Masked militias are searching phones and cars in Caracas looking for one thing, and people are too scared to leave their homes

Armed motorcycle gangs are patrolling the streets of Caracas, searching for anyone who supports Donald Trump and his military action in Venezuela. The Colectivos, a group of paramilitary militias, still back former leader Nicolas Maduro and have set up checkpoints to search vehicles.

According to The Daily Mail, many of these bikers wear masks and carry Kalashnikov rifles. They check phones and cars for any signs that people support Trump’s operation in Caracas. They work as an unofficial tool of the state.

After Maduro’s arrest, Venezuela’s government declared a 90-day state of emergency. The order tells police to immediately find and arrest everyone involved in promoting or supporting the armed attack by the United States. So far, they have arrested 14 journalists, with 11 of them from other countries. Others are still missing.

The militia enjoys strong backing from a top government official

Many Colectivos members have been photographed with Diosdado Cabello, Maduro’s Interior, Justice, and Peace Minister. Cabello still believes Maduro is Venezuela’s rightful president. The US has placed a $50 million bounty on Cabello’s head for drug trafficking.

Cabello released a statement through the United Socialist Party of Venezuela saying the unity of the revolutionary force is guaranteed and that Nicolas Maduro Moros is the only president. ‘Here, the unity of the revolutionary force is more than guaranteed, and here there is only one president, whose name is Nicolas Maduro Moros. Let no one fall for the enemy’s provocations,’ they said. 

He told people not to fall for the enemy’s tricks. A video showing Cabello with militia members has spread on social media, where they chant a slogan that means “Always loyal, never traitors.”Other videos show the Colectivos calling Americans and Trump supporters “pigs” who want to steal the nation’s resources. 

Their presence has made many people afraid to leave their homes. One anonymous citizen who opposes Maduro said they fear having their phone searched and getting imprisoned for going against the government. The situation mirrors disturbing cases where wealthy clients paid to hunt vulnerable people in conflict zones.

Nobel Peace Prize winner and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said on Monday that the Colectivos are “really alarming.” However, Interim President Delcy Rodriguez, who was Maduro’s vice president, took a softer approach in a Sunday statement. She invited the US government to work together on cooperation aimed at shared development within international law.

On Tuesday, Trump announced a deal with the Venezuelan regime to give the United States 30 to 50 million barrels of oil, potentially worth up to $2 billion. Trump has openly stated that the military operation to remove Maduro was partly an attempt to get some of oil-rich Venezuela’s supply. 

He said on Truth Social that the interim authorities will turn over between 30 and 50 million barrels of high-quality sanctioned oil to the United States. Critics have questioned Trump’s shifting stance on foreign policy and military intervention decisions.