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The spokesperson underscored, “No country can put its internal laws above international law.”

President Nicolas Maduro declared himself “innocent” on Monday regarding the drug trafficking charges the Trump administration used to justify his kidnapping and transfer to the United States.

Maduro also declared himself a “prisoner of war” before the Southern District Court of New York during his first appearance, while recalling that he is the constitutional president of Venezuela.

Beijing strongly condemned the US military airstrike on the South American country and the kidnapping of Maduro and his wife.

China and Venezuela maintain an Unwavering Strategic Relationship with extensive multi-sector cooperation.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated Beijing’s commitment to respecting international law, while rejecting the notion that any single nation should act as the “world’s policeman” and international judge.

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Santiago Pedraglio, a columnist opposed to the Chavista government, admitted that the attack was “a violation of Venezuelan sovereignty, and that this represents a danger to Latin America and global peace.”

He also cites the editorial in “The New York Times,” which opposes the attack on Venezuelan sovereignty and its warning that “overthrowing even the most deplorable regime can make things worse.”

He also argues that the newspaper’s reference to the chaotic situation in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya, after suffering NATO invasions, is relevant. Meanwhile, neoliberal columnist Federico Salazar, who praises Maria Corina Machado, disapproves the Venezuelan right-wing extremist’s claims in favor of an invasion of her country and criticizes Argentine leader Milei for celebrating a foreign military intervention.

In an editorial, the conservative newspaper El Comercio acknowledges that “no one should feel too secure in a world where any large country can feel entitled to undertake a military operation of this kind against a smaller country, even if the target is someone like Maduro.”

Historian Carmen McEvoy pointed out that “a new kind of imperialism (MAGA) is taking hold in South America,” invoking the 300,000 annual drug-related deaths supposedly caused by Venezuela and the presence of the Tren de Aragua gang in countries of the region.

She suggests that Peru, a cocaine-producing country with a corrupt and inept government, could be next on the list of “narco-states to be civilized.”

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The post Even pro-Trump press admits the illegality of the US attack first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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According to the data released, the net migration between Poland and Germany in 2024 was negative by 12,068 people: 88,388 Poles left German territory, while only 76,320 arrived.

Experts attribute this phenomenon to the economic downturn in Germany and the sustained growth of the Polish economy, which offers new job and development opportunities.

Based on specialist analysis, the return migration is also explained by reasons beyond purely economic factors.

Reports of discrimination against Polish citizens in public and work settings have intensified the desire to return to their country of origin. These incidents, coupled with a growing sense of exclusion, undermine the sense of belonging within the diaspora.

Considering the social context, RMF24 highlights the absence of a “culture of welcome” in Germany toward migrants, even those from European countries like Poland.

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The official source stated that both leaders addressed political ties, cooperation in the defense industry, and bilateral trade goals, in addition to regional and global issues of mutual interest.

The conversation, held on January 5, focused on the rejection of any external interference in sovereign affairs.

From the perspective of international analysts, this dialogue reflects an attempt by Ankara to consolidate its role as an independent actor in foreign policy, resisting unilateral pressures. Specialists emphasize that Turkiye seeks to balance its strategic interests without subordinating itself to the agenda of hegemonic powers.

Openly questioning interventionist ambitions in Latin America, diplomatic sources emphasized that Erdogan reiterated to Trump the need to preserve stability in Venezuela.

“Caracas must not descend into chaos nor become the scene of destabilizing maneuvers,” the Turkish leader stated after the call, according to the source.

Highlighting the principle of self-determination of peoples, international relations experts positively assessed Turkiye stance as implicit support for Venezuela’s sovereign right to define its own course without interference.

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Gonzalez told Prensa Latina that the Venezuelan president is an internationally protected person under the 1973 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Internationally Protected Persons, a legal instrument signed by most United Nations member states, as well as those to the Vienna and Geneva Conventions.

In his view, the heads of State are the primary subject of public international law and, therefore, their office and legal status remain intact under any circumstances, regardless of the location or the facts invoked against them.

He underscored, “No one can deprive a president of their international legal status.”

The academician pointed out that the January 3 events in Venezuela are a terrorist-military act, executed with prior planning and in violation not only of Venezuela’s sovereignty, but also of the territorial sea rights of the Caribbean, a region declared a Zone of Peace by the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).

The jurist pointed out that the reestablishment of military bases and the deployment of foreign forces in the Caribbean violate international agreements submitted to the United Nations and reveal a systematic disregard for international law by the United States, which he defined as an empire acting under a supremacist logic.

Gonzalez warned that this event marks a turning point for regional security, dismantling the peace agreements and mechanisms for coexistence built after World War II, leaving Latin American states exposed to new forms of intervention and coercion.

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With one month to go before the start of the winter games, Eliasch stated that the low temperatures are helping organizers resolve issues related to snowmaking and cultivation in key locations.

“It seems there shouldn’t be any problems completing everything on time as planned. So, this is very good news,” he said in statements published in the local press.

The official reiterated that snow safety still depends in part on weather conditions, but stressed that the organizers have the technical capacity and resources necessary to manage the risks. “We are very used to this. It happens during the World Championships, and sometimes it happens during the Olympic Games.”

We have backup days on the calendar so that, if there are weather problems, we can postpone the races, he expressed.

However, he commented that the organization of future Games should prioritize snow-safe venues at higher altitudes, with a limited rotation to reduce costs and improve sustainability.

The event will take place from February 6 to 22, and expects the participation of some 3,500 athletes from 90 countries, competing for medals in the 16 sports included.

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The Venezuelan Embassy in Tehran says the US misjudged the situation after Maduro's abduction, assuming they were dealing with a leader similar to former Panamanian figure Manuel Noriega, but “fate gave them a Nelson Mandela.”

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Bilynskyj is being processed at the Second Civil Court of Brasilia and includes a request for damages of 30,000 reais (some 5,550 dollars).

The PT alleges in the lawsuit that the legislator from the conservative Liberal Party, the same party as its ally, former President Jair Bolsonaro, exceeded the limits of freedom of speech and parliamentary immunity by disseminating content that it considers false and offensive.

The text argues that, without any factual or legal basis, Bilynskyj used a high-profile international incident to construct a narrative linking the PT to organized crime, particularly drug trafficking.

The Latin American largest left-wing movement noted that attributing to a party a link to criminal activities without evidence is a serious offense to its reputation.

The statement also indicates that this kind of behavior is aggravated by occurring during a pre-election period, with the potential to distort democratic debate and confuse voters.

Brazilians will go to the polls on October 4.

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Entitled “In Defense of the Sovereignty of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, International Law, and Regional Peace,” the legislators called on all parliamentarians in the region and the world to sign the declaration.

They emphasized, “Parliamentarians from Latin America, the Caribbean, and the world emphatically condemn the bombings perpetrated against Venezuela, with their devastating consequences for the civilian population; and the kidnapping of Head of State Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.”

The attack violates international mechanisms, which must be binding on all States without exception.

Therefore, we demand that the United States government immediately cease all armed actions against Venezuela, respect the sovereignty of its territory, and release President Maduro and his life partner.

The declaration also makes an urgent appeal to governments globally, multilateral organizations, and the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean to “speak out firmly to activate international diplomatic and legal mechanisms and defend International Law as the only way to preserve peace.”

The parliamentary declaration warns that this attack “not only puts Venezuela at risk, but also directly threatens the peace and stability of all of Latin America and the Caribbean, a region declared a Zone of Peace in 2014 that rejects the use of force as a mechanism of political imposition.”

A hundred political, labor, social, student, and human rights organizations joined together on Monday to denounce Washington’s aggression against Venezuela, and thousands of their members staged a powerful protest outside the United States Embassy.

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Representatives of several social movements, student groups, and political organizations carried flags and banners while chanting slogans and criticizing US foreign policy toward Latin America.

The demonstrators, of all ages, rejected the kidnapping of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

Among them was 71-year-old Professor Raimundo Santos, who stated that what had happened represents a threat, adding, “We cannot passively accept an intervention like the one occurring in Venezuela.”

Rosa Linh, 25, a student at the University of Brasilia and a member of the Revolutionary Workers’ Movement, emphasized the internationalist nature of the protest.

Santa Alves, an activist with the Union of Black Men and Women for Equality, criticized Washington’s actions.

Maria das Neves, president of the Union of Brazilian Women in the Federal District, declared, “We need a Latin America with sovereignty and autonomy for its people. We are here to affirm ‘Trump Out of Venezuela,'” she stressed.

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Ledesma stated, “Defenders of peace and international law have the duty to stage protests in public squares around the world, decry the illegal military aggression by the United States against civilian and military targets in Venezuelan cities.

Also, to denounce the criminal kidnapping of the legitimate and constitutional president of Venezuela and his wife, the diplomat stressed.

The ambassador demanded full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Bolivarian Republic, as well as its inalienable right to self-determination, without interference or appropriation of its natural resources.

Ledesma also remembered that “we are the heirs of Bolivar, Marti, Fidel Castro, and Chavez, and, as Che Guevara said: Nothing to imperialism, not even a little bit,” before affirming “the independence of Our America has cost much blood, and we will continue to defend it.”

The vigil, held in Kuala Lumpur, also reaffirmed solidarity with Cuba and the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean under imperialist threat, and condemned the illegal and unacceptable actions by the United States government, outside whose Embassy members of the Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) marched demanding respect for the right to peace.

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The UNEAC’s Villena Hall will be the venue where panelists Alberto Prieto and Ernesto Limia, with Abel Gonzalez as the moderator, will share with the public on the theme “Historical Culture in the Revolution: Fidel’s Legacy.”

The event will also serve to support the Venezuelan people’s cause during this hard time, the invitation adds. “La Tertulia” is an initiative organized by the UNEAC Writers’ Association that seeks to encourage thought while boosting culture as a space for dialogue and the exchange of experiences.

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Anti-war protesters gathered outside 10 Downing Street to condemn the US invasion of Venezuela.

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Major American energy firms show little appetite for returning to Venezuela, CNN reports, exposing what critics describe as the hollowness of President Donald Trump’s aggressive rhetoric and his openly stated ambition to control Venezuela’s oil.

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The US Justice Department backs away from a controversial claim promoted last year by the Trump administration that Nicolas Maduro led a drug cartel known as the Cartel de los Soles.

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The US has admitted that control over Venezuela’s oil is a key motive as its president is put on trial in New York following his abduction by the US military.

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The US “regime change” project in Venezuela began not with Maduro’s 2026 kidnapping but with the 2002 coup against Hugo Chávez, evolving over the years through hybrid warfare and crippling sanctions.

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Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)—On Monday, the newly appointed board of directors of Venezuela’s National Assembly swore in Delcy Rodríguez as acting president of Venezuela in a ceremony held in Caracas. During the event, Delcy Rodríguez stated: “I come here as President Nicolás Maduro’s vice president, with sorrow for the suffering inflicted upon the people but with honor to guarantee the peace of the nation.”

Rodríguez assumes the temporary role following a January 3 ruling by the Venezuelan Supreme Court. The court appointed her to the position while evaluating Articles 234 and 239 of the Constitution regarding presidential succession under the extraordinary circumstances of President Maduro’s absence—situations never contemplated during the document’s drafting. Legal experts claim the court’s decision temporarily withholds the call for presidential elections.

The appointment occurred amid widespread outrage sparked by the US attack on Venezuela and the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The Venezuelan National Assembly, featuring newly elected deputies for the 2026–2031 constitutional legislative period, approved the appointment of Deputy Jorge Rodríguez as president of its board of directors by an overwhelming majority.

During the parliamentary session, Deputy Nicolás Maduro Guerra, son of President Nicolás Maduro, delivered a powerful and heartfelt speech. He stated that the historical and sovereign identity of the Venezuelan people will prevail against external aggression, adding, “If the United States government is Monroe, we are Simón Bolívar,” while reiterating that his father is a prisoner of war.

Delcy Rodríguez is the first woman in Venezuelan history to head the executive branch. She noted that in these “terrible hours of threats against stability,” she will not rest “for a minute to guarantee peace.” She added, “This is a historic commitment that I undertake with the certainty that national unity and the strength of the organized people will be the guarantee of our sovereignty.”

The acting president also stated she will not rest “to see Venezuela in the destiny that corresponds to it and on the pedestal of historical honor that corresponds to it as a free, sovereign, and independent nation,” and pledged to “guarantee a government that delivers social happiness, political stability, and political security.”

First cabinet meeting
On Sunday night, Rodríguez presided over her first cabinet meeting. She appointed a commission, chaired by National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez and including Nicolás Maduro Guerra, to work toward the release of President Maduro and his wife from the US.

At 10:20 p.m., Communication Minister Freddy Ñáñez reported on the meeting’s results during a national radio and television broadcast. He noted that the acting president created two specific commissions:

• High-Level Commission for the Release of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady and First Combatant Cilia Flores: Chaired by Jorge Rodríguez, Yván Gil, Camilla Fabri, and Freddy Ñáñez.
• Commission of the Agro-Food, Industrial and Communal General Staff: Tasked with guaranteeing and strengthening food sovereignty projects and national supply chains.

Ñáñez noted that the acting president visited those injured in the fighting during the January 3 US attack. He described them as “brave and heroic soldiers who put their chests on the line to defend our sovereignty and our President Nicolás Maduro,” though he provided no official details regarding the total number of victims or injuries resulting from the US military attack.

He also reported that the nation remains at absolute peace and under the protection of government institutions. He praised the Venezuelan people for their fortitude and dignity, stating they “contribute a grain of peace and reconciliation to this difficult situation through their behavior and maturity.”

Message to the United States and the world
Following the Council of Ministers meeting, the acting president published a message on social media, reproduced below:

A message from Venezuela to the world, and to the United States:

Venezuela reaffirms its commitment to peace and peaceful coexistence. Our country aspires to live without external threats, in an environment of respect and international cooperation. We believe that global peace is built by first guaranteeing peace within each nation.

We prioritize moving towards balanced and respectful international relations between the United States and Venezuela, and between Venezuela and other countries in the region, premised on sovereign equality and non-interference. These principles guide our diplomacy with the rest of the world.

We invite the US government to collaborate with us on an agenda of cooperation oriented towards shared development within the framework of international law to strengthen lasting community coexistence.

President Donald Trump, our peoples and our region deserve peace and dialogue, not war. This has always been President Nicolás Maduro’s message, and it is the message of all of Venezuela right now. This is the Venezuela I believe in and have dedicated my life to. I dream of a Venezuela where all good Venezuelans can come together.

Venezuela has the right to peace, development, sovereignty, and a future.

Delcy Rodríguez Acting President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

The message underscores the same calls made on several occasions by President Nicolás Maduro and President Hugo Chávez before him. However, according to analysts, US imperialism has repeatedly discarded those calls for peaceful dialogue and coexistence under the principles of sovereignty and independence.

Swearing-in oath

“I come here as executive vice president to the constitutional president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro Moros, to take the oath of office. I come with sorrow for the suffering inflicted upon the Venezuelan people following an illegitimate military aggression against our homeland.

I come with sorrow for the kidnapping of two heroes we have as hostages in the United States, President Nicolás Maduro and the first lady of this country, Cilia Flores.

I come with sorrow, but I must say that I also come with honor to swear, in the name of all Venezuelans, by our liberator father Simón Bolívar, who is a guide and historical beacon for the future of Venezuela, whose liberating blood runs through the veins of Venezuelans.

I swear by Commander Hugo Chávez, who gave life to millions of Venezuelans and restored their dignity as citizens.

I swear by Jorge Antonio Rodríguez, and in his gaze, I swear by the children of Venezuela, by the girls of Venezuela, and by our youth, to guarantee a future for our children.

I swear by my mother, by my brother Jorge, by my nephews, and by my family.

I swear on my honor that I will not rest my arm nor my soul until I see Venezuela in the destiny that corresponds to it, on the pedestal of historical honor that corresponds to it as a free, sovereign, and independent nation.

I swear by the people of Venezuela to not rest for a minute to guarantee the peace of the republic, the spiritual tranquility of our people, and the economic and social tranquility of our people.

And I swear, then, on the basis of our liberator father in his speech in Angostura, to guarantee a government that brings social happiness, political stability, and political security.

I swear by Bolívar, I swear by our liberators, and I swear by our brothers and sisters who accompany us and must join together as one people, from all political sectors of Venezuela, from all social and economic sectors, that we swear as one country to move Venezuela forward in these terrible hours of threat against the stability and peace of the nation, I swear.”

Political and diplomatic context
The swearing-in ceremony follows the events of the early morning of January 3, when US military forces violated Venezuela’s sovereignty and international order, kidnapping President Nicolás Maduro and killing dozens of military personnel. In this scenario, the National Assembly invested Rodríguez as acting president following the mandate established by the country’s highest court, paying the corresponding honors and reaffirming the institutional continuity of the Venezuelan state.

Cuba Reports 32 Military Deaths in US Operation in Venezuela

In an interview with The Atlantic on Sunday, US President Donald Trump said that if Delcy Rodríguez “doesn’t do the right thing, she will pay a very high price, probably higher than [Nicolás] Maduro,” referring to the president of the Bolivarian Republic. Trump also made it clear that he would not tolerate what he described as the acting president’s “defiant rejection” of Washington’s armed intervention.

Rodríguez, for her part, strongly rejected the US military attack on Venezuelan soil on Saturday, demanding the immediate release of President Maduro and his wife, and affirmed that Maduro remains the legitimate president.

Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff

OT/JRE/SL

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On Monday, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro made his first public statements before a New York court following his abduction by US military special forces in an attack carried out on Venezuelan territory two days prior. President Maduro declared himself a “prisoner of war” and categorically rejected the charges against him, reaffirming his status as the legitimate president of Venezuela.

“I am the president of Venezuela, and I consider myself a prisoner of war. I was kidnapped in my home in Caracas,” the Venezuelan president declared before the judge, describing the circumstances of his detention as a military action that violates his presidential legitimacy and his country’s sovereignty. The statement establishes the legal framework that will be used to interpret the situation: not as a criminal defendant, but as a head of state kidnapped amid an international conflict.

Venezuela’s first lady, Cilia Flores, also pleaded not guilty to the charges against her and requested a consular visit for herself and President Maduro.

During his court appearance, President Maduro was emphatic in repudiating the accusations made by the US justice system. “I am innocent, not guilty. I am a decent man, and I am still president of my country,” he said, speaking through an interpreter, before Judge Alvin Hellerstein. The president mentioned that he had seen the indictment but had not read it, and that he had discussed it partially with his lawyer. President Maduro’s lawyer is Barry Pollack, an experienced litigator who defended WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

Cilia Flores injuries
Pollack described President Maduro’s arrest as a “military abduction.” The lawyer told the press that he is not seeking bail at this time, “but could do so later.”

On the other hand, Mark Donnelly, Flores’ lawyer, reported that the president’s wife “suffered significant injuries” during the kidnapping, including severe bruising on her ribs. He requested that she be provided with X-rays and a physical evaluation to rule out fractures.

During the hearing, which lasted about half an hour, Judge Hellerstein ruled that President Maduro must appear in court for another hearing on March 17. Until then, he will remain in custody. Analysts claim this is a US maneuver allow time to fabricate his case, as there is practically no evidence against the Venezuelan president on any of the charges.

CELAC Emergency Meeting: Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua Strongly Condemn US Neo-Colonial Military Attack Against Venezuela (+UN Security Council)

The accusations
Maduro and Flores faced their first hearing before the US justice system after being abducted in Caracas on Saturday. US imperialism accuses the president of narcoterrorist conspiracy, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess these weapons in support of criminal activities. In short, he is accused of leading the Cartel de los Soles, an organization that most drug trafficking experts claim does not exist.

Finally, the president and first lady of Venezuela face charges of collaborating with criminal organizations classified as “terrorist” in the US, including Mexican cartels. These and the other charges carry penalties ranging from 20 years to life imprisonment.

(Alba Ciudad) with Orinoco Tribune content

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

OT/JRE/SF

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The British Broadcasting Corporation, which frequently lectures the world on "impartiality”, has sparked a wave of outrage after leaked internal guidance revealed an explicit order to its journalists not to call the illegal abduction of the Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro a "kidnapping."

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The Venezuelan parliament has inaugurated Delcy Rodríguez as interim president, two days after US forces kidnapped President Nicolás Maduro.

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Cuba confirms the deaths of 32 of its military personnel during a US operation in Venezuela that led to the detention of President Nicolás

Cuba confirmed on Sunday that 32 of its military personnel were killed during a United States operation in Venezuela that resulted in the detention of President Nicolás Maduro, describing the events as a direct military attack carried out on Venezuelan territory.

In an official statement broadcast on national television, the Cuban government said the fatalities occurred during direct combat with US forces and as a result of bombings targeting facilities in Caracas. According to the statement, the Cuban personnel were carrying out a mission to protect Maduro and his family, deployed at the request of Venezuelan authorities within the framework of bilateral cooperation.

“As a result of the criminal attack perpetrated by the government of the United States against the sister Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, (…) 32 Cubans lost their lives in combat actions, while fulfilling missions on behalf of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior, at the request of counterpart institutions of the South American country,” the statement said.

Cuba says 32 of its combatants were killed in the US military operation, which Washington describes as a “large-scale strike”

🕯️ Havana declares two days of mourning after the operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro https://t.co/KCubC6dJgn

— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) January 5, 2026

ÇCuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel declared two days of official mourning on January 5 and 6 to honor those killed during what Havana described as a US military aggression that concluded with the transfer of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, to New York.

On Monday, Venezuela’s government issued a statement thanking Cuba for its support, stressing that Cuban forces were operating under bilateral cooperation agreements to carry out defense-related missions.

🇨🇺| Como resultado del criminal ataque perpetrado por el gobierno de los Estados Unidos contra la hermana República Bolivariana de #Venezuela, perdieron la vida en acciones combativas 32 cubanos.#HonorYGloria

🔗| https://t.co/cHs58800i9 pic.twitter.com/rRqGvYje1i

— Presidencia Cuba 🇨🇺 (@PresidenciaCuba) January 5, 2026

Earlier, Venezuela’s Defense Minister, General Vladimir Padrino López, reported that “a large part” of Maduro’s security team had been “killed in cold blood” by US troops. In a televised address, he stated: “The Bolivarian National Armed Force strongly rejects the cowardly kidnapping of citizen Nicolás Maduro Moros, constitutional president of the Republic, our commander in chief, and his wife (…) an act perpetrated yesterday, Saturday, January 3, after a large part of his security team was killed in cold blood: soldiers, female soldiers, and innocent civilians.”

CELAC Emergency Meeting: Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua Strongly Condemn US Neo-Colonial Military Attack Against Venezuela (+UN Security Council)

US President Donald Trump acknowledged casualties among Maduro’s guards during the operation. “Many Cubans died yesterday protecting Maduro,” he said on Sunday.

#Cuba declared a two-day mourning period on January 5 and 6, stating that funeral arrangements would be announced soon.https://t.co/3YThsXYQoX

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) January 5, 2026

The US operation took place on Saturday, when American forces attacked several locations across Venezuela and detained Maduro and his wife. During the operation, at least 40 people, both civilians and military personnel, were killed. Following the assault, Trump stated that he would assume control of Venezuela, while US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the military offensive would allow Washington to access the country’s “wealth and additional resources.”

Maduro and Flores are scheduled to appear before a judge in New York on Monday to face charges of “narco-terrorism.”

(Telesur)

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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has issued a stern call to the United Nations and the global community to stand firmly against the latest display of American "dangerous lawbreaking" and the lawless aggression directed at the sovereign state of Venezuela.

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Every day, President Claudia Sheinbaum gives a morning presidential press conference and Mexico Solidarity Media posts English language summaries, translated by Mexico Solidarity’s Pedro Gellert Frank. Previous press conference summaries are available here.

Mexico Defends Sovereignty, Non-Intervention, and International Cooperation

President Claudia Sheinbaum set out Mexico’s position in response to the unilateral military operation carried out by the United States in Venezuela. She reiterated Mexico’s rejection of any form of foreign intervention and emphasized that national self-determination and sovereignty are non-negotiable, and that peace can only be built through dialogue, cooperation among equals, and social well-being.

Mexico called on the United Nations and the Organization of American States to guarantee non-intervention and to promote a peaceful solution to the conflict. Sheinbaum reiterated that natural resources belong to the people, and that strengthening the hemisphere cannot be achieved through force, but rather through shared development and regional cooperation.

Relationship with the United States and National Unity

In relation to the bilateral relationship, Sheinbaum noted that Trump himself has acknowledged that it is at a good point, based on dialogue and coordination. She stated that cooperation—including the fight against fentanyl trafficking—is governed by four principles shared by both countries: respect for sovereignty, shared and differentiated responsibility, mutual trust, and cooperation without subordination.

Sheinbaum rejected any idea of an invasion and reiterated that the Mexican people are united in the face of any attempt at intervention. She also acknowledged former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s message regarding non-intervention as reflecting a shared and widely supported principle.

Energy Sovereignty as the Foundation of National Sovereignty

The President explained that since the AMLO administration, Mexico has adopted a different approach on restoring Pemex, with the goal of ending gasoline imports and producing domestically the fuels consumed in the country.

She noted that today Mexico produces 80% of the petroleum products it consumes, that production at the Olmeca Refinery has already reached 300,000 barrels per day, and that the Tula coking plant is operating at 100% capacity, underscoring that energy sovereignty is a fundamental part of national sovereignty.

Well-Being: Historic Social Investment

On social policy, it was reported that 2025 closed with 18.5 million beneficiaries of the Well-Being Programs, with an investment of 579 billion pesos (US$32.27 billion). For 2026, the goal is to reach 20.3 million beneficiaries, with an investment of nearly 664 billion pesos (US$37.01 billion), in addition to 2.9 million women who will begin receiving their pension due to a lowering of the age for receiving the benefit.

The total budget for Well-Being programs and pensions for 2026 amounts to more than 1 trillion pesos (US$55.73 billion), consolidating the largest social expansion program in the country’s history.

Education and Support for Youth

In 2025, the School is Ours program benefited 75,608 schools, with nearly 24 billion pesos (US$1.34 billion) and 8.4 million students. For 2026, it will expand to 78,923 schools, with 26 billion pesos (US$1,45 billion) and 9.5 million beneficiaries.

As part of Scholarships/Stipends for Well-Being, 128.6 billion pesos (US$7.17 billion) were invested in 2025 to support 13.3 million scholarship/stipend recipients. The Rita Cetina Scholarship/Stipend will provide a one-time annual payment of 2,500 pesos (US$111.47) for school supplies and uniforms. Finally, the Youth Building the Future program will have a budget of over 25.17 billion pesos (US$1.40 billion) in 2026, benefiting 500,000 young people and providing a monthly stipend of 9,582 pesos (US$534).

• 

  Mañanera

  People’s Mañanera January 5

  January 5, 2026

  President Sheinbaum’s daily press conference, with comments on US aggression against Venezuela, relationship with the US, energy sovereignty, social investment and education stipends.

• 

  Analysis

  Bolívar Versus Monroe: Two Antagonistic Visions of America

  January 5, 2026

  The kidnapping of President Maduro and his wife confirms the nefarious expression of a doctrine that considers Latin American leaders as removable when they defy US dictates, writes Mexico’s Attorney General.

• 

  Analysis | Labor

  Workers Diplomacy & Bolivarian Brigades

  January 5, 2026January 5, 2026

  The call from the Caracas Congress for active solidarity and international unity of the working class against the global war of occupation unleashed by the terrorist US government is of paramount importance.

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“It would be naive to think that after this attack on Venezuela, the path is not being paved for other possible incursions in the region,” declared analyst Ramiro Escobar, a specialist in International Relations.

He specified that this frame opened up after the attack on Venezuela will have an impact on the political processes of Latin America and, in the case of Peru, will be subject to interference from the Donald Trump regime.

“We are going to have elections in April, and the imprint, the influence of Trump, will clearly be felt in them,” he commented, something that other analysts had already predicted after the open interference of the US president himself in the elections in Honduras.

For his part, analyst Juan de la Puente, a critic of the Venezuelan government like Escobar, said that, regardless, “International Law exist”, prohibiting the use of force and enshrining national sovereignty,” Washington has broken up.

He added that “Trump is not a democrat, nor does he aspire to be one,” and is dragging America back to the 1950s, while part of the region applauds.

With a touch of sarcasm, he asked if, after the attack, the colonial-minded sector of Latin America had finally realized that “Maduro fell but not his regime, that the United States is interested in oil and not democracy, and that this is more like Iraq and the (lie) of ‘weapons of mass destruction.'”

Meanwhile, Roberto Sanchez, one of Peru’s left-wing presidential candidates, challenged the other candidates to speak out “against the unacceptable imperial arrogance.”

jdt/jha/mrs

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