Caracas once again experienced a night of extreme tension. Two days after the United States military operation that culminated in the arrest of dictator Nicolás Maduro, gunfire and explosions were reported in the vicinity of Miraflores Palace, the seat of the Venezuelan executive branch.
The incidents occurred on Monday night, when users on social media began to share videos and audio recordings in which people could hear bursts of gunfire and loud explosions. In the footage, people can be seen running, seeking shelter in shops and doorways, and a widespread climate of panic can be observed in downtown Caracas.
According to consistent accounts from the area, the situation reportedly broke out around 20:00 (local time), when unidentified drones flew over the perimeter of Miraflores Palace. In response, the regime's anti-aircraft defense units opened fire on the devices, triggering a series of explosions that went on for several minutes.
The incident occurred just hours after Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as the new president of the Chavista regime, in a ceremony broadcast by state television. Strikingly, while explosions could be heard outside, the official channel once again aired the inauguration ceremony, in an evident attempt to project institutional normality amid the chaos.
The area was quickly militarized and Miraflores Palace was guarded by armored vehicles and armed personnel.
