Hoarding, Inflation and Fear: Venezuela Plunges into Uncertainty After U.S. Raid
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On January 4 local time in Caracas, Venezuela, the hotel where Zhang Tian is staying lost power and water. Venezuelan soldiers used gasoline generators to provide electricity for guests and soldiers. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.
At 1:50 a.m. on Jan. 3, just days into the new year, Zhang Tian was jolted from sleep by a massive explosion shaking his apartment in the El Paraíso district of western Caracas.
“Because it was right after New Year’s Day, I thought someone was setting off firecrackers,” Zhang, a Chinese national living in the capital, told Caixin. But the windows of his low-floor apartment began to vibrate violently. His first instinct was grim: “It’s bad. It might be the U.S.”
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- On Jan. 3, 2024, U.S. forces launched airstrikes in Caracas and nearby states, seizing President Nicolas Maduro.
- The attacks caused widespread panic, power outages, economic shocks, and price surges, with cheese prices rising 50% in two days.
- Chinese firms are evacuating personnel; uncertainty prevails among Venezuelan civilians and diaspora regarding the nation's political future.
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What Happened When
- in 2018：
- Venezuela’s inflation rate reached approximately 130,000%.
- at 1:50 a.m. on Jan. 3, 2026：
- Zhang Tian was jolted from sleep by a massive explosion in the El Paraíso district of Caracas.
- by 2 a.m. on Jan. 3, 2026：
- Residents had counted four or five distinct explosions in Caracas.
- around 2:30 a.m. on Jan. 3, 2026：
- Zhang witnessed a strike on the Cuartel de la Montaña 4F, the final explosion of the night.
- early hours of Jan. 3, 2026：
- U.S. forces launched airstrikes against military and civilian targets in Caracas and surrounding states. Nicolas Maduro was seized by U.S. forces and transported to the USS Iwo Jima.
- around 4 a.m. on Jan. 3, 2026：
- Chen Juan in Valencia was woken up and learned about the airstrikes and leadership change.
- By Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026：
- Local cheese price had increased from $6 to $9 per kilogram, a 50% hike since before the attack.
- By Monday, Jan. 5, 2026：
- Locals lined up outside supermarkets and grocery stores in Caracas, Barquisimeto, and Valencia to hoard essentials.
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