Amid escalating US military threats, many Venezuelans in Caracas express that their primary anxieties stem from economic collapse, including hyperinflation and unaffordable food, rather than the potential for armed conflict with the United States.
At the Quinta Crespo market, Alejandro Orellano, a vegetable seller for five years, points to empty aisles and emphasizes that the rising dollar value and lack of customers are his main worries, not US intervention. He savors a coffee while waiting for buyers who seldom come, with Christmas carols failing to lift the gloomy atmosphere dominated by financial concerns. Other vendors and shoppers echo this sentiment, focusing on their wallets and the struggle to afford daily meals despite the geopolitical tensions.
Recent US actions include deploying thousands of troops and the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier to the Caribbean, prompting flight cancellations by international airlines after aviation authorities warned of ‘heightened military activity.’ This follows a series of airstrikes on alleged drug boats that killed over 80 people, part of what the US administration describes as efforts to curb narcotics flow, but President Nicolás Maduro condemns as sabre-rattling designed to push him out of office.
The economic plight is severe: the bolívar is projected to depreciate by 80% this year, with the International Monetary Fund forecasting inflation rates of 548% in 2025 and 629% in 2026, the highest in the continent. A kilo of chicken costs roughly four times the official monthly minimum wage, and government bonuses for retirees and public workers fail to cover the basic food basket. Consuelo, a 74-year-old retired professor, notes that panic buying is impossible due to lack of funds and that worrying about war only exacerbates health issues.
Fear of government reprisals silences many citizens, with over 2,000 people arrested after the disputed 2024 presidential elections and 884 still imprisoned for political reasons, according to the non-governmental organization Foro Penal. Economists consulted for reports decline to comment on record, and a merchant from Ciudad Bolívar reveals that hope for regime change exists but is shared only privately, as people are ‘scared, silent, afraid they’ll throw us in jail.’
Despite the tension, some Venezuelans like Barbara Marrero, a 40-year-old pastry chef, see potential US intervention as a necessary step after years of ‘absolute misery,’ though she acknowledges widespread fear of speaking out. Esther Guevara, a 53-year-old medical lab worker, expresses concern about possible invasion and civilian casualties, feeling that ‘something’s cooking’ but remaining apprehensive about the unknown outcomes.
Javier Jaramillo, 57, shopping in eastern Caracas, doubts an imminent attack and hopes for dialogue or an agreement, though occasional power cuts make him nervous about foreign incursions. He encapsulates the common view: ‘We’re more worried about food. Venezuela is in bad shape. Inflation is eating us alive.’ As daily life continues with street vendors and pedestrians navigating the streets, the focus remains squarely on economic survival.
The situation underscores a population prioritizing immediate hardships over geopolitical risks, with the US keeping options open for both diplomacy and military action under President Donald Trump’s administration. For now, Venezuelans endure an uncertain future where economic deprivation consistently overshadows the specter of war.
