Gunfire erupts again in front of Venezuela’s presidential palace

Late on Monday night, gunfire was reported near Venezuela’s Miraflores Presidential Palace in Caracas, according to multiple eyewitnesses. The incident comes just days after a dramatic military operation on Friday, 2 January, during which President Nicolás Maduro and his wife were reportedly taken into custody by U.S. forces.

A source closely associated with the government stated that, despite Maduro’s removal, the situation across Venezuela remains largely under control. Following his detention, Deputy President Delcy Rodríguez was appointed as the interim president.

According to the source, just a few hours after Rodríguez’s inauguration, at around 8:00 p.m. local time (midnight GMT) on Monday, an unidentified drone was observed flying over the central Caracas area where the Miraflores Palace is located. Security forces responded with gunfire.

A resident living five blocks from the palace described the events: “We heard a continuous burst of gunfire, though it was not as intense as the U.S. attack early on Saturday. The gunfire lasted for nearly a minute.” Speaking on condition of anonymity, the witness added, “At first, I tried to see if there was an aircraft in the sky, but there was none. I only saw two red lights hovering above. People were looking out of their windows to see what was happening.”

AFP reached out to Venezuela’s Ministry of Communications for comment, but no immediate response was provided.

Social media footage from the incident shows what appear to be tracer-like projectiles in the sky. The videos also depict numerous security personnel rushing towards the palace after the gunfire erupted.

The tense episode highlights ongoing instability in Venezuela following the controversial U.S. intervention and Maduro’s removal. It remains unclear whether the drone incident represented an isolated security breach or a more organised attempt to target the presidential complex.

Timeline of Key Events

Observers warn that the political and security situation in Venezuela remains unpredictable, with ongoing fears of further clashes near government sites.