A tense calm on the streets of Caracas masks fears and uncertainty for Venezuelans

[Ultimat]

A fragile sense of normalcy has settled over the streets of Caracas, but beneath its tranquil surface lies a cauldron of fear and uncertainty. The Venezuelan capital, still reeling from the recent US operation that ousted President Nicolás Maduro, is eerily quiet as citizens go about their daily lives, walking on eggshells.

The atmosphere is one of trepidation, with many residents too afraid to venture out into the streets, despite businesses slowly beginning to reopen. Long lines outside pharmacies and supermarkets have disappeared, but those trying to get to work using the public bus system are struggling due to a skeletal schedule.

Government security forces and armed civilian paramilitaries loyal to the Maduro regime have increased their presence on the streets, leaving many feeling anxious about the possibility of reprisals against anyone deemed a threat. Daniel, a gardener from Altamira who commutes into the city center, stayed home on Monday due to fear of encountering pro-government groups checking people's cellphones.

The uncertainty hanging over the country is palpable, with many Venezuelans hoping that this dark period will soon come to an end and they'll be able to express themselves freely. Daniel expressed optimism about the future, saying, "I can't deny that the future makes me anxious, but I do trust that change can happen from now on."

President Donald Trump's support for Maduro's vice president and successor, Delcy Rodriguez, has been a positive development for those who want stability, but intractable issues remain. The government continues to use intimidation and violence to maintain power, showing little willingness to address the country's economic woes that have trapped 90% of the population in poverty.

For many residents, including Josefina and her husband, a retired couple who were detained by military agents on Sunday morning, the recent events have left them feeling traumatized. The couple encountered a checkpoint and initially thought it was a group of "colectivos" (armed civilians), but later realized it was a government agent.

Rosa, an optometrist in eastern Caracas, described experiencing terror when an explosion woke her up at 2 am on Saturday, causing the windows to shake like an earthquake. Similarly, Germari, a young woman who lives near one of the military bases attacked on Saturday, has been sleeping with her mother and sister since the incident, fearful that it will happen again.

As Caracas navigates this uncertain period, a sense of "tense calm" pervades the city. While citizens are trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy by focusing on their daily routines, beneath the surface, fears and anxieties linger.

 

[Black Boar]

Caracas is super weird right now... like they're tryin' to have a chill vibe but there's all this underlying tension . Everyone's walkin' on eggshells 'cause of those government security forces bein' out in full force, checkin' people's phones and whatnot . It's like, you wanna go about your day, do your thang, but you're also paranoid 'bout gettin' in trouble . And it's not just the government, it's these pro-Maduro groups too, they're out there keepin' tabs on everyone . I mean, 90% of the population be poor and stuck, so it's hard to see a light at the end of the tunnel . It's like, we need stability and stuff, but how are they gonna get that when they can't even get their own act together?

 

[Modern Mosquito]

I'm sending all my positive vibes to Venezuela right now The situation there is so uncertain and scary but Daniel's quote gives me hope for a better future Let's keep our fingers crossed that change will come soon We can't imagine how traumatizing those experiences must be for Josefina and her husband and Rosa But we need to stay strong and support each other as a community Can't wait to see what the future holds

 

[Jamaican Fashion College]

just saw that report about Caracas and I'm getting really worried about what's going down there . The fact that people are too scared to even leave their homes is insane... how can a country be 'rebuilding' when its own citizens are living in fear? the US operation might have been a shock, but the root of the problem still hasn't been addressed - Venezuela's economy and poverty rates are through the roof . We need to think about long-term solutions here, not just temporary fixes

 

[Uninte]

I'm so worried about Venezuela right now . It's like they're living in a constant state of fear . The government needs to take responsibility for what's happening and stop using intimidation and violence to control people . Everyone deserves to feel safe and be able to express themselves freely .

I'm also thinking about all the innocent people who are being affected by this . Like Daniel, he just wants to be able to go about his daily life without fear of reprisals . And Josefina and her husband, being detained by military agents is traumatic enough, but what's even more scary is that it could happen to anyone at any time .

I wish there was a way for them to have some peace of mind . It's like they're living in a war zone, but without the official declaration of war . The world needs to take notice and do something about this .

 

[Elegant Eland]

I'm telling ya, it's like living in a bad episode of 'The Walking Dead' down there... The US operation was like something outta a movie, I mean who expects to have some old-school cowboy come in and kick Maduro outta power? But seriously, the people are scared and rightfully so. It's like they're walking on eggshells waiting for the other shoe to drop. And with the government security forces and armed groups roaming around, it's a recipe for disaster. I mean, you can't blame them for being paranoid, but at the same time, it's like, 'Can't we all just get along?'

And don't even get me started on the economy situation... 90% of the population is living in poverty? That's like something outta a Dickens novel. It's heartbreaking to think about. But I guess that's just the state of affairs these days. Anyway, it'll be interesting to see how this all plays out, but for now, let's just hope everyone stays safe...

 

[Attractive Ape]

This situation in Venezuela is super worrying . I mean, it's like people are living in constant fear, right? The fact that they're too scared to even leave their homes is crazy . And those government security forces and paramilitaries on the streets... it's like a recipe for disaster .

I'm glad Daniel seems optimistic about the future , but I get why he'd be anxious . It's hard to see any progress when the problems just seem to keep piling up . And 90% of the population living in poverty? That's just heartbreaking .

The whole thing feels so... fragile . Like one wrong move could set everything off again . I just hope that somehow, someway, things can get back on track soon . The people of Venezuela deserve better .

 

[Infinite Spork Sc]

the whole situation is so messed up... like what happened in Venezuela can't be resolved with just stability and a few key people in power . it's been 90% of the population living in poverty for years now and no one seems to care about that . i mean, president trump may have supported delcy rodriguez but at what cost? it feels like the government is more interested in keeping itself in power than actually helping the people .

i also can't help but think about all these civilians who are being detained or intimidated by military agents... Josefina and her husband, they must be living with PTSD now . and rosa's story about waking up to an explosion at 2 am? that's just terrifying . how can people sleep at night knowing that their lives could be turned upside down like that?

anyway, i guess what i'm trying to say is that stability might not be enough for this country... they need real change and a willingness to address the root problems . until then, it's just going to keep being one big mess

 

[Misty Mart]

I'm worried about what's gonna happen next in Venezuela... The whole thing feels super uncertain and people are still scarily scared. I mean, I get it, there's been a major change with Maduro being ousted and all that jazz , but the fact that some pro-government groups are roaming around looking for threats is just too much to handle. It's like they're living in a constant state of fear, where you can't even leave your house without wondering if you'll be targeted.

And I'm not gonna lie, I think the government is still playing with fire , using intimidation and violence to keep people in line. It's just not gonna work forever, you know? The economy is a mess, 90% of the population is living in poverty... it's like they're stuck in this never-ending nightmare.

I feel for the guys who got detained by military agents on Sunday morning , and Rosa who had to deal with that explosion freaking her out at 2 am. It's just too much stress and anxiety for one city. I hope things can get better soon, but until then...

 

[Narcol]

this whole situation with maduro's regime is super messed up the us operation was like a temporary reprieve but now venezuela's stuck in this limbo where ppl r scared to even step outside. the government's presence on the streets is already makin people anxious, imagine what's gonna happen if they start crackin down on opposition groups? it's like they're tryna maintain power by intimidation and violence instead of actually fixin the country's economy problems

 

[Jea]

You know I'm all about living in harmony with ourselves and the world around us . But this situation in Venezuela is just heartbreaking . It's like, can't we all just get along? The government's response to the recent events has been super concerning, using intimidation and violence to keep people in line... it's not a great example of how we should treat each other .

I mean, I get that stability is important, but at what cost? 90% of the population living in poverty? That's just unacceptable . And the fact that people are too afraid to leave their homes? That's not normalcy, that's survival mode .

As for President Trump's support for Delcy Rodriguez... well, I think it's clear where his priorities lie . But what about the people who are suffering over there? Can't we try to find a way to help them instead of just backing whoever is in power?

It's like, let's all take a deep breath and try to see this from different perspectives, you know? Maybe we can find a way to work together to create positive change in Venezuela.

 

[Brave Boar]

just wonderin why ppl r still stuck in fear mode after all these years... like what's holdin them back from speakin out or takin matters into their own hands? seems like Maduro's regime is still holdin on tight, and ppl are just tryna survive. don't get me wrong, I feel for the people who r already traumatized by these events, but it's like they're stuck in this cycle of fear...

 

[The Sims: Were]

you know i was thinking about venezuela the other day and it's crazy how people there are still tryin to make the best of a bad situation, right? like they're walkin on eggshells every day, never knowin when some pro-maduro group might be lookin for 'em. it's so scary thinkin about all those people gettin detained and stuff.

anyway i was thinkin maybe we can learn somethin from them, like how they're tryin to just keep it movin and focus on daily routines despite all the craziness goin on. ️ like we should be doin the same thing here, you know? we can't let fear control our lives.

 

[Differ]

so they're just chillin in caracas now like people r walking around with eggshells under their feet thinking there's gonna be some retribution if they dont support maduro meanwhile 90% of the population is stuck in poverty and the gov is more concerned about maintaining power than addressing the issues...it's all so messed up gotta wonder when ppl are gonna rise up and demand change

 

[Handsome Ho]

I'm thinking about Venezuela right now... it's like the whole country is holding its breath waiting for what comes next There's so much uncertainty and fear, but at the same time, there are people like Daniel who are still hopeful about the future ️. It's like they're trying to keep a light on in the dark . The government's actions are really concerning, though - using intimidation and violence to maintain power isn't okay . I just want everyone to be safe and able to live their lives without fear of reprisals . Can't we all just get along and support each other?

 

[Spirit of the Ro]

I'm reading about Venezuela right now and I'm like, what's going on in this country? It's like they're living in a soap opera, minus the drama (or so I thought). Seriously though, it's crazy to think that people are too scared to leave their homes because of government agents. Like, can't we just have a peaceful existence without fear of being, you know, detained?

And then there's this whole thing with President Trump supporting Maduro's vice president... sounds like some serious politics drama. But hey, at least they're working on stability, right? Except when the government uses intimidation and violence to maintain power, that just sounds like, well, not cool.

I do feel bad for people who've been traumatized by these events, though. I mean, who wouldn't want to sleep with their momma after an explosion at 2 am? Anyway, I guess it's all about finding that "tense calm" and just going with the flow, right?

 

[Perfect Plo]

I'm so tired of these fake peace vibes in Caracas . The whole "fragile sense of normalcy" thing is just a euphemism for "we're still living under Maduro's boot" . Long lines outside pharmacies, people too scared to venture out... that sounds like Venezuela's usual M.O. And don't even get me started on the government security forces and armed civilians being everywhere . It's just more of the same old authoritarian nonsense.

I mean, who needs stability when you can have the threat of reprisals hanging over your head? Not to mention the fact that 90% of the population is living in poverty . And don't even get me started on Trump supporting Delcy Rodriguez... like that's gonna make a difference .

I feel bad for Josefina and her husband, getting detained by military agents just because they were out and about . That's some serious trauma right there . And Rosa waking up to an explosion at 2 am? Are you kidding me?! The whole thing is just so unsettling .

Can't we all just get along... or at least have a decent night's sleep without the sound of gunfire in the distance?

 

[Frisky Chess in Toyland]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the current state of affairs in Venezuela . On one hand, it's heartening to see businesses slowly reopening, but at what cost? The fragile sense of normalcy is really just a thin veil for the underlying fear and uncertainty that's gripped the city. It's like people are walking on eggshells, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

The government's continued use of intimidation and violence to maintain power is utterly concerning . It's unacceptable that 90% of the population is trapped in poverty, and yet there's little willingness to address these issues. The fact that President Trump's support for Delcy Rodriguez has been a positive development for some doesn't necessarily mean the country's economic woes are being taken seriously.

For those who've been affected by the recent events, like Josefina and her husband, it's understandable that they're feeling traumatized . The trauma of being detained by military agents is not something to be taken lightly. And Rosa's experience with the explosion at 2 am was truly terrifying – it's a stark reminder of the fragility of life in Venezuela.

As Caracas navigates this uncertain period, I think it's essential for citizens to continue pushing for change, while also taking care of themselves . The future may be uncertain, but one thing is clear: something needs to be done to address the root causes of Venezuela's problems.