With the president’s departure, Venezuelans rush to stock up on food

Venezuelans began lining up at supermarkets across the country on Saturday (3) to stock up on supplies, as they woke up to the news that the United States had launched airstrikes on the capital and captured the country’s leader, Nicolás Maduro.

While many stores in Caracas, the capital, were closed, some that opened found dozens of people already waiting outside.

People filled their carts with water, toilet paper and other products.

Few cars circulated on the streets, and there were no signs of public transport. Areas near a military base that was attacked were without electricity.

Users of a private internet company, Vnet, reported service outages.

In the Plaza Venezuela neighborhood of Caracas, Alondra, a 32-year-old woman who preferred not to disclose her last name out of fear, said she had just returned to the capital after the December holidays and had no food at home.

“I’m not happy,” I said while shopping. “I understand how delicate the situation is, and I am afraid that things will get worse in the country.”

The tension increased because some people jumped the queue, which did not move forward.

“We have already suffered so much,” he added. “I’m feeling hopeless, thinking that everything could get worse and that we won’t make it.”

Videos from La Candelaria, in central Caracas, showed dozens of people queuing to buy food.

In a store in a public housing complex in the city, around 10 people were waiting to fill gallons of water.

In La Guaira, a region close to the sites of the attacks, residents sent videos showing damage to a residential building. A local journalist said that government supporters had taken control of the block and were prohibiting access.

In Valencia, a city two hours west of Caracas, supermarkets opened early.

Panic buying caused some people to take two cars to transport all the products they purchased.

“We don’t know what’s going on — nobody knows,” said Cecilia Martínez, 47. “But there are five of us in my house and my parents are over 80, so I can’t wait until they say whether there will be a curfew or not. That’s why I came here and spent everything I had.”

José López, 29, at another store in Valencia, said he bought two dozen eggs. “There is a lot of anxiety and uncertainty,” he said.

In the states of Zulia and Táchira, on Venezuela’s border with Colombia, about 400 miles west of Caracas, people queuing up at supermarkets said their biggest fear was running out of food.

“Thank God we are far from Caracas, but we are afraid that the bombings will reach Maracaibo too,” said Martha Rangel, a 63-year-old woman who lives in the city. “I don’t have a lot of money, but I’m going to buy cheese and flour to make arepas and have something at home.”

The governor of the state of Sucre, about 520 km east of Caracas, appeared in a city square on Saturday morning and called on supporters of the ruling party to gather later.

“We demand that the entire world speaks out against the threat and chaos that they tried to sow in our homeland,” said Governor Jhoanna Carrillo.

People in Sucre queued up to fill up with gasoline, although many gas stations were closed.

Armed civilians supporting the government began gathering in caravans in Cumaná, the capital of Sucre, and many people were scared.

“Everyone knows what that means,” said Alejandro Barreto, 26. “The only thing that matters now is buying food.”