Venezuela’s government has launched a crackdown in the wake of the US capture of Nicolás Maduro, arresting journalists and deploying paramilitary forces to suppress any show of support for the authoritarian leader’s removal.

The wave of repression comes as Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s former deputy and the country’s new leader, moved to consolidate her hold over the oil-rich nation in the wake of the surprise US commando operation, which snatched Maduro from a military base to face trial.

Long-serving defence minister Vladimir Padrino pledged the support of the armed forces for Rodríguez after she was sworn in as acting president on Monday.

Venezuela’s military would stand with Rodríguez “in the difficult task which the geopolitical turbulence and the homeland demand of her”, he wrote in a Telegram message. “Count on us!”

Gun-toting paramilitaries known as colectivos have been deployed to the streets of Caracas under a state of emergency announced on Monday, which forbade Venezuelans from showing support for the US raid. Media unions said 14 journalists and media workers — 11 from foreign outlets — had been detained for hours before being released.