t expect that to occur within the next 15 hours,” Rubio remarked.
Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López, surrounded by the top military leadership, informed Venezuelans that Maduro remained the legitimate leader. Presidential responsibilities, though, now fall to Vice President Delcy Rodríguez—whom the high court has ordered to take on the role of interim president.
Rodríguez did not issue any public statements on Sunday.
Maduro’s circle of government officials demanded his release from in New York, where his first is scheduled for Monday. State-run media did not broadcast the images of him in handcuffs on U.S. territory.
Instead, Venezuelans viewed the images on social media, and many were in disbelief.
“May God grant us strength for what we’re going through. I’m sad—he’s a human being,” said Nely Gutiérrez, a retiree, as tears filled her eyes. “He’s in handcuffs, and if he’s in the hands of the empire, no one can save him there—only God, not even God. He’ll die there.”
Gutiérrez had walked to church only to find it shut. She stated she would have prayed for peace in Venezuela and for Maduro. She refused to say if she had ever voted for him but noted, “The word of God says to love your enemy.”
Reluctance to Celebrate
In the U.S. and certain Latin American nations, .
In Venezuela, the situation was different—some supporters burned U.S. flags and held signs that read “Gringo go home.”
Others suppressed any anti-Maduro sentiments for the time being. Construction worker Daniel Medalla stated that people didn’t dare to celebrate due to fear of government repression.
“We’ve been yearning for this,” 66-year-old Medalla said, referring to Maduro’s departure.
Memories of the following the 2024 presidential election are still vivid—an election Maduro claimed to have won, even though credible evidence showed he lost by a margin of more than 2 to 1. According to official data, the protests resulted in 28 deaths, 220 injuries, and at least 2,000 detentions.
The number of police and military personnel across Caracas on Sunday was noticeably smaller than on an average day. Soldiers tried to clear an area of an air base that burned, along with at least three passenger buses, during the U.S. attack.
Rubio told interviewers that no U.S. forces were present on the ground in Venezuela but did not exclude the possibility of additional strikes there.
Death Toll from U.S. Operation Remains Unclear
Venezuelan officials have stated that Saturday’s operation killed both civilians and military personnel. However, they have not provided a death toll, and the government’s press office has not replied to multiple inquiries.
In the coastal state of La Guaira, families whose homes were damaged during the operation were clearing debris.
Wilman González, who had a black eye from an explosion, sifted through rubble at his home, surrounded by broken furniture. A section of his apartment building was almost completely destroyed, leaving gaping holes in the walls.
González’s aunt was among those who died.
“This is all we have left: ruins,” he stated.
González expressed anger not only at the destruction but also at the worsening economic and political crises Venezuela has faced for decades.
“We are civilians. We are not aligned with the government or anyone else,” he said.