Venezuelans sift through destroyed homes a day after US captured Maduro

Описание: (4 Jan 2026)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Catia la Mar, La Guaira state - 4 January 2026
1. Various of building residents claim was damaged during U.S. military operation
2. Women hugging in front of damaged building
3. Debris
4. Various of resident Wilman Gonzalez picking up debris from his apartment
5. Gonzalez speaking to journalists; UPSOUND (Spanish) "We were sleeping and I imagine the projectile passed through here, hit the (inaudible) and it fell on top of my aunt. We took her alive to the hospital and they put oxygen but there was nothing to do."
6. Gonzalez showing scars and wounds on his face
7. Various of Gonzalez gesturing, explaining how the projectile impacted
8. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Wilman Gonzalez, retiree:
"This has to change, man because we cannot take it anymore. And I'm sorry, they (the government) can put me in jail if they want but it's like that. I'm talking about the actual reality of the country we have. What we want is a government that is good for all Venezuelans, not just a few."
9. Facade of building damaged
10. Man taking out painting of Venezuelan independence hero from his apartment
11. Building damaged
12. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Robinson Dominguez, neighbor:
"I trust God to move us forward. What we lived was very hard, I lived it in the flesh. The sound of those impacts were terrifying. What comes to mind in that moment is to cry out to God but I think these processes are sometimes necessary for us to learn, to grow and for the country to develop. I think that after these ashes something great will come, something prettier, a Venezuela with a new awakening."
11. Various of neighbors watching damaged budling
12. Man walking by damaged building
13. Military tanks on the move

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Caracas, Venezuela - 4 January 2026
14. Man running backwards in front of mural showing deposed president Nicolás Maduro
STORYLINE:
Residents in the Venezuelan coastal state of La Guaira were cleaning up damage to their properties on Sunday following the U.S. operation that captured deposed President Nicolas Maduro and his wife a day earlier.

Wilman González, who said he was left with a black eye from a blast, picked through rubble in his apartment building as he was surrounded by damaged furniture.

One part of his apartment building was almost entirely blown off, leaving walls gaping.

A number of people were killed by the U.S. strikes, though Venezuelan officials did not confirm how many.

Among those killed was González's aunt.

González spoke with anger at the wreckage but also at the compounding economic and political crises that Venezuela has endured for decades.

“We are civilians, we are not with the government or anyone else," he said.

The 16-apartment building had a completely destroyed facade on one half of the building, leaving the inside of apartments exposed amid debris and wreckage.

Robinson Dominguez, who lives on the part of the building that was less affected by the blast, explained how scary the impacts were but he remained hopeful that something good can come out of all of this.

"I think that after these ashes something great will come, something prettier, a Venezuela with a new awakening," he said.

AP video by Juan Arraez

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