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".
Diplomatic efforts to end the Iran war are intensifying, with the White House confirming that U.S. President Donald Trump will send special envoy S...
Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner will travel to Islamabad on Saturday for Pakistan-mediated talks ...
Iran is pursuing a dual-track strategy in the Strait of Hormuz, balancing cooperation with South Korea while increasing military pressure, as tensi...
Around 14% of Central Asia’s population - about 12 million people - are facing food shortages, according to the United Nations. The...
The U.S. and the European Union are set to sign a memorandum of understanding on Friday to establish a partnership on the procurement and productio...
A United States Army soldier has been charged with making more than $400,000 by betting on the removal of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, according to the Department of Justice.
Three months following the U.S. raid that captured socialist President Nicolas Maduro on 3 January, the Venezuelan National Assembly approved a new law on Thursday loosening the state’s grip on mining investments to open the sector for private and foreign companies.
In a major policy reversal, the U.S. Treasury has removed Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, from its sanctions list, signalling a sharp shift in Washington’s approach to Caracas.
A U.S. federal judge raised concerns on Thursday about whether sanctions preventing Venezuela from funding the legal defense of Nicolás Maduro could violate his constitutional rights, though he did not dismiss the drug-trafficking charges against the former leader.
The U.S. military has intercepted at least three Iranian-flagged tankers in Asian waters and is redirecting them away from their positions near India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, shipping and security sources said on Wednesday, exclusively to Reuters.
Two local trains collided head-on north of Copenhagen on Thursday (23 April), injuring 17 people, five of them critically, according to emergency services.
The U.S. military is redirecting at least three Iranian-flagged tankers after intercepting them in Asian waters near India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, shipping and security sources said on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Tehran said U.S. breaches, blockades and threats are undermining “genuine negotiations.”
The European Union is preparing its 20th round of sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine. The measures are close to being approved, after earlier delays linked to energy concerns in Slovakia and Hungary eased following repairs to the Druzhba oil pipeline.
Diplomatic efforts to end the Iran war are intensifying, with the White House confirming that U.S. President Donald Trump will send special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner to Islamabad for talks with Iran under Pakistani mediation.
China has urged the European Union to take its concerns seriously over new cybersecurity and digital regulations, warning they could create difficulties for Chinese companies operating in Europe.
Russia and Ukraine have swapped prisoners of war, according to officials on both sides. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 193 prisoners, including soldiers and border guards, had been returned from Russia, some injured and facing criminal charges.
Türkiye and the United Kingdom on Thursday signed a wide-ranging strategic partnership agreement to boost bilateral cooperation, especially in defence. The deal, signed in London, signals a “new era” in relations between the two NATO allies.
The U.S. and the European Union are set to sign a memorandum of understanding on Friday to establish a partnership on the procurement and production of critical minerals, the U.S. State Department confirmed late on Thursday.
Russian emergency services have contained a major fire at the Tuapse oil refinery on the Black Sea coast, local officials said on Thursday, ending a four-day effort after a Ukrainian drone strike.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment