Relief and caution grip Venezuelan Jews after Maduro’s capture

Members of Venezuela’s Jewish community are reportedly reacting with a mixture of relief and unease following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro by United States forces during military strikes that shook Caracas and other parts of the country on 3 January.

The operation, which US officials say ended more than two decades of Maduro’s rule, has prompted many Venezuelan Jews to speak openly about their experience for the first time in years, even as uncertainty over the country’s future deepens.

 

Maduro expressing his support for Palestine and Lebanon (Facebook)

“The Jews here are very, very happy about what’s happening,” Ze’ev Kirtchuk, a former representative of Keren Hayesod in Venezuela who remains in close contact with the community, told Ynet. “Many waited for Maduro to fall and prayed for this day.”

Kirtchuk said the Jewish community in Caracas remained highly organised despite its reduced size, pointing to the continued operation of synagogues, Jewish schools, and separate Ashkenazi and Sephardi communal councils. The community is now between 3000 and 5000 in total.

Another community source with direct contact in Caracas described the atmosphere as tense but cautiously hopeful. “Those who remain are highly organised,” the source told Haaretz, citing strong internal networks and close ties with Israel as key factors helping families cope with the uncertainty.

Venezuela’s Jewish population has declined sharply over the past two decades. From a peak of about 30,000 in the late twentieth century, prolonged economic collapse, political instability and sustained emigration have reduced the community to only a few thousand. Most now live in Caracas, where institutions such as the Israelite Association of Venezuela have anchored Jewish religious and social life for more than a century.

Community leaders say life under Maduro was often difficult, marked by economic hardship and concern over official rhetoric that frequently used the term “Zionist” in a hostile political context. Some statements by senior figures were widely interpreted as contributing to a climate of antisemitism.

In recent days, Jewish representatives have urged caution, discouraging large public gatherings or celebrations. They have warned of the risk of scapegoating or reprisals during a volatile political transition.

Many families are remaining close to their communities, sharing information and reassurance while monitoring developments closely. The coming weeks are widely seen as critical for both Venezuela’s stability and the safety of minority groups.

Following Maduro’s capture, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez delivered a defiant address, convening an emergency meeting of the National Defence Council and accusing the United States of carrying out an attack with what she described as “Zionist undertones”. She demanded the immediate release of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, claimed the operation was aimed at seizing control of Venezuela’s energy resources, and announced the deployment of military forces across major cities. Rodríguez also urged citizens to mobilise in defence of the government and thanked allied nations for their support.

By contrast, Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado has reportedly pledged to make Venezuela Israel’s strongest ally in Latin America.

Iran’s state-run Al-Alam television reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi spoke by phone with his Venezuelan counterpart to condemn the US action.

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that American forces had conducted a “large-scale strike” against Venezuela and captured Maduro and Flores. The pair were flown to New York to face federal charges linked to an alleged narco-terrorism conspiracy.

Jewish community leaders say rhetoric from senior Venezuelan officials has heightened concern about the potential for antisemitic backlash during the current power vacuum.

Venezuela’s Jewish community

Jewish presence in Venezuela dates back to the mid-seventeenth century, when Marranos, Jews forced to convert in Spain and Portugal, settled in areas including Tucacas and Caracas to escape the Inquisition. The earliest known synagogue operated in Tucacas between 1708 and 1720.

In the nineteenth century, Sephardic Jews arrived from Curaçao, followed by migrants from North Africa and Eastern Europe in the early twentieth century. After World War II, Ashkenazi Jews from Germany, Austria, Hungary and Romania joined the community, which became active in commerce, education and cultural life.

The election of Hugo Chávez in 1999 marked a turning point. His government’s rhetoric towards Israel, the severing of diplomatic ties in 2009, and closer alignment with Iran coincided with growing insecurity for Jewish institutions and accelerated emigration.

Under Maduro, economic collapse, hyperinflation and shortages further strained community life. Jewish families reported increased caution in public expression of identity, concerns about antisemitic messaging, and pressure to keep a low profile.

While some members of the Venezuelan Jewish diaspora have welcomed Maduro’s removal, those who remain in the country say they are focused on safety and stability rather than celebration, as Venezuela enters another uncertain chapter.

With additional reporting from JNS