Struggling to survive the world’s highest inflation and severe shortages of food and medicine, Venezuelans have been watching an extraordinary standoff between authoritarian President Nicolás Maduro and the U.S.-backed opposition leader Juan Guaidó, who has claimed to be the country’s interim president. In recent interviews, Venezuelans in the capital Caracas discussed why they are supporting Mr. Maduro or Mr. Guaidó and what they are doing to get by.

Julio César Tovar, 55

“Juan Guaidó, who is that madman? I don’t know who he is, nobody knows who he is, and nobody chose him to be president. It’s like coming home and finding someone else in your house who says they’re now in charge.”