The events of the early morning of January 3 marked a before and after in the lives of the residents of the El Valle, Santa Rosalía and San Pedro parishes, after the United States attacks against several areas of Caracas, mainly in Fort Tiuna, began at approximately 2 am.
Últimas Noticias took a tour of different communities in the three parishes, where he learned about the moments of panic experienced by the inhabitants of communities such as La Bandera, Los Chaguaramos, Ciudad Universitaria, Santa Mónica, Los Jardines del Valle, Los Cardones, San Antonio, San Andrés and Cerro Grande.
The majority claimed to have been left without electricity service and cell phone signal with the first bombings.
Praying and sheltering in their homes was the main option to protect the most vulnerable, including pets, from an event that they never imagined experiencing on national soil and that many claim marked them psychologically.
“We entrust ourselves to God”
Carmen Rangel. “I live with my husband on the 7th floor of the San Antonio Residences (El Valle). Everything happened very quickly, the power went out and a roar was heard. I knew it wasn’t fireworks because the sound was very loud and the building shook. When we looked out the window we saw the fire on the mountain, followed by more explosions. We only entrusted ourselves to God so that everything would stop.”
“It was all nerves”
Belkys Márquez. “I live in Charallave (Miranda), but I was visiting my sister’s house (2nd Street in Los Jardines del Valle). I was lying down when the room shook and everything looked red. I got up and stopped my sister and her husband. We were on the 8th floor and from there you could see everything. Our reaction was to put important things in bags in case we had to go out. We didn’t sleep at all, it was all nerves.”
“I protected myself”
Gabriel Castro. “I’m from Los Cardones (Los Jardines del Valle). I hadn’t gone to bed long when I heard the first roar. It seemed like the house was going to fall. My reaction was to look out the window and I saw planes dropping bombs passing by. I went out to check on a neighbor who suffers from a heart condition and I saw that other neighbors were already with her, so I went back to my house and stayed sheltered.”
“I felt panic”
Brena Alonso. “The violent vibration of the windows told me that it was not fireworks. I felt panic, but my status as a mother forced me to remain calm, since my daughter and my pet were also scared. Each explosion was stronger than the previous. We prepared to flee if necessary. When we heard the planes passing by, the fear intensified. It was no longer news about the Middle East; it was us.”
“We lived a night of terror”
Carlos Rada. “I live in a space in Fundaplanimal (El Valle), where I also take care of seven dogs. That was horrible, I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. The noise woke me up and when I realized what was happening I just started praying. The animals were very nervous, especially La Catira, whom I hugged to calm her down because she was very restless. We lived a night of terror. I didn’t sleep a wink. I was grateful when it dawned.”
“I thought the worst”
Dilia Hernandez. “They were moments of anxiety. I thought the worst was coming. When everything happened I was awake and I stayed that way until the day came because here we are not used to that type of situation. I was with my sisters at my house (El Valle) and we stayed sheltered. That was a disaster. They cut off our electricity and there was no signal.”
“I protected my son”
Camila Hurtado. “I was sleeping when I heard the explosions. I live in Santa Monica, so I could hear what was happening in Fuerte Tiuna very close. When I realized what was happening, my reaction was to protect my son. I began to put important things in a bag in case I had to go out. But we stayed at home, praying and praying that dawn would come soon.”
“My daughters were crying”
Sergio Duarte. “I was with my partner and my daughters watching a movie in the apartment (La Bandera) when the bombs fell in Fuerte Tiuna. My wife told me ‘I think they are attacking us’ and I thought they were fireworks. When I realized it was true, I only thought about our daughters, about taking care of them because they were crying very scared. Everything was very strong.”
“It was a nightmare”
Ramona Ramirez. “The sound of the impact of the bombing in Ciudad Tiuna, Los Chinos sector, woke us up. It was a nightmare from which we have not yet woken up. I barely felt one of the impacts, I knew what was happening and we had a hard time packing our suitcases with the essentials because we were without electricity. It was a scene from a war movie.”
“I experienced uncertainty”
Yamileth Ramírez. “I live in El Valle, but I was on duty at the Clinic (University Hospital of Caracas) when everything happened. At 2 in the morning we heard a detonation and it felt like it was shaking. I experienced horrible uncertainty because there was no light, the signal was terrible and I didn’t know what was happening. About half an hour later I managed to communicate with my parents, who were with my 10-year-old son. They were very scared. This affected us psychologically.”
“I was very scared”
Alejandro Acevedo. “I was asleep and my brother was the one who woke me up when the power went out in Santa Monica Hills and the first bomb was heard. I said it couldn’t be true until I heard the loud explosions and saw how everything was shaking. It was so close that I thought one was going to fall on the building. I was very scared, but I didn’t look out the window because my mother was also there. That lasted about an hour until only the bursts of gunshots could be heard in the distance.”
“You couldn’t see anything”
Wilson Ortega. “I’m from Madariaga Street, in Los Chaguaramos. I was at home cooking when I heard the planes. I looked out the window, but I couldn’t see anything. Suddenly the power went out and the first explosion was heard. I immediately thought that they had invaded us. I was scared because it was a war and I didn’t know if they were shooting nearby, I could only see it when everything was lit up by the explosions. I was able to call my family in Petare to let them know that I was okay, but then we lost communication.”
“It wasn’t easy at all”
Iraida Guerra. “At around 2 in the morning I was lying down, checking my phone in my house, in Cerro Grande (El Valle). The power went out and immediately I heard the explosion. Everything started to move and I started yelling at my husband who was shaking. When we got up the bursts of gunshots were heard and I said ‘My God, they invaded us’ and I started to cry. I called my children, who live on the upper floor. From my house I could see the explosions in Fuerte Tiuna, what we experienced was not easy at all.”
“It was like a movie”
Anyi Martínez. “Everything was like in a movie. I was at home with relatives who were visiting when a very loud noise was heard that I still can’t describe. My mother came to ask us if we knew what was happening and when we looked out the window suddenly everything was dark in El Valle, explosions, screams and the crying of the children who accompanied us. We filled bags and took shelter. I had not longed for dawn as much as on that morning of January 3”
