Gunfire and explosions were reported near the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas on Monday evening (5 January).
The incident came hours after Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as acting president following the capture of Nicolás Maduro during a U.S. military operation.
Local media said the incident occurred at about 20:00 local time after reports of unidentified drones circling the palace.
Some outlets suggested the gunfire may have been a response to the drones, although this has not been confirmed by Venezuelan authorities.
Videos shared on social media, believed to have been filmed near the scene, show armed men carrying heavy weapons and military convoys deployed around the Miraflores Palace.
The footage also appears to show security forces patrolling surrounding streets as residents sought shelter.
The videos have not been independently verified.
The United States is reportedly monitoring the situation closely but is not involved in the incident, according to U.S. officials cited by NBC News.
Venezuelan authorities have not issued an official statement on the incident, and there are no confirmed reports of injuries or fatalities. Residents described fear and confusion in central Caracas as gunfire and explosions were heard.
Power outages and armed movements were also reported in several districts, reflecting heightened tension across the capital.
In the days since President Nicolás Maduro was captured during a U.S. military operation on 3 January, his supporters have staged protests in Caracas demanding his release, according to Agence France-Presse.
Around 2,000 Maduro supporters demonstrated on Sunday, 4 January, in Venezuela’s capital, carrying signs and flags and calling for the U.S. to free their leader and his wife.
Featured slogans included “Free our president” and “Venezuela is no‑one’s colony.”
However, while the protests reported by AFP are confirmed, some social media videos claiming massive pro-Maduro rallies have been debunked.
Fact-checkers said widely shared clips presented as evidence of large-scale demonstrations were filmed before the military operation, including footage from July 2024 and November 2025.
By contrast, Venezuelans overseas have shown more visible reactions to Maduro’s capture.
In diaspora communities, particularly in cities such as Miami and Santiago, crowds were seen celebrating, waving Venezuelan flags and chanting calls for "liberty".
Iran announced on Saturday (21 February) that it has designated the naval and air forces of European Union member states as “terrorist entities” i...
Russia launched overnight drone and missile strikes across Ukraine, hitting energy infrastructure in multiple regions, while an explosion in the weste...
Pakistan said it carried out cross-border strikes on militant targets inside Afghanistan after blaming a series of recent suicide bombings, including ...
U.S. President Donald Trump said he plans to send a hospital ship to Greenland, working with Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry. He announced the move in ...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 22nd of February, covering the latest developments you need to...
Cubans are increasingly turning to solar power to keep businesses operating and basic household appliances running during prolonged electricity cuts, as fuel shortages make diesel generators and other temporary solutions more difficult and costly to maintain.
The top U.S. military commander for Latin America, General Francis Donovan, accompanied by Senior Pentagon official Joseph Humire, made an unannounced trip to Venezuela on Wednesday for security talks, U.S. officials confirmed.
Venezuelan authorities said they were seeking court approval to put prominent opposition politician Juan Pablo Guanipa under house arrest on Sunday, shortly after he was seized by armed men in Caracas in what his son called a kidnapping.
The U.S. military said it has carried out a strike Thursday (5 February) on a vessel allegedly engaged in narco-trafficking in the Eastern Pacific, according to the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), killing two people.
Quentin Griffiths, co-founder of online fashion retailer ASOS, has died in Pattaya, Thailand, after falling from the 17th floor of a condominium on 9 February, Thai police confirmed.
A seven-month-old Japanese macaque has captured global attention after forming an unusual but heart-warming bond with a stuffed orangutan toy following abandonment by its mother.
Divers have recovered the bodies of seven Chinese tourists and a Russian driver after their minibus broke through the ice of on Lake Baikal in Russia, authorities said.
Ukraine’s National Paralympic Committee has announced it will boycott the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics in Verona on 6 March, citing the International Paralympic Committee’s decision to allow some Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags.
President Donald Trump said on Saturday (21 February) that he will raise temporary tariffs on nearly all U.S. imports from 10% to 15%, the maximum allowed under the law, after the Supreme Court struck down his previous tariff program.
Russia launched overnight drone and missile strikes across Ukraine, hitting energy infrastructure in multiple regions, while an explosion in the western city of Lviv killed a police officer and left 24 people injured, authorities said on Sunday (22 February).
U.S. President Donald Trump said he plans to send a hospital ship to Greenland, working with Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry. He announced the move in a social media post shortly before meeting Republican governors in Washington.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 22nd of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Islamic State claimed two attacks on Syrian army personnel on Saturday (22 February), saying they marked the start of a new phase of operations against the country’s leadership under President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Pakistan said it carried out cross-border strikes on militant targets inside Afghanistan after blaming a series of recent suicide bombings, including attacks during the holy month of Ramadan, on fighters it said were operating from Afghan territory.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment