Gunfire was reported late Monday night in the vicinity of Venezuela’s presidential palace, unsettling residents in central Caracas just days after former leader Nicolas Maduro was captured in a dramatic United States military operation. Witness accounts indicated that the shots were fired around 8:00 pm local time near the Miraflores Palace, a location that has long served as the symbolic center of political authority in the country.

According to sources cited by AFP, the incident was brief and was quickly brought under control by security forces stationed around the palace complex. The gunfire reportedly followed the sighting of unidentified drones flying over restricted airspace near the presidential grounds. Officials familiar with the situation said security personnel opened fire as a precautionary measure in response to the perceived threat, though no injuries or damage were immediately reported.

The incident occurred only hours after Delcy Rodriguez, a senior political figure and close ally of the former administration, was sworn in as interim president following Maduro’s removal from office. The timing of the gunfire added to an already tense atmosphere in the capital, where heightened security and uncertainty have prevailed since the weekend’s events that reshaped Venezuela’s political leadership.

Residents living in neighborhoods near the palace described hearing bursts of gunfire echoing through the area. Several said the sounds were alarming but noticeably less intense than the heavy pre-dawn attack over the weekend that culminated in Maduro’s arrest. One resident, who requested anonymity for safety reasons, said the immediate reaction was confusion rather than panic. The individual recalled scanning the sky for aircraft but instead noticing two red lights moving overhead, which were believed to be drones.

The sounds drew many people to their windows as they tried to understand what was unfolding. Residents said it was unclear at first whether the noise was related to military aircraft or another phase of the ongoing security operations in the city. The uncertainty reflected broader public anxiety as Venezuelans continue to process the rapid political changes of recent days.

Videos circulating on social media appeared to show tracer rounds streaking into the night sky, along with uniformed security personnel running toward the gates of the Miraflores Palace moments after the gunfire began. The authenticity of the footage could not be independently verified, and authorities did not immediately comment on the images or provide further operational details.

The latest incident follows the capture of Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, during a large-scale operation launched by US forces on Saturday. The operation marked a significant escalation in international involvement in Venezuela’s long-running political crisis and set off a chain of events that led to the swift installation of an interim government.

While officials stressed that Monday night’s gunfire did not signal a broader breakdown in security, the episode underscored the fragile and volatile conditions in Caracas. With political power in transition and security forces on high alert, residents remain watchful as Venezuela enters a new and uncertain chapter.