1st video out: Maduro arrives in New York after ‘capture’, Venezuela on 'HIGH' alert

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro arrived in New York City on Sunday after the United States said it captured him and his wife in an overnight military operation, even as uncertainty and anxiety spread across Venezuela over what may follow.

The development initially triggered a sense of relief among many Venezuelans, according to residents and journalists in Caracas. However, that reaction quickly gave way to fear and caution. Long queues formed outside supermarkets and petrol stations as people rushed to stock up on food and fuel, unsure whether further strikes or unrest could follow.

Many residents chose to stay indoors, checking on relatives and neighbours to ensure they had electricity, internet access, food supplies, and gasoline.

“There was initial joy when Maduro was taken out,” said journalist Sissi de Flaviis, reporting from Caracas. “But as the day progressed, people started asking whether they had enough food in the fridge or gas in their cars.”

She said Venezuelans were trying to remain low-key, wary of past experiences in which public celebrations or protests were met with harsh responses from security forces. Despite sharing humour and jokes on WhatsApp and Instagram to cope, many remain “on high alert”, unsure whether they will “be able to sleep well tonight” or if “there will be a second strike”.

The unease deepened after Donald Trump said the United States would “run” Venezuela until a power transition is completed. “We’re going to run the country until we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition,” Trump said at a press conference.

De Flaviis said those remarks felt like “being stabbed in the back” for many Venezuelans who had hoped for support without direct control. “Are we going to be a colony? Will there be a military intervention?” she asked, reflecting common fears.

Trump also shared an image he said showed Maduro blindfolded aboard the USS Iwo Jima after his capture. Venezuelan officials said the president and first lady were seized from their residence inside the Fort Tiuna military complex following what the US described as a “large-scale strike”.

International reaction has been sharply divided. French President Emmanuel Macron said Venezuelans “can only rejoice” at Maduro’s removal, prompting strong criticism from French left-wing leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who accused Macron of abandoning international law. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen also warned that state sovereignty is “never negotiable”.

The United Nations said it was deeply alarmed by the US military action, while Venezuela declared a national emergency and called for mobilisation. As Maduro prepares to face prosecution in New York, Venezuelans remain caught between hope and fear — bracing for an uncertain night and an even more uncertain future.

Also read: ‘We’re going to run the country’: Trump announces transitional government in Venezuela 

Zelenskyy’s jab sparks global buzz

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted sharply to the US military operation in Venezuela, saying that “if it’s possible to deal with dictators this way, then the US knows what to do next.” The remark came during a news conference after Zelenskyy met European national security advisers, according to ABC News.

Though he did not name any country or leader, the comment was widely interpreted as a reference to Russia and the ongoing war in Ukraine. Social media users and analysts noted the subtext, while the remark reportedly drew laughter from journalists present at the briefing.