Following the dramatic capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by United States forces, Venezuela slid into an anxious and fearful phase. As sections of the diaspora abroad celebrated the operation, inside the country, the mood has been quite different.

Streets in Caracas remain heavily guarded, public expressions are muted, and a sense of uncertainty hangs over daily life. What was described by Washington as a decisive strike against a “narco-terrorist regime” has instead deepened anxiety within Venezuela, raising serious questions about sovereignty, freedom of expression, and what comes next for the crisis-hit nation.

Journalists detained as information flow tightened 

One of the clearest signs of the growing crackdown came on Monday, 5th January, when at least 14 journalists were detained across Caracas while covering the aftermath of Maduro’s capture by US Delta Force. According to the Venezuelan journalists’ union, almost all of those detained worked for foreign media organisations. Though most were released later the same day, one reporter was deported, and the incident sent a chilling message to the press. 

The detentions took place near key political locations, including the National Assembly, surrounding neighbourhoods, and the opposition-leaning area of Altamira. Some journalists were seized by agents linked to Venezuela’s military counterintelligence, while others were held by the country’s intelligence service. Reporters said their equipment was searched, phones checked, and even private messages and social media activity scrutinised.

Two foreign journalists, one Colombian and one Spanish, were also detained at the border near Cúcuta. They were held incommunicado for several hours before being sent back to Colombia. Media unions called the incidents “alarming” and demanded the release of 23 journalists who remain detained across the country.

Foreign media have long faced restrictions in Venezuela, with visas rarely granted. But the post-Maduro atmosphere appears even more hostile. Several residents told international media that armed, hooded men were patrolling neighbourhoods, checking phones and WhatsApp statuses. In Petare, one of Caracas’s largest districts, a community leader described masked gunmen openly intimidating residents.

A 60-year-old Caracas resident said people were afraid to speak freely, pointing to the heavy presence of police, soldiers, and pro-government armed groups known as colectivos. Another woman said military personnel were stationed on nearly every corner, alongside armed civilians loyal to the government, creating an environment of fear rather than calm.

Delcy Rodríguez sworn in as the interim President, but questions loom

Amid this tense backdrop, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was formally sworn in as Venezuela’s interim president on Monday, 5th January, just two days after US special forces captured Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in a pre-dawn raid. 

Rodríguez, 56, took the oath before the National Assembly in Caracas, with the ceremony presided over by her brother, Jorge Rodríguez, who heads the legislature.

Lawmakers chanted slogans supporting Maduro during the ceremony, underlining that the transition was not the result of an internal political process but a response to extraordinary circumstances. In her address, Rodríguez said she assumed office “with pain,” referring to what she described as the “kidnapping” of Maduro and his wife, whom she called “heroes” now held hostage in the United States.

The Supreme Court ordered Rodríguez to take over in an acting capacity, a move that was later endorsed by the Venezuelan military. Initially, she strongly condemned the US operation as “barbaric” and a violation of national sovereignty. However, her tone shifted after warnings from the White House. 

On Sunday, 4th January, Rodríguez signalled willingness to engage with Washington, inviting the US to cooperate on an agenda of shared development and peaceful coexistence.

US officials have reportedly described Rodríguez as a workable interim figure. A trained lawyer with experience in oil and finance, she is seen in Washington as someone who could manage a controlled transition. However, opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado has rejected Rodríguez’s appointment outright, calling instead for a full democratic transition led by elected representatives.

Maduro in a New York courtroom

While power shifted in Caracas, Nicolás Maduro appeared in a courtroom in New York on Monday, 5th January. Shackled and flanked by US marshals, Maduro pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices.

“I am a decent man, the president of my country,” Maduro told the court, insisting he remained Venezuela’s legitimate leader. At one point, a member of the public shouted at him in Spanish, telling him he would “pay” for his actions. Maduro responded sharply, calling himself a “kidnapped president” and a “prisoner of war.”

Judge Alvin Hellerstein interrupted the exchange, reminding Maduro that there would be “a time and a place” to address his claims. The hearing lasted around 30 minutes, after which Maduro was escorted out through a back door with his wife. His next court appearance has been scheduled for 17th March.

At the United Nations, Venezuela’s ambassador, Samuel Moncada, denounced the operation as an “illegitimate armed attack” and a flagrant violation of the UN Charter. The US ambassador, Mike Waltz, defended the action, describing Maduro as an “illegitimate so-called president” and a fugitive from justice. He argued that the world’s largest energy reserves could not remain in the hands of such a leader.

The UN Security Council convened an emergency session to discuss the crisis, reflecting growing international unease over Washington’s actions.

“No Foreign agent is running Venezuela,” says Rodríguez

As speculation grew over US intentions, Delcy Rodríguez moved quickly to assert control. In a televised address on Tuesday, 6th January, she declared that Venezuela remained firmly in Venezuelan hands. “The government of Venezuela is in charge of our country, and no one else,” she said. “There is no foreign agent governing Venezuela.”

Her remarks came a day after Maduro and Flores pleaded not guilty in New York. Venezuela’s prosecutor general demanded their immediate release, calling the US operation an illegal act of armed aggression. Rodríguez also announced a seven-day national mourning period after Venezuela released a list of 24 soldiers killed during the raid. Cuba, a close ally, said 32 of its military personnel had also died.

Despite Trump’s initial claim that the US would “run” Venezuela, American officials later walked back the statement. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US would instead guide the “direction” of governance using sanctions and pressure, particularly to gain greater access to Venezuela’s oil sector. 

However, lawmakers in Washington expressed frustration over the lack of clarity. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer described the administration’s plan as vague and troubling, warning that such interventions often end badly for both the US and the targeted country.

Are Venezuelans abroad celebrating?

Outside Venezuela, reactions have been markedly different. Since 2014, nearly 8 million Venezuelans have fled the country, creating one of the largest refugee crises in modern Latin American history. Many among the diaspora, particularly in the US and Europe, welcomed Maduro’s capture, seeing it as long-overdue accountability for alleged abuses.

Human rights groups such as Human Rights Watch and UN agencies have accused Maduro’s government of crimes against humanity, including torture, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings. For those who lost family members, livelihoods, or futures, the images from New York felt like justice finally catching up.

Yet voices from within Venezuela tell a more complex story. A Caracas-based observer, Diego Sequera, questioned the US narrative, saying it was difficult to believe the drug trafficking accusations given the timing and intensity of recent pressure. “No one inside Venezuela wants what the US wants in the sense of regime change,” the person said. “No one wants internal conflict. No one is celebrating.”

According to this account, most of the visible celebration is coming from a relatively privileged section of the diaspora, with time and on their hands. Many others abroad are simply working to survive or are even returning to Venezuela as conditions slowly stabilise in some areas.

“There’s no party, no celebration here,” Diego said to WION. “And regardless of whether people support Maduro or not, the overwhelming majority do not approve of foreign action, especially by the United States, as the solution to our problems.”

Conclusion: Power vacuum may have been filled, but control is still questioned

For now, Venezuela appears to have filled the immediate power vacuum with the swearing-in of an interim president and the backing of key state institutions, including the military and the courts. On paper, governance continues, ministries function, and authority has a visible face. Yet beneath this surface stability, uncertainty remains deep and unresolved.

With former US President Donald Trump openly declaring that the United States will take Venezuela’s oil, serious doubts persist about how much real power Caracas actually holds over its own future. External pressure, economic leverage, and the shadow of foreign intervention continue to loom large. As a result, while the leadership gap may have been formally addressed, Venezuela’s sovereignty, decision-making authority, and control over its most critical resource remain in question.

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