Venezuela’s small Jewish community is largely taking a wait-and-see approach following the ouster of socialist President Nicolas Maduro in a US military raid early Saturday.

Jews in the country’s capital city of Caracas and Venezuelan Jews living outside the country expressed cautious optimism about the prospects of regime change, but remain fearful of retaliation after decades of repression, with Venezuela’s leadership still partially intact and its future largely in limbo.

“Everyone is very happy about the news, but they have to be very cautious,” said Daniel Behar, a Venezuelan expatriate who decamped for Israel 20 years ago as the authoritarian regime consolidated power under Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chávez. “There is fear that the entire community might face repercussions later on.”

Maduro, who allied with Iran and embraced anti-Zionist rhetoric, was captured by US forces in a stunning raid on Caracas and surrounding areas in the pre-dawn hours of Saturday. The deposed leader and his wife were whisked to New York to face federal narcotrafficking charges.

As news of Maduro’s capture rippled out, exiled Venezuelans waved flags and celebrated in plazas from Madrid to Santiago. About eight million Venezuelans have fled the grinding poverty and political suppression of their homeland, including most of the Jewish community, which once counted in the tens of thousands.

In Caracas, though, streets were calm in the wake of the stunning raid, and Venezuela’s military said it recognized Delcy Rodriguez — previously Maduro’s vice president — as acting president, urging people to resume normal life.

The Trump administration says it is willing to work with the remainder of Maduro’s government as long as Washington’s goals, particularly opening access to US investment in Venezuela’s enormous crude oil reserves, are met.

A history of violence and threats by government officials to expropriate Jewish schools, restaurants, and other institutions has made community members fearful of rejoicing too soon, according to Behar.

“The community’s chief rabbi has warned many times not to publicly oppose the government,” he said. “There was always a fear that if something happens, people will blame Israel and the Jews.”

The country’s Jewish community........

© The Times of Israel