Gunfire and explosions near the presidential palace in Venezuela after Maduro's arrest
A tense security situation prevailed in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, as heavy gunfire and sporadic explosions were heard near the Miraflores presidential palace around 8:00 PM on Monday (midnight GMT). Eyewitnesses and local residents told international news agencies that the sounds were loud and alarming, reflecting the country's ongoing instability.
In detailing the incident, sources close to the Venezuelan government confirmed that security forces engaged unidentified flying objects, believed to be drones, flying over the airspace of the presidential palace. This security breach prompted an immediate response from ground defenses and presidential guard forces, explaining the explosions and the sight of flashes in the sky. The same sources indicated that the situation was brought under control after the shooting ceased, amidst a heavy security presence in the surrounding area.
The repercussions of Maduro's arrest and the political vacuum
These developments on the ground are particularly dangerous given that they come just two days after the seismic event that shook Latin America: the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by US forces and his transfer to the United States. This dramatic turn of events has left the country in a state of political and security uncertainty, with attention now focused on how the country will be governed in the absence of its leader, amid fears of internal power struggles or moves by the opposition.
Eyewitness accounts and horror in the capital
AFP quoted a resident living near the presidential palace as saying, “It started like a series of very close explosions. They weren’t just ordinary sounds; we felt tremors.” The witness added, describing the terrifying moments, “Everyone went out to look at the windows. We saw two red lights in the sky, and it seemed like an aerial engagement that lasted a full minute.” Activists on social media circulated videos showing streaks of glowing bullets piercing the darkness of the Caracas night, aimed at unseen targets, reinforcing the theory that drones were being intercepted.
Regional context and future concerns
Venezuela is considered a crucial geopolitical linchpin due to its possession of the world's largest proven oil reserves. Any widespread security disturbance in Caracas would cast a shadow over the stability of global energy markets, as well as directly impact neighboring South American countries already grappling with the consequences of the Venezuelan migration crisis. Observers fear that this incident involving the protests could be the prelude to a series of security disturbances that may accompany the post-Maduro era, given the deep divisions within Venezuelan society and the complex web of international interference in the country's internal affairs.
