Caracas Under “Tense Calm” After U.S. Seizure of Maduro

CARACAS — A heavy, uncertain silence has settled over the streets of the Venezuelan capital. While the explosions that rocked the city days ago have ceased, they have been replaced by a “tense calm”—a facade of normalcy that residents say masks deep-seated fear and a massive surge in state surveillance.

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The city is currently waking up to a new reality following Operation Absolute Resolve, the lightning-fast U.S. military strike on January 3 that resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Despite the removal of its top leader, the machinery of the state remains visible and aggressive.

A City Patrolled by Shadows

Residents report that Caracas has become a city of checkpoints. The streets are patrolled not only by formal government security forces but also by colectivos—armed civilian paramilitaries loyal to the ruling party.

• Surveillance: Citizens like Daniel, a gardener, report that pro-government groups are conducting random “phone sweeps,” checking private messages for signs of dissent or celebration of Maduro’s capture.
• Infrastructure: Public transportation remains on a “skeleton schedule,” making commutes nearly impossible for the few who dare to venture out.
• Retribution: The government has issued a sweeping call for the arrest of anyone suspected of involvement in the weekend’s events. On Monday alone, 14 journalists were detained near the National Assembly.

The New Transition: Delcy Rodríguez Takes the Reins

While American bombs targeted military and power installations to “decapitate” the regime, the political structure of Chavismo has proven resilient.

Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s former Vice President, was formally sworn in as interim president on January 5. While she described Maduro’s capture as a “kidnapping,” she has already pivoted toward a pragmatic—if cautious—willingness to work with the United States to stabilize the country’s collapsing oil economy.

“Supposedly the country is calm, but it is simply a tense calm,” one 63-year-old resident told NBC News. “Calm for us means doing our own thing—buying food, buying medicine—without commenting on anything political. That’s it.”

Lingering Trauma and Uncertain Hope

For many, the physical and emotional scars of the weekend remain fresh. Residents living near the bombed military bases, such as La Carlota and Fuerte Tiuna, describe the terror of 2:00 a.m. explosions that shattered windows and shook the earth like an earthquake.

Yet, beneath the fear of more strikes, a sliver of hope persists among those who have long opposed the government. They view this “dark period” of history with the hope that, eventually, it will lead to a country where leaders are chosen at the ballot box rather than through force.

For now, however, Caracas remains a city waiting for its next chapter, caught between the intimidation of the remaining regime and the unpredictable shadow of U.S. intervention.