In the busy plazas of Caracas, life seems normal — vendors sell sweets, shopkeepers rush to restock shelves, and people move through their routines. Yet beneath this familiar rhythm, a growing tension lingers. With the United States deploying military assets near Venezuela’s coast and heated rhetoric escalating between Washington and Caracas, residents of the capital hold mixed emotions — hope for some, scepticism for others, and a fierce sense of homeland loyalty for many.
For people like 52-year-old farmer and fruit seller David Oropeza, any foreign military threat is personal. Despite requiring regular medical treatment, he says he would defend his country if the US attacked.
“The homeland is the homeland, and my army is my army,” he says, waiting for a bus downtown. “I would be knee-deep in the dirt with them.”
A divided response to US pressure
The US has carried out nearly two dozen strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific since September, killing more than 80 people, without presenting public evidence that the targeted boats carried drugs or smugglers. Experts say these actions may violate international law.
Trump has also suggested potential ground operations against alleged traffickers “on land,” raising fears of a direct attack on Venezuela. Massive deployments — including the USS Gerald R Ford and thousands of troops — have intensified anxieties nationwide.
Some Venezuelans, however, believe this pressure could weaken President Nicolas Maduro. Chocolates vendor Carolina Tovar, 60, says she hopes the US pressure leads to change.
“Venezuela is going to be free,” she says confidently. But polling shows she is in the minority.
What Venezuelans really think
Most people in the country are far more consumed by inflation, survival, and salaries than geopolitics. According to recent polling:
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55% oppose sanctions
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55% oppose any foreign military action
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The biggest concerns are civilian casualties, civil war, and deeper economic collapse
Most Venezuelans don’t identify clearly with either the government or the opposition. Many feel stuck in the middle.
Between patriotism and fear
Even critics of Maduro, like Oropeza, reject the idea of foreign intervention.
“Nobody wants war. We want peace,” he says, adding that military escalation enriches elites — both in Venezuela and abroad.
Maduro, meanwhile, has mobilised troops and militias, testing anti-air systems and preparing civilians for a potential confrontation.
Younger Venezuelans see resource interests
For many young people, like 24-year-old supermarket worker Diego Mejia, the threat feels tied to Venezuela’s vast natural resources — oil, gas, gold, diamonds, and strategic minerals.
“If the US wanted to come here, they already would have,” he says. “They’re interested in our resources.”
Fear, hope, uncertainty
For others, like 34-year-old mother Dalibeth Brea, the situation sparks both hope and fear. She hopes for change, but the idea of violence terrifies her.
“I would hide,” she says quietly. Her plan is simple: stock food and keep her family together.
As night falls over Caracas, Venezuelans remain suspended between calm routines and the possibility of conflict — unsure whether the storm will arrive, or pass them by.