Following the United States' military intervention in Venezuela on January 3 and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, Swiss people living there contacted by Swissinfo say they are relieved. Despite the fear of reprisals, life on the ground has returned to normal, they say. "It was the only solution," says C.*. The 72-year-old Swiss citizen, who has lived in Venezuela for more than three decades, is pleased that the United States has intervened. "People who don't live here can't understand the impact of criminal structures on daily life," he says. P.*, 79, who has lived in Venezuela for more than 20 years, agrees: "We've known this was going to happen for a long time. So it came as no surprise." The fact that the two men are speaking on condition of anonymity is a sign that the fall of Maduro's government has not yet led to freedom of speech. During our interview, C. didn't mention any names and wanted to speak in Swiss German, which is "more difficult to understand, if anyone ...
