Shocked Venezuelans hunker down, unsure of what comes next

Jan 3 (Reuters) - Venezuelan security forces patrolled largely empty streets at dawn in the capital, Caracas, on Saturday, hours after loud explosions woke residents to the news that U.S. commandos had bombed the country and captured President Nicolas Maduro.

Streets close to the Miraflores presidential palace were deserted except for checkpoints manned by uniformed gunmen, as residents expressed their shock at a U.S. military strike that left them guessing who was now in charge of the oil-rich nation.

Smoke streaked the sky, with a dark plume still billowing from the direction of the Port of La Guaira to the north, while another was visible near an air base in the capital.

Most residents stayed home, devouring the latest information on their phones, while some went to stock up on groceries in case they need to hunker down for a prolonged period.

For supporters of the opposition, led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado, excitement was also in the air.

"My sister, who is in the United States, woke me up with the news; she was crying. We cried together out of happiness," said Jairo Chacin, 39, a mechanic and workshop owner in oil hub Maracaibo, as he waited in a long line to stock up on groceries.

"I went out to check on my business because I was afraid of looting, but the street is deserted. I wanted to fill up my gas tank, but the service stations are already closed, so I took the opportunity to buy food because we don't know what’s coming. Honestly, I have a mix of fear and joy."

U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed Maduro's capture after months of pressuring him over accusations of drug-running and illegitimacy in power. It was the first such U.S. military intervention since the invasion of Panama in 1989 to depose military leader Manuel Noriega.

Soon after the capture of Maduro, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello appeared on state TV standing on the street and wearing a helmet and flak jacket, urging Venezuelans not to cooperate with the "terrorist enemy".

The Venezuelan opposition said in a statement on X that it had no official comment on the events.

The overnight attack began at about 2 a.m. (0600 GMT), according to Reuters witnesses, who saw blasts, aircraft and black smoke across Caracas for roughly 90 minutes. Video verified by Reuters showed multiple explosions illuminating the night sky, followed by loud blasts. The attack left the southern area of the city, near a major military base, without electricity.

"I couldn’t believe it. I saw it first on social media and then on television. Now, I want to know what will come next," said Nancy Pérez, a 74-year-old woman who went out to a bakery near her home in Valencia, central Venezuela.

One eyewitness video, authenticated by Reuters, captured fire and smoke rising above the Port of La Guaira. The location was confirmed by the port layout, road dividers and buildings, which matched file and satellite imagery. 

Other verified videos captured explosions and smoke at the Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda Air Base in eastern Caracas.

Flight radar trackers on Saturday morning showed the airspace over Venezuela was completely empty.

    Carmen Marquez, 50, who lives in the east of the capital, said she went to her roof and could hear planes at different altitudes, though she could not see them.

"Flare-like lights were crossing the sky and then explosions could be heard. We're worried about what's coming next. We don't know anything from the government, only what the state television says," she said.

(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Mark Bendeich; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)