A person flutters a national flag in Caracas on January 3, 2026, after US forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Photo: AFP / FEDERICO PARRA
A Venezuelan woman living in New Zealand says her family and friends in Venezuela are happy - but anxious - about the move by the United States to capture the Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
Ari Ruiz and her sister Katherine Halkett have both lived in New Zealand for more than 10 years.
Ruiz said she rang her parents in Venezuela this morning to tell them the news, and her mother broke into happy tears.
Ruiz said her parents hoped this will be the first step towards change for the country.
"There has also been a lot of uncertainty about what comes next," said Katherine Halkett.
"I think that is where a lot of the anxiety comes from, but the mood in Venezuela, of most Venezuelans, is of happiness and hope. The attacks started at about 8 o'clock (pm) New Zealand time, and we haven't stopped watching the news since and it very scary."
Halkett said their parents are in Barquisimeto - about five hours drive from Caracas where the attacks were - and knew nothing of the attacks until their phone call.
Other friends and family members who live in Caracas had a very different experience.
"None of them were in any danger at any point, but there were loud noises, windows shaken by the explosion, and smoke. Very scary of course."
Photo: MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP
Halkett said America's reasons for the attack may be complicated, but she said people who say it was all about oil did not understand the situation in Venezuela.
"To all the people in New Zealand, from the comfort of their couches with all their human rights, I tell them that we in Venezuela have not had access to the petroleum money from the Venezuelan government for many years.
"They have given away our petrol to Iran, to Cuba, to Russia, to China. So for them now to be worried about our petrol when we haven't had our petrol for many years.
"That's why Venezuelans are not really worried about that."
Halkett said people in New Zealand were worried about what will happen with the petrol, but not the torture, state violence and political detainees.
Halkett said about 90 percent of the population lived in poverty, with about half the population in extreme poverty.
"My mum's pension is $US4 a month, and box of 20 eggs is $US10, so people are dying," said Ruiz. "People don't have access to food."
Ruiz said their family and friends say the streets have been very quiet, and it felt as if everyone was waiting to see what will happen next.
