“We Worry More About Food”: Venezuelans Struggle Under Threat of U.S. Military Pressure

As tensions rise between the United States and Venezuela, many ordinary Venezuelans say their greatest concern isn’t war, but putting food on the table.

Despite a growing U.S. military presence, including warships near Venezuelan waters, residents in Caracas and other parts of the country are preoccupied with the soaring cost of living, runaway inflation, and grinding poverty.

While some political and military leaders talk of regime change or armed confrontation, for many Venezuelans, daily survival eclipses any fear of foreign intervention.

At the crowded market of Quinta Crespo, sellers wait for customers amid thin crowds and empty shelves. “There’s not going to be an intervention, nothing like that,” says a vegetable vendor, noting that what truly worries him is “the rise of the dollar.” He sips coffee, casting sidelong glances at the price of goods, more concerned about his dwindling income than distant geopolitical threats.

For many, inflation isn’t just a statistic; it’s a crisis. Economists in Venezuela report that prices have climbed sharply, with some estimating monthly inflation rates near 20 percent. According to international forecasts, the pain may deepen: projections suggest runaway inflation could push prices even higher by next year.

Under these conditions, people say, there’s little room or money to stockpile or panic-buy in anticipation of a military conflict. “I haven’t done any panic buying; you need a lot of money to do that,” says a retired professor.

Fear of speaking out is widespread. Some Venezuelans say they are too afraid to openly debate the U.S. threat or express their political views, after past crackdowns and detentions following protests. “We’re scared, silent, afraid they’ll throw us in jail,” says a market merchant.

Yet, there remains a quiet undercurrent of hope: a pastry chef says she and others are "waiting for something to happen … we’ve been living in absolute misery for years."

Others share genuine concern about the potential for violence. A woman who works in a medical lab wonders what would happen if conflict breaks out: “A lot of innocent people could die … I feel like something’s cooking out there, but I’m waiting.” Still, some perceive a diplomatic solution or at least a deal as more likely than war. A seasoned reseller says he hopes for negotiations rather than confrontation.

Political tensions are high: Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has warned that any external aggression would be met with “maximum preparedness,” mobilizing his forces and civilian militia.

U.S. officials, for their part, say their increased naval presence and military deployments are aimed at countering drug trafficking, but analysts warn this could be a prelude to broader escalation.

But for the average Venezuelan working long hours in the informal economy, balancing the fragile bolívar, and lining up for subsidized staples, the threat of invasion feels distant — and secondary to the more immediate threat of hunger.

Sources: The Washington Post, El País, New Lines Magazine, Euronews