This should be a sensitive topic, but instead it's seemed more like a comedy show. Unfortunately.

I say this with irony and regret. I'm referring especially to how this has been viewed from abroad, and even worse, on social media and other forms of communication.

The feeling among people inside Venezuela is fear, yes, fear. They updated the official gazette and added new articles, one of which states that anyone who celebrates what happened on January 3rd can be imprisoned. There are operations underway in different parts of the country where armed individuals are checking people's phones. This is seen more frequently and intensely in Caracas.

Article 2. As a consequence of the declaration of a State of External Disturbance referred to in this Decree, the following are ordered immediately:

1. The mobilization of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces throughout the national territory and the use of existing potential as a national power to repel foreign aggression. The mobilization will be under the direct authority of the President of the Republic, assisted by the National Defense Council and the Ministries and other involved agencies.
2. The militarization of public service infrastructure, the oil industry, and other basic state industries. The personnel of such services or companies will be temporarily subjected to military rule.
3. The reinforcement of patrols and security on land, air, and sea borders.
4. Implementation of the special public security deployment plans that have been developed to address this situation.
5. The deployment of the Command for the Comprehensive Defense of the Nation and the Governing Bodies for Comprehensive Defense in all states and municipalities of the country.
6. Make the necessary budgetary and financial provisions to address the extraordinary situation, which will be considered inherent to the security and defense of the Nation.

Article 3. The President of the Republic may issue all political, legal, administrative, economic, and social measures he deems necessary to restore the situation, including the following:

1. Order the requisition of goods necessary for national defense.
2. Restrict entry into the national territory or close national borders.
3. Restrict the free movement of persons or vehicles of any kind or type within the national territory.
4. Suspend the right to public meetings and demonstrations.
5. Order certain natural or legal persons, whether public or private, to cooperate with the competent authorities for the protection of persons, property, and places, and impose extraordinary services upon them due to their duration or nature.
6. Issue other exceptional and temporary regulations that may be necessary to repel any external threat or hostile action, restore internal order, and protect the rights of the population.
7. Any other measure that may be necessary to protect the Venezuelan people, the integrity of the territory, and Venezuelan sovereignty.

Article 4. The President of the Republic, by Decree, may issue other social, economic, or political measures that he deems appropriate to the circumstances, expanding the powers of the National Executive, in accordance with Articles 337, 338, and 339 of the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and Article 6 of the Organic Law on States of Exception, with the purpose of restoring normalcy in the shortest possible time and overcoming the exceptional situation that motivates this Decree.

Article 5. The national, state, and municipal police agencies shall immediately undertake the search and capture throughout the national territory of any person involved in promoting or supporting the armed attack by the United States of America against the territory of the Republic, for the purpose of placing them at the disposal of the Public Prosecutor's Office and the criminal justice system, with a view to their trial, in compliance with all procedural guarantees inherent to due process and the right to defense.

Article 6. In the execution of this Decree, all measures shall be taken to guarantee the rights to life; recognition of legal personality; protection of the family; equality before the law; nationality; personal liberty or the prohibition of enforced disappearance of persons; personal, physical, mental, and moral integrity; the prohibition of subjection to slavery or servitude; freedom of thought, conscience, and religion; legality and non-retroactivity of laws, especially criminal laws; due process; constitutional protection; participation, suffrage, and access to public office; and the right to information.

Any measure issued based on this declaration of a State of External Disturbance, as well as its execution or implementation, must be proportionate to the situation being addressed with respect to its severity, nature, and scope.

This declaration of a State of External Disturbance in no way interrupts the functioning of the organs of Public Power.

Article 7. I instruct the Strategic Operational Command of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces to effectively carry out the command and control of the operations that must be conducted by virtue of the declaration of a State of External Disturbance in this Decree throughout the entire geographic space of the Nation: continental, insular, aquatic, and aerospace areas, keeping the President of the Republic permanently informed.

Article 8. I order the Militia, Militiamen and Militiawomen designated to carry out Military Defense actions, to remain at their Natural Command and remain at the disposal of the Territorial Defense System, until the State of Exception declared in accordance with the provisions of this Decree ends.

Article 9. The Public Authorities, governors, mayors, garrison commanders, citizen security agencies, the administrative police, the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, as well as any other duly constituted authority, are obligated to collaborate in the full implementation of the measures referred to in this Decree.

Article 10. The Minister of People's Power for Foreign Affairs shall notify the Security Council of the United Nations of the measures taken by the Republic in the exercise of the right of legitimate self-defense against the armed attack by the United States of America, requesting, in turn, the adoption of additional measures to maintain international peace and security.

The Minister of People's Power for Foreign Affairs will also promptly inform the international community, the United Nations, and other international multilateral bodies of the illegitimate and unjustified aggression to which the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is being subjected, as well as the measures taken through this Decree to protect the existence of the Republic and the rights of the population.

Article 11. The entire population, in every corner of the country and throughout the national territory, is urged to assume with firm patriotic fervor the defense of our Nation, collaborating and actively participating in the implementation of this Decree, in a civic-military-police union, for the peace of the country, our independence, our sovereignty, and the right to development.

Article 12. This Decree has the rank and force of law and a duration of ninety (90) days, counted from its publication in the Official Gazette of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, extendable for an additional ninety (90) days in accordance with the constitutional procedure.

From the date this Decree enters into force, the articles in current laws that are incompatible with the measures dictated in said decree are temporarily suspended.

Article 13. This Decree shall be submitted to the National Assembly within eight (8) consecutive days following its issuance, for its consideration and approval. Within the same period, it shall also be submitted to the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice, so that it may rule on its constitutionality, in accordance with the Organic Law on States of Emergency.

Armed pro government groups are checking vehicles on the streets of Caracas to identify and arrest those who oppose the dictatorship.
https://x.com/i/status/2008228466458849692

Armed civilians set up checkpoints and inspect vehicles on the Caracas highway in the absence of the Armed Forces
https://www.ntn24.com/noticias-actualidad/civiles-armados-instalan-alcabalas-y-revisan-vehiculos-en-plena-autopista-de-caracas-en-ausencia-de-la-fuerza-armada-599121

Photo and message on official government social media: "To doubt is to betray"

Photo of a pro Maduro march in Caracas; what they don't say is that many of the people there were forced or threatened.

Police in Mérida state announce the arrest of two people for “celebrating the kidnapping of President Maduro”.

Despite this situation, people must continue with their routines. For the past two days, the streets and shops were deserted or closed, but today activities continue as usual.

Besides walking around with your head down because there are armed people in the streets with permission to kill just because, you live with the uncertainty and the constant thought "how long will this last?"

It's all jokes, marketing, and conspiracy theories on the internet, but those who truly experience reality and its consequences are us ordinary people. It doesn't matter the USA, China, or whatever else people argue about online and abroad at the end of the day, the political leaders sit around the same table, having dinner and laughing.

Let the show begin:

Since President Maduro's capture, the Venezuelan stock market has risen by 73% and since December 23 when President Trump began to intensify pressure on the Maduro government the market has accumulated a spectacular increase of 148%.
https://x.com/i/status/2008604059058794998

Maduro's capture generated $100M in free publicity for Nike.

While the world was talking about the arrest of Nicolás Maduro, the Nike Tech Fleece he was wearing became the most searched product of 2026.

+10,000% Google searches

Sold out in 15 countries in 5 hours

Estimated value: $100M - $1,000M

A Mexican trans woman and left wing activist tries to assault a Venezuelan woman who was celebrating the capture of Nicolas Maduro: "If you celebrate military intervention in your country, you are trash."

A Spanish woman started insulting Venezuelans who were celebrating Maduro's downfall.

"YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT VENEZUELA, DICTATORS, LONG LIVE CHÁVEZ AND MADURO!"

How easy it is to be a communist from afar.
https://x.com/i/status/2007534306550526387

I saw a lot of videos of people in different countries protesting outside US consulates for Maduro's release and against the "terrorist attacks" against Venezuela. Ironically, there weren't any Venezuelans in any of those protests.

Peruvian shamans on December 30, 2025:
"Shamans in Peru predict Maduro's downfall"

IMMIGRANTS WHO ESCAPED SOCIALIST COUNTRIES | LEFT-WING UNIVERSITY STUDENTS