Caracas: “At any noise, we can’t sleep. I have generalized sleep anxiety — I only get sleepy around six in the morning, when the light comes,” said Caracas resident Beverly Moreno, sharing her experiences after the U.S. military attack on Venezuela on January 3.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Moreno lives with her two daughters and her elderly mother in the Carlos Raul Villanueva housing complex, just a few meters from Fort Tiuna, a major military installation in southwestern Caracas that was bombed in the attack. The community has been grappling with the psychological aftermath of the event, which has left residents like Moreno experiencing heart palpitations, trembling, and cold hands as night falls.

The psychological impact has been significant, with 211 families receiving psychological support, many for panic attacks. Moreno noted that children in the community have regressed, crying constantly and showing signs of distress. The physical damage from the blast waves is evident in broken windows and damaged structures throughout the complex, where Moreno has lived for 15 years under the government’s Great Housing Mission Venezuela housing program.

In the neighboring area of Simon Bolivar, musician Jose Alejandro Delgado has channeled the collective trauma into a song. The lyrics poignantly ask, “Where is your love, when they bomb a people for no reason, forcing them to suffer so much pain?” Delgado expressed the difficulty in articulating the experience of having missiles and bombs so close to home but emphasized the role of artists in fostering cohesion and beauty amidst hardship.

Despite the trauma, Delgado and fellow musicians continue to create, with a focus on peace and providing spaces for reflection and support. The attack, described by Venezuelan authorities as unprecedented in over a century, resulted in over 100 deaths, including civilians and military personnel.

Psychologist and university professor Jose Garces characterized the psychological aftermath as a “psychosocial trauma,” drawing parallels with war-related trauma in Central America. Garces highlighted symptoms such as insomnia, frequent crying, high anxiety, rapid heartbeat, and sweating, urging survivors to express their experiences to aid in healing.

The attack is reminiscent of Venezuela’s last comparable foreign assault in 1902-1903, when European powers blockaded and attacked the country’s ports. The current situation has left a deep scar on the community, with residents like Moreno and Delgado striving to find solace and resilience in the face of adversity.