Fearful Of Shortages, Venezuelans Rush To Supermarkets And Line Up Hours After U.S. Operation Captures Nicolás Maduro And Cilia Flores; Streets Wake Up Empty, Memories Of 2017 Resurface, And -80% GDP Crisis Along With Hyperinflation Haunt.

Written by Maria Heloisa Barbosa Borges

Published on 03/01/2026 at 23:36

Venezuelanos enfrentam crise econômica em Caracas após captura de Nicolás Maduro, temendo desabastecimento e filas em meio à incerteza política.

2 people reacted to this.

Hours After The US Operation That Captured Nicolás Maduro And Cília Flores, Venezuelans Lined Up In Supermarkets In Caracas. The Streets Were Deserted, But The Fear Of Shortages Rekindled Memories Of 2017. Amid Uncertainty, The GDP Crisis And Hyperinflation Haunt The Capital Of The Country.

In Caracas, Venezuelans reacted with urgency and caution after a US operation led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro and first lady Cília Flores. Still on the morning when the streets were deserted, lines began to grow outside supermarkets, driven by the fear of shortages and political uncertainty.

The fear does not come from nowhere: In 2017, many Venezuelans reported experiencing long lines and constant scarcity. And, in the last decade, the country faced a drop of 80% in GDP, along with four consecutive years of hyperinflation, a history that comes back to memory when the scenario abruptly changes.

What Happened In Caracas In The Hours That Followed

According to reports from the ground, the capital began the day with deserted streets after the operation that resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro and Cília Flores. Hours later, the situation changed: Venezuelans began to concentrate in supermarkets, forming lines.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

Why The Fear Of Shortages Escalates So Quickly

One of the testimonies summarizes the behavior: the person states that it is “basically instinct” after years of scarcity.

The account states that they spent six years living with product shortages and almost constant lines, which means that, at any sign of instability, restocking becomes a priority.

In practice, the items mentioned as daily necessities are simple: eggs, flour, and meat.

The statement shows that Venezuelans were not seeking luxury but trying to secure the basics before the situation worsened.

Memories Of 2017 Return To The Center Of The Debate

The comparison with 2017 appears explicitly in the material. One testimony states: “I think we are going back to 2017,” recalling that in that year it was necessary to stand in long lines, feeling of collective exhaustion.

Another phrase reinforces the emotional weight: “I think this is the last line I will stand in,” alongside a plea for “whoever takes control” to end the cycle of weariness.

What is evident is that, for many Venezuelans, the line has become a symbol of a time that no one wants to repeat.

The Economic Crisis Behind The Panic

The text describes that Venezuela, with 30 million inhabitants, has undergone an unprecedented economic crisis during Nicolás Maduro’s government.

The central data point is the magnitude of the shock: the GDP fell by 80% in a decade.

Moreover, the ground reports indicate that the country experienced four consecutive years of hyperinflation, a factor that erodes confidence in supply and prices of any product.

This history helps explain why Venezuelans respond so quickly to signs of political rupture.

What Venezuelans Say In The Lines

The testimonies highlight two points at the same time: necessity and exhaustion. On one hand, the urge to buy “whatever is necessary.”

On the other hand, the weariness with “so many things we don’t like,” indicating accumulated social fatigue.

Overall, the scene described is of Venezuelans trying to regain control in an environment where normality seems fragile, and where past experiences still dictate immediate decisions.

In your opinion, are Venezuelans reacting out of rational precaution or from real trauma of 2017 that still dictates the country’s behavior?

Fearful Of Shortages, Venezuelans Rush To Supermarkets And Line Up Hours After U.S. Operation Captures Nicolás Maduro And Cilia Flores; Streets Wake Up Empty, Memories Of 2017 Resurface, And -80% GDP Crisis Along With Hyperinflation Haunt.

Hours After The US Operation That Captured Nicolás Maduro And Cília Flores, Venezuelans Lined Up In Supermarkets In Caracas. The Streets Were Deserted, But The Fear Of Shortages Rekindled Memories Of 2017. Amid Uncertainty, The GDP Crisis And Hyperinflation Haunt The Capital Of The Country.

What Happened In Caracas In The Hours That Followed

Why The Fear Of Shortages Escalates So Quickly

Memories Of 2017 Return To The Center Of The Debate

The Economic Crisis Behind The Panic

What Venezuelans Say In The Lines

A Chinese factory in Guangdong is assembling a humanoid robot every 30 minutes while Tesla, Figure, and Boston Dynamics still struggle to deliver 10 thousand per year.

In Niger, mud buildings have stood for ten generations while the world spends billions on concrete and steel, now African architects are proving at the Venice Biennale and in real projects that red earth can be the smartest and most sustainable building material of the 21st century.

Seven world powers including the US, China, and Russia are spending €22 billion on a reactor in the south of France that aims to confine plasma at 150 million degrees Celsius, ten times the temperature of the Sun’s core, using a magnetic field capable of lifting an entire aircraft carrier.

Secret chamber sealed 4,500 years ago found in the Pyramid of Khufu, and Hawass announces its opening to the world in 2026

With a wingspan of 152 meters, 76 tires, and a capacity to carry 1,270 tons, the Boeing Pelican was the giant “flying ship” that promised to cross oceans close to the water on an invisible air cushion beneath its wings.

A public school student single-handedly created a machine capable of treating water for up to 50 people using only solar energy. It was awarded third place at one of the most important science fairs in the world.

Germany installed vertical solar panels on a lake in Bavaria, and the result broke conventional logic: instead of producing energy at midday peak, the plant generates more early in the morning and in the evening, exactly when families turn on appliances and factories are in full swing.

Iran seizes the Chinese tanker Ocean Koi in the Strait of Hormuz while 1.6 million barrels per day flow amid the war with the USA.

Star of The Passion of the Christ, American director, and R$ 61 million: audio of Flávio Bolsonaro reveals behind-the-scenes of film about his father

Abandoned silo in Johannesburg turned into student housing with 375 apartments, ten concrete floors, and four levels of colorful containers stacked on top of the former South African industrial structure for local university students.

European ship will transport captured CO₂ to be stored under the North Sea as the Greensand project prepares the first industrial offshore storage in the European Union to operate in 2026 with an initial target of 400,000 tons per year in Denmark.

Renault 5 Turbo 3E will return in 2027 with 540 hp, electric motors inside the rear wheels, 4,800 Nm of torque, and production limited to 1,980 units to transform an urban compact into an electric “mini-supercar.”

Fearful Of Shortages, Venezuelans Rush To Supermarkets And Line Up Hours After U.S. Operation Captures Nicolás Maduro And Cilia Flores; Streets Wake Up Empty, Memories Of 2017 Resurface, And -80% GDP Crisis Along With Hyperinflation Haunt.

Hours After The US Operation That Captured Nicolás Maduro And Cília Flores, Venezuelans Lined Up In Supermarkets In Caracas. The Streets Were Deserted, But The Fear Of Shortages Rekindled Memories Of 2017. Amid Uncertainty, The GDP Crisis And Hyperinflation Haunt The Capital Of The Country.

What Happened In Caracas In The Hours That Followed

Why The Fear Of Shortages Escalates So Quickly

Memories Of 2017 Return To The Center Of The Debate

The Economic Crisis Behind The Panic

What Venezuelans Say In The Lines

A Chinese factory in Guangdong is assembling a humanoid robot every 30 minutes while Tesla, Figure, and Boston Dynamics still struggle to deliver 10 thousand per year.

In Niger, mud buildings have stood for ten generations while the world spends billions on concrete and steel, now African architects are proving at the Venice Biennale and in real projects that red earth can be the smartest and most sustainable building material of the 21st century.

Seven world powers including the US, China, and Russia are spending €22 billion on a reactor in the south of France that aims to confine plasma at 150 million degrees Celsius, ten times the temperature of the Sun’s core, using a magnetic field capable of lifting an entire aircraft carrier.

Secret chamber sealed 4,500 years ago found in the Pyramid of Khufu, and Hawass announces its opening to the world in 2026

With a wingspan of 152 meters, 76 tires, and a capacity to carry 1,270 tons, the Boeing Pelican was the giant “flying ship” that promised to cross oceans close to the water on an invisible air cushion beneath its wings.

A public school student single-handedly created a machine capable of treating water for up to 50 people using only solar energy. It was awarded third place at one of the most important science fairs in the world.

Germany installed vertical solar panels on a lake in Bavaria, and the result broke conventional logic: instead of producing energy at midday peak, the plant generates more early in the morning and in the evening, exactly when families turn on appliances and factories are in full swing.

How to clear your CPF in 30 days and recover credit for low-value debts with the new Desenrola 2.0

Silent shift gains national scale: LEO satellite network could move R$ 89 billion in the Brazilian GDP by 2035 and accelerate digital inclusion in isolated regions, transforming infrastructure, productivity, and technological access on a large scale.

Free buses in Brazil: with a new law approved in the Chamber, cities will be able to use Cide Combustíveis funds to reduce fares, create free rides, and ensure toll exemptions for public transport while more than 170 municipalities have already adopted benefits.

Espírito Santo advances with strategy to host a chip factory aimed at GWM’s operation and bets on high value-added industrial infrastructure; the project could boost qualified jobs and strengthen national technological autonomy.

Brazil copies the USA and Canada to create completely silent houses with filled panels that reduce construction time by up to 60%, eliminate thermal bridges, and allow for the construction of complete properties in a few weeks.

Iran seizes the Chinese tanker Ocean Koi in the Strait of Hormuz while 1.6 million barrels per day flow amid the war with the USA.

Star of The Passion of the Christ, American director, and R$ 61 million: audio of Flávio Bolsonaro reveals behind-the-scenes of film about his father

Abandoned silo in Johannesburg turned into student housing with 375 apartments, ten concrete floors, and four levels of colorful containers stacked on top of the former South African industrial structure for local university students.

European ship will transport captured CO₂ to be stored under the North Sea as the Greensand project prepares the first industrial offshore storage in the European Union to operate in 2026 with an initial target of 400,000 tons per year in Denmark.

Renault 5 Turbo 3E will return in 2027 with 540 hp, electric motors inside the rear wheels, 4,800 Nm of torque, and production limited to 1,980 units to transform an urban compact into an electric “mini-supercar.”