Colectivos Reel After Overnight Airstrikes and Maduro’s Sudden Ouster

Explosions shook Caracas through the night as US warplanes thundered overhead, sending Jorge Suarez and his fellow colectivo members scrambling for their weapons. For these armed loyalists of Venezuela’s leftist leadership, the raid that removed Nicolas Maduro from power was the most dramatic test they had ever faced.

Suarez described the chaos as something straight out of a thriller. Wearing dark sunglasses and a cap that read “Doubt is treason,” he said they immediately took to the streets, waiting for orders from their leaders.

The colectivos, long seen as defenders of the socialist Bolivarian revolution, are furious and disoriented. Many believe Maduro’s downfall could only have happened through betrayal from within. Willians, a 43 year old member of the Boina Roja collective, said frustration and anger are running high. He pointed to unexplained failures in key defense systems and questioned how anti aircraft and rocket launch systems could have collapsed so easily.

Formed under Hugo Chavez, the colectivos have been responsible for maintaining order on the streets, though critics accuse them of intimidation and violence. Now they have rallied behind Delcy Rodriguez, Maduro’s former deputy who has stepped in as interim president.

Rodriguez has promised to work with US President Donald Trump on his push for access to Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, while insisting the country will not be subordinate to Washington. Some colectivos reject claims circulating after Maduro’s ouster, including suggestions that Rodriguez is aligned with the United States or that further bombings are imminent.

Their loyalty to her is rooted in her family history. Rodriguez’s father, a far left activist, died in state custody in 1976. Alfredo Canchica, leader of the Fundacion 3 Raíces collective, said that legacy commands respect. He added that while people can be betrayed, a father’s memory cannot.

Despite their anger, colectivo members remain guarded about what comes next under Trump and Rodriguez. Canchica said they do not believe threats that foreign forces will move in and remove them from the streets.