Caracas, January 6, 2026 – A tense calm in Venezuela was shattered late Monday when bursts of gunfire echoed through central Caracas near the Miraflores presidential palace. Witnesses described seeing red lights in the sky and tracer rounds streaking upward, just days after a controversial U.S. military operation removed longtime leader Nicolás Maduro from power.
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The incident, which lasted about a minute, came hours after Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president. A source close to the transitional government described unidentified drones flying over the palace around 8:00 p.m. local time, prompting security forces to open fire. “The situation is under control,” the source insisted, though residents near the palace were visibly shaken.
One local resident, speaking on condition of anonymity and living just five blocks away, recounted the moment: “The first thing that came to mind was the attack on Saturday. I immediately looked up to see if planes were overhead again—but there were none. I just saw two red lights moving across the sky. Everyone on the street was leaning out their windows, trying to figure out what was happening.”
A Nation on Edge After Historic U.S. Raid
The gunfire follows the dramatic events of January 3, when U.S. special forces conducted a lightning raid on Caracas, capturing Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. The operation, authorized by President Donald Trump, ended Maduro’s long and contentious rule. Maduro appeared in a New York federal court on January 5, pleading not guilty to narco-terrorism and drug trafficking charges while insisting he remains Venezuela’s legitimate president.
Interim President Delcy Rodríguez has condemned the U.S. action as an illegal “kidnapping,” yet has signaled willingness to engage in talks for a political transition. Meanwhile, the United Nations has raised serious concerns about the legality of the U.S. intervention under international law (Reuters, January 5, 2026).
Latest Developments: Maduro Insists “I Am Still President”
In his court appearance yesterday, Maduro told the judge he considers himself a prisoner of war and rejected the charges against him. Congressional leaders in Washington received their first classified briefing on the operation today, with reactions ranging from strong support to questions about its long-term implications (The New York Times, January 5, 2026).
Social media footage from Monday night shows tracer bullets lighting up the Caracas skyline and security personnel rushing toward the palace. The Communications Ministry has not yet commented on the incident.
As Venezuela navigates this unprecedented transition, residents and observers alike are left wondering whether the brief outburst of gunfire signals lingering resistance, a security false alarm, or the beginning of deeper instability in a country already reeling from sudden and profound change.
This article is based on eyewitness accounts and reporting originally published by Agence France-Presse (AFP). Key details corroborated across multiple international outlets including NDTV and Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Оригинальная статья: Gunfire Erupts Near Venezuela Palace After Maduro Capture on Planet Today 🚀
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