Embattled Jewish community in Venezuela quietly hopes for regime change

Like much of Venezuela’s population, the country’s small, embattled Jewish community has been quietly watching Saturday’s dramatic U.S. raid and capture of authoritarian leader Nicolás Maduro. After decades under an oppressive Venezuelan socialist regime that was anti-Zionist, anti-Jewish, and pro-Iran, many Venezuelan Jews are cautiously optimistic that they may be witnessing the start of a regime change. In the meantime, Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, has stepped in as acting president.

“Everyone is very happy about the news, but they have to be very cautious,” explained Daniel Behar, a Venezuelan Jewish expat living in Israel. “There is fear that the entire community might face repercussions later on,” he continued. 

Poverty and political oppression have driven some eight million Venezuelans to flee the country. Among those most vulnerable is the tiny Jewish community, targeted by the regime’s policies. The Venezuelan government has a history of violence and has made threats to expropriate Jewish institutions, such as schools and restaurants.

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

Following the U.S. raid and capture of Maduro, Venezuela’s acting president Rodriguez claimed that the attack had “Zionist undertones.” 

“The governments of the world are shocked that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is the victim and target of an attack of this nature, which undoubtedly has Zionist undertones,” Rodriguez said in a public statement. In other words, the Venezuelan regime blamed Israel and the Jews for the U.S. military intervention. 

The Israeli leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, praised the U.S. capture of Maduro who embraced anti-Israel policies and maintained a close alliance with the Islamic Republic of Iran. 

“Israel welcomes the removal of the dictator who led a network of drugs and terror, and hopes for the return of democracy to the country and for friendly relations between the states,” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar wrote on 𝕏. The Venezuelan regime also allowed the country to become a safe haven for the Iranian-backed terrorist organization, Hezbollah.

The Spanish diplomat and Venezuela expert Gustavo Aristegui, described Rodríguez as “one of the most dangerous members of the current regime.”

“The Jewish population is on standby,” said Samy Yecutieli, a member of the Security Forum of the Israel-Latin America Chamber of Commerce. “Everyone is staying low-profile. The regime controls everything, and repression could still be very aggressive,” he continued. Despite the fears of repression, Yecutieli is cautiously optimistic about the future for Venezuela’s Jewish population and the potential resumption of diplomatic relations between Venezuela and Israel. 

“That would be very good for Israel and for the local Jewish community,” he assessed.

A 17-year-old Venezuelan citizen Donna Benzaquen, who studies in Jerusalem, articulated hope that the situation will improve in Venezuela. 

“I love Venezuela, but I can’t imagine making my future there,” she explained. “I just hope things get better for my family and everyone there."

Venezuela’s current poverty contrasts sharply with the country’s prosperous past. 

“This used to be the richest country in South America, and one of the wealthiest in the world,” assessed Arie Kacowicz, the Chaim Weizmann Chair in International Relations and Professor of International Relations at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

“The Jewish community was quite wealthy and generally pro-Israel, but 10 years after Chávez came to power, he broke off diplomatic relations with Israel in 2009. Since then, reports of antisemitism have been sporadic.”

Millions of Venezuelans, including Jewish citizens of the country, now quietly hope that Maduro’s capture marks the beginning of a better future for the troubled nation.