Name: Venezuelans in Colombia fear escalation as U.S pressures Maduro
Uploaded: 2025-12-28T08:03:43.186Z
Duration: 2 min 16 s
Description: The increased US military pressure on Venezuela has left millions in the region on edge, especially among Venezuelans living in Colombia. Washington has been seizing oil tankers and launching strikes on alleged drug traffickers off the Venezuelan coast.

The increased US military pressure on Venezuela has left millions in the region on edge, especially among Venezuelans living in Colombia. Washington has been seizing oil tankers and launching strikes on alleged drug traffickers off the Venezuelan coast.

Caracas

Venezuelans living in Colombia are expressing growing anxiety as the United States increases military and economic pressure on the government of Nicolás Maduro. Many exiles in Bogota are concerned about the potential for escalation, especially following U.S. operations targeting drug and oil shipments off Venezuela's coast and recent attacks on Venezuelan activists.

While the U.S. has expanded its military presence in the Caribbean, officials indicate a focus on economic measures rather than direct intervention. The Maduro government has responded by tightening control and releasing some political prisoners, though human rights groups say this is insufficient. Many Venezuelans in Colombia remain skeptical about the likelihood of significant change and continue to watch developments with uncertainty.

Venezuelans in Colombia fear escalation as U.S pressures Maduro

The smell of Venezuelan corn cakes fills the air at the San Roque food park in Bogota. It's a place that feels and tastes like home for many Venezuelans who fled their country's economic and political collapse. Now it's also a place to share anxiety over US military operations off Venezuela's coast. For months American forces have been bombing boats allegedly carrying drugs and more recently seizing oil tankers. The possibility of an invasion is obviously a concern. We know it could lead to many deaths, chaos inside the country and directly affect the population. The government of Nicolás Maduro has seized on the threat, tightening its grip on dissent at home and abroad. And Bogota fears have deepened after two Venezuelan activists were wounded in targeted attacks. Many of the people here were reluctant to talk on camera about these issues, fearing retaliation against their family members back in Venezuela, but off camera they all shared a mix of hope about the possibility of changing their country and also deep concern of the consequences of a wider conflict. Signals from Washington remain mixed. While the US military presence in the Caribbean continues to grow, officials told the news agency Reuters that the White House is prioritising economic pressure and the de facto quarantine of Venezuelan oil over direct military action. At the same time, Venezuela's government says it has released 99 prisoners detained after protests over the disputed 2024 election, framing the move as a gesture toward peace even as it denounces what it calls US aggression. Human rights organisations call the move insufficient given that at least another 900 remain in prisons. Back at San Roque, some say they're not ready to bet the pressure will bring change. At this point, after 10 years outside the country, expectations are not very high. For more than 20 years there have been different opportunities, but none of them have materialised. For now, many are focusing on daily life in exile, watching events back home with uncertainty and few clear answers.

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