Venezuela has deployed armed colectivos across Caracas to patrol streets, man checkpoints and inspect phones after a reported US attack that left the government shaken. Authorities have detained journalists, fired on unauthorised drones and issued an emergency decree targeting anyone tied to the US operation. Interim leader Delcy Rodríguez is attempting to project control while economic pressure, intra-regime tensions and the planned return of opposition figures raise the prospect of further instability.
Armed Colectivos Sweep Caracas As Government Moves To Reassert Control After US Strike
There is uncertainty about what will happens next after US forces captured Maduro and his wife.Photograph: Gaby Oráa/Reuters
Venezuela’s authorities have deployed armed paramilitary groups — known as colectivos — across Caracas to run checkpoints, patrol neighbourhoods and inspect mobile phones in a high-profile show of force following a reported US attack on the city.
Patrols, Phone Checks and a Climate Of Fear
Colectivos rode through the capital on motorbikes carrying assault rifles on Tuesday, stopping vehicles for searches and demanding access to phones to examine contacts, messages and social media activity. The measures were presented as an effort to suppress dissent and deny any impression of a leadership vacuum after government officials said President Nicolás Maduro had been abducted during the incident.
“There’s fear. There are armed civilians here. You never know what might happen, they might attack people,”
— Mirelvis Escalona, 40, resident of Catia, western Caracas
Detentions, Drones And An Emergency Decree
Authorities reported the detention of at least 14 journalists and media workers on Monday, including 13 staff from international outlets; all but one were later released. Gunfire erupted that night after security forces opened fire at unauthorised drones reportedly mistaken for another US operation. The deputy information minister said there was no large-scale confrontation and described the country as calm, though many residents reported a tense, unsettled atmosphere.
An emergency decree ordered police to seek and detain “everyone involved in the promotion or support for the armed attack by the United States,” and government social media channels showed footage of colectivos blocking highways, patrolling pro-opposition districts and questioning residents. People warned friends and family via messaging apps to leave phones at home or to delete political content.
Political Fallout And International Pressure
Delcy Rodríguez, who was sworn in on Monday as interim president by government backers, has tried to project calm and control, even as the authorities confront multiple challenges: the humiliation of Maduro’s reported appearance in a US court on narco-trafficking charges, the prospect of additional US strikes, a blockade on oil exports that is squeezing state revenues, and potential fractures within the regime.
Senior officials accused of drug-trafficking — notably Diosdado Cabello — face not only political risk but potential criminal exposure abroad, while fugitive opposition leaders operating from overseas, including María Corina Machado, have signalled intentions to return and push for political transition. The Trump administration has warned of possible further military actions and has suggested conditional engagement with Venezuela’s interim authorities.
Daily Life Under Strain
Despite patrols and checkpoints, many shops and bakeries reopened and some residents returned to work, yet the sense of uncertainty persists. Health workers and other civilians describe altered routines and heightened anxiety; some avoid travel after dark and limit movements to essential tasks. Supporters of the government, by contrast, have condemned the reported US operation and pledged to defend national sovereignty.
What To Watch: renewed confrontations or drone activity, further detentions of journalists or opposition figures, shifts in the loyalty of security forces, and how international pressure — including potential sanctions or military options — affects the fragile political balance.
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