Armed Supporters Ignite Riots Across Caracas and Valencia After Nicolás Maduro’s Arrest in Venezuela

Venezuela lurched into turmoil on Saturday as armed supporters of Nicolás Maduro poured into the streets, sending shockwaves through already-fragile cities.

What began as anger over the former leader’s sudden capture quickly spiraled into riots, transport shutdowns, and a climate of fear that pushed families to lock themselves indoors and wait it out.

Armed Loyalists Take Over the Streets

In Caracas, Valencia, and other major cities, men carrying weapons marched openly, demanding Maduro’s return after he was seized in a surprise U.S. military operation overnight.

Roads emptied almost instantly. Public life ground to a halt.

Residents described a country frozen by intimidation rather than law.

Silence, Shortages, and Fear in Valencia

A 70-year-old man from Valencia, speaking anonymously to the New York Post, said local media had all but vanished, leaving people desperate for scraps of information.

“The nightmare isn’t over,” he said, explaining that while Maduro was gone, his supporters were not.

He described streets deserted except for armed loyalists, with civilians stepping out only briefly to hunt for food.

“People are shopping like tomorrow won’t come,” he said, warning that fear still ruled under a system he described as brutally hostile to dissent.

Armed groups, he added, were roaming freely, raising concerns about theft and intimidation.

Caracas Reels from Bombs and Protests

The capital saw even more dramatic scenes.

Chavistas — followers of Maduro’s mentor, Hugo Chávez — surged through neighborhoods scarred by overnight airstrikes.

Smoke drifted above shattered buildings as protesters shouted, “We want Maduro!”

Gas stations shut down across the city. Metro lines and buses stopped running.

Most supermarkets closed, and the few that remained open were overwhelmed.

According to Spain’s EFE news agency, one store allowed just one customer inside at a time to avoid chaos.

Ordinary People Caught in the Middle

For many residents, the unrest revived painful memories.

An elderly man from the outskirts of Caracas told EFE he feared a return to the shortages of the past.

“When I was young, I could stand in line for food,” he said. “I can’t anymore.”

Others said even panic buying was out of reach. One woman admitted she wanted to stock up but simply didn’t have the money.

The Strike That Changed Everything

The unrest followed a large-scale U.S. strike on Caracas that targeted Fuerte Tiuna, the country’s largest military complex.

The operation aimed to capture Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

Aerial images showed flattened buildings, scorched ground, and thick smoke hanging over the city.

A senior Venezuelan official told the New York Times that at least 40 people were believed to have died, including both civilians and military personnel.

Trump’s Accusations and a Secret Raid

Maduro’s arrest came after President Trump accused Venezuela of flooding the U.S. with drugs and gang members, alleging that Maduro led the Cartel de los Soles trafficking network.

Trump said he deliberately avoided briefing Congress ahead of the raid, arguing that leaks could have allowed Maduro to escape.

From Caracas to a Brooklyn Cell

Maduro and Flores are now being held at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center, a facility notorious for its harsh conditions and for housing high-profile inmates such as Luigi Mangione and Sean “Diddy” Combs.

Who Runs Venezuela Now?

Trump announced that the United States would govern Venezuela indefinitely, rejecting the idea of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado taking over and claiming she lacked sufficient backing.

He offered little clarity on how Washington would manage a nation of 30 million people, though he suggested Venezuela’s vast oil wealth would bankroll its recovery.

Machado, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and widely seen as a future leader, has long supported Trump’s threats to remove Maduro and remains popular with voters — even if she was absent from Trump’s remarks.

An Uncertain Road Ahead

With armed loyalists still roaming, shelves emptying, and daily life paralyzed, many Venezuelans fear the country is sliding into yet another dark chapter.

Maduro may be behind bars, but for people on the ground, stability feels as distant as ever.

What Happens Next?

For now, that question hangs unanswered over a nation bracing for whatever comes after the shock.F

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