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Venezuela’s government has declared unwavering unity behind President Nicolás Maduro following his shocking abduction by US forces in an unprecedented act of “imperial aggression.”

The criminal operation, which also involved the kidnapping of Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, has drawn sharp international condemnation, with the United Nations Security Council set to convene an emergency meeting on Monday.

The US forces’ attack involved over 150 aircraft and marked a significant intervention amid multiple attempts to topple the democratically elected government of Maduro, including allegations of leading a drug trafficking cartel.

Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, a key figure in the ruling socialist party, said on Sunday the government remains unified behind President Maduro.

“Nicolás Maduro is Venezuela’s one and only president,” Cabello declared in a televised statement from an undisclosed location, urging citizens not to succumb to “the enemy’s provocations.”

He said the US of orchestrated the kidnapping to seize control of Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, a motive he claimed has been evident since the onset of bilateral tensions.

Cabello’s comment followed US President Donald Trump’s announcement that Washington would take control of Venezuela after kidnapping Maduro and his wife.

Venezuelan state media reported mass mobilizations in support of Maduro, with crowds gathering in cities like Trujillo and La Guaira for vigils and marches demanding his immediate release.

“We are united in prayer and resistance for our president’s return,” said one demonstrator in a rally broadcast on Venezolana de Televisión (VTV).

Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López echoed Cabello’s sentiments, announcing that the armed forces have been fully mobilized to safeguard the nation’s sovereignty.

General Padrino and high-ranking members of Venezuela’s armed forces affirmed their loyalty to President Maduro and the PSUV earlier today.

General Padrino described the criminal US operation as a “cowardly kidnapping” that resulted in the deaths of numerous members of Maduro’s security detail.

“Our forces are activated to protect freedom, independence, and sovereignty against this imperial aggression,” Padrino stated, thanking international allies for their support in denouncing the incursion.

The National Bolivarian Armed Force of Venezuela  (FANB) has urged civilians to resume normal activities while remaining vigilant.

In a swift move to maintain stability, Venezuela’s Supreme Court approved Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, who also serves as the oil minister, to assume the interim presidency.

Rodríguez, a key architect of Venezuela’s economic policies under Maduro, has been sanctioned by the US and European Union for her role in the government.

She is expected to be sworn in on Monday, positioning her as a potential bridge to continuity of Venezuela’s Bolivarian Revolution amid speculation of internal negotiations or opposition talks.

Rodríguez’s Instagram account, followed by millions, featured a recent post affirming her commitment to Bolivarian ideals, though she has yet to make a public statement on the crisis.

The international fallout has been swift and severe. UN secretary-general António Guterres labeled the US action a “dangerous precedent” that violates international law, prompting Venezuela’s request for an urgent Security Council session.

The meeting, scheduled for Monday in New York, will debate the legality of the operation, with Russia and Iran already condemning it as an act of aggression aimed at Latin American sovereignty.

Regional powers, including Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay, and Spain, have jointly condemed the US aggression, while Cuba and Nicaragua called on the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) to repudiate US interference.

Prominent world leaders and former heads of state, such as Argentina’s Cristina Fernández and Ecuador’s Rafael Correa, have linked the attack to US interests in Venezuelan oil.

Protests have also erupted outside the Brooklyn detention center in New York, where Maduro is held, with demonstrators chanting for his freedom.

Venezuela’s Revolution Remains Intact—International and Domestic Demonstrations Demand Return of Abducted President

(PressTV)

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With emotions running high, but with determination and great loyalty, the Venezuelan people mobilized in great numbers on Sunday from the Plaza de la Candelaria in Caracas to demand the release of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were abducted by the US.

On an early January Sunday, when due to the season, public transit is very infrequent in the capital of Venezuela and when many holidaymakers have not returned to the city, thousands of Venezuelans flooded the streets showing the strength of Chavismo, the political force that supports the Bolivarian Revolution. As evidenced by photos and video footage, at least 100,000 civilians took to the streets, although of course, it is difficult to provide precise numbers.

Such is the case of Norma Azuaje, who recalled the words of Commander Hugo Chávez and noted that the people are ready to defend the sovereignty of the nation.

“Chávez taught us that under any circumstances we will continue to have a homeland, and the message for our president is to hold on, this people will rise up, we are here standing ready to fight,” Azuaje said.

With courage and commitment to the homeland, Vanessa Machado stated that the mobilized people will achieve the release of the national leader:

“Here we are, the women, daughters of Bolívar, defending this homeland in full awareness that it is the mobilized people who will guarantee that Nicolás returns from the abduction he is currently experiencing,” she emphasized.

Another demonstrator, Yorvy Rivero, said that the people of Venezuela are a people of peace, love, and joy: “Here, what prevails is contentment; wanting peace is not a sin. We here ask the world for peace and joy, that is why we ask. Give us back our president,'” Rivero added.

Raising their voices with slogans, flags, and photos of the beloved Chavista leader Nicolás Maduro, Ángela Couute reminded everyone that President Maduro was elected by a majority of Venezuelans and demanded that he be released so that he can fulfill the duties of head of state: “The people elected Nicolás Maduro as the constitutional president. We want to see our president here, doing his job; the people need him. We don’t want him kidnapped.”

“No one here gives up. We are in the streets for dignity, for the truth, and for the return of our president,” said one of the protesters on Bolívar Avenue, where the large march passed.

Similar protests were replicated in most major cities of Venezuela.

The motorbike force is mobilizing in support of President Maduro
The motorbike force, as an important bastion of the revolution, also took to the streets of Caracas to express its support for the government and demand the release of the constitutional president, Nicolás Maduro.

“We Venezuelans will not allow Donald Trump to seize Venezuela’s resources,” said one of the motorcyclists from El Valle, adding that they will not leave the streets until President Maduro and Cilia Flores are released.

The protesters, known as the “steel horses,” reiterated that Nicolás Maduro was democratically elected and that they would not allow imperialism to install a foreign government in Venezuela. They also reaffirmed their commitment to defending Venezuela’s sovereignty.

This force departed from Petare with the conviction that Venezuela will never again be a colony of any country, and they promised to remain mobilized nationwide until the head of state and the first lady, Cilia Flores, are freed.

Venezuela will not surrender and will emerge victorious
For her part, the governor of Aragua state, Joana Sánchez, stated that Venezuela will not surrender to the imperial threat and added that it is determined to emerge victorious.

Venezuela Condemns Macron’s Statements Supporting US Abduction of President Maduro, ALBA-TCP Repudiates Military Aggression

She also rejected the media campaign that seeks to spread misinformation about the current situation in the country, emphasizing that “social media is not the streets. We are the ones who control the streets, and we are not going to leave them. We demand the return of our president.”

The massive demonstration in Caracas was filled with outrage at the imperial onslaught, which not only violated national sovereignty but also inflicted damage to state facilities, murdered civilians, and resulted in the abduction of President Maduro and his wife.

Photo gallery

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(Últimas Noticias) by Yusleny Morales

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

OT/JRE/SL

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Venezuela's government has declared unwavering unity behind President Nicolás Maduro following his shocking abduction by US forces.

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Caracas, January 4, 2025 (venezuelanalysis.com) – The governments of Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay, and Spain issued a joint statement Sunday rejecting “unilateral US actions in Venezuelan territory.”

“These actions contravene basic principles of international law and represent a very dangerous precedent for peace and regional security,” the communique read.

The joint statement followed widespread regional and global condemnation of Washington’s January 3 strikes against Venezuelan military sites and kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.

The countries went on to issue calls for dialogue and urged the United Nations secretary general and member states to help “de-escalate tensions and preserve peace.”

In response to US President Donald Trump’s claim that he would “run” Venezuela, the signatories expressed concern over “attempts at foreign government control or seizure of natural resources.” However, the declaration made no mention of Maduro nor called for his release.

The diplomatic response to the US attacks also included an emergency summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean nations (CELAC), held on Sunday, January 4. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil decried the US actions as blatant violations of international law and the United Nations Charter.

“The US has violated the personal immunity of a sitting head of state,” Gil told regional leaders in the conference call. “Kidnapping a president is kidnapping a people’s sovereignty.”

Venezuela’s top diplomat urged CELAC member-states to “take a step forward,” warning that silence would amount to acceptance of Washington’s unilateral acts.

A number of countries, including Venezuelan allies Russia and China, have forcefully denounced the US military operation. In a Sunday statement, Beijing charged Washington with a “clear violation of international law” and called for Maduro and Flores’ “immediate release.”

The UN Security Council is scheduled to hold an emergency session on Monday.

For her part, Venezuela Vice President and now acting Interim President Delcy Rodríguez reiterated demands for Maduro’s release and vowed that the country would not submit “to any empire.” Rodríguez held a press conference Saturday afternoon and confirmed the enactment of a decree establishing a “state of external commotion.” The instrument grants the executive additional tools, including the ability to mobilize troops or restrict civil liberties, for a period of 90 days that can be extended.

On Saturday night, the Venezuelan Supreme Court ruled that Maduro’s kidnapping and rendition to US soil constituted a temporary absence and that Rodríguez was mandated to take over the presidency on an interim basis.

Footage surfaced Saturday evening showing Maduro being walked out of an airplane in New York. He was later taken to a DEA facility before being moved, along with Flores, to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. He made no statements but greeted DEA officers and appeared upbeat in photos, making a peace sign and holding his thumbs up.

The Venezuelan president was indicted by a New York district court on Saturday, with charges including “narcoterrorism conspiracy” and “possession of machine guns.” A hearing is reportedly scheduled for Monday.

For their part, Venezuela’s National BolivarianArmed Forces (FANB) likewise issued a communique on Sunday, rejecting the “cowardly kidnapping” of Maduro and Flores and reiterating its mission to “confront imperial aggression.”

The FANB voiced support for Rodríguez taking over the presidency on an acting basis and vowed to maintain readiness to preserve “peace and internal order.”

The Defense Ministry has yet to provide a report on damages and casualties from the US strikes, though Sunday’s communiqué condemned the “cold-blooded murder” of members of Maduro’s security detail. Unconfirmed reports have put forward a figure of 80 deaths.

Venezuelan popular movements and political parties took to the streets for a second consecutive day on Sunday, holding marches and rallies in Caracas and other cities. Public transportation and retail functioned to a greater degree than on Saturday.

The US attacks also spurred numerous international solidarity demonstrations over the weekend. Crowds gathered in dozens of Latin American, European and US cities. A demonstration was called for Sunday outside the Brooklyn detention center where Maduro is being held.

The January 3 operation came on the heels of the largest ever US Caribbean military build-up, with Trump having previously ordered dozebs of strikes against small boats accused of carrying drugs, killing over 100 civilians. The US president has repeatedly expressed intentions of using military threats to extract favorable oil deals for US corporations.

In a Sunday interview, Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned the acting government in Caracas to “make the right decisions” and affirmed that the US retained “leverage” mechanisms, including a naval blockade stopping oil exports.

The post Venezuela: Latin American Countries Jointly Condemn US Attacks as Interim Gov’t Backs Maduro appeared first on Venezuelanalysis.

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Venezuela's military high command on Sunday formally recognized Delcy Rodriguez as the nation's acting president, following the lawless abduction of democratically elected leader Nicolas Maduro by US forces.

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Following overnight U.S. airstrikes on Caracas, the seizure of President Nicolás Maduro, and President Donald Trump’s declaration that Washington will take control of Venezuela’s oil and effectively run the country, analysts Steve Ellner and Ricardo Vaz warn that the operation constitutes an unlawful use of force.

They cite the combination of military assault, extraterritorial abduction, resource seizure, and alleged extrajudicial killings at sea as violations of international law and Venezuelan sovereignty.

The post Venezuela: Trump’s War for Oil and Domination is a War Crime appeared first on Venezuelanalysis.

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has warned Venezuelan officials to make the "right decision" or face mounting pressure from the United States.

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The Foreign Ministry stated that the aforementioned countries considered that the actions done on the orders of President Donald Trump contravene fundamental principles of international law, particularly the prohibition of the use and threat of force, and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.

They also considered that these actions are an extremely dangerous precedent for peace and regional security and endanger the civilian population.

The nations emphasized that the situation in Venezuela must be resolved exclusively through peaceful means, through dialogue, negotiation, and respect for the will of the Venezuelan people in all its expressions, without external interference and in accordance with international law.

Furthermore, they reaffirmed the character of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace, built on mutual respect, the peaceful settlement of disputes, and non-intervention, and called for regional unity, beyond political differences, in the face of any action that jeopardizes regional stability.

They also urged the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, and the member states of the relevant multilateral mechanisms to use their good offices to contribute to de-escalating tensions and preserving regional peace.

Finally, they expressed their concern regarding any attempt at governmental control, administration, or external appropriation of natural or strategic resources, which, they emphasized, is incompatible with international law and threatens the political, economic, and social stability of the region. jdt/oda/ifs

The post Latin American Countries and Spain reject aggression on Venezuela first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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The head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City has said Venezuela should remain an independent Latin American country.

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In a televised address, the president stated that his nation maintains a long-standing position that includes non-intervention in the internal affairs of other states, and even less so, interference by force, he emphasized. He also stressed the peaceful resolution of disputes, the right to sovereign equality among nations, and the defense of international law.

He said that to these long-standing principles of Uruguayan foreign policy, his government adds the permanent defense of coexistence and democratic life among nations.

Orsi reported that his country adheres to a common position on the US military intervention in Venezuela, shared by Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Mexico, and Spain, “to express our views in international forums.”

With this position, we will act within the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), the Organization of American States, and other forums to seek a peaceful solution to the conflict, the Uruguayan president stated.

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The post Uruguay reiterates rejection of US iImntervention in Venezuela first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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The organization released statistics for 2024 and 2025, of which the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) reported 18,949 cases of gender-based violence, 8,938 of which involved sexual assault.

VORMUSA stated that this figure shows the magnitude of the violence women face in a society where femicides (82 in this period) are among the highest in the Americas.

The ORMUSA report also stated that physical and psychological violence are prevalent in cases of abuse against women, with 2,339 and 7,062 cases, respectively.

Despite the reduction compared to the previous period, the data confirms that sexual violence is the most persistent and widespread form of gender-based violence in El Salvador, the organization pointed out.

Ormusa concluded that the data confirms that sexual violence is a structural, persistent, and priority problem that requires a firm and coordinated commitment from the various state institutions and society.

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The post Violence against women persists in El Salvador first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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In a public statement, the organization criticized the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, which, they say, violates principles of International Law and the immunity afforded to a sitting head of state.

“Under what norms of International Law does the United States appoint itself international judge to disrespect the law of nations?” ACURE stated in a communique released by the Cuban Consulate in Ecuador.

The group also rejected US President Donald Trump’s proclamation of authority over Venezuela during a press conference, “under the precepts of the Monroe Doctrine, an act we condemn as being completely illegal and violating the norms of International Law.”

The Association emphasized that the military intervention would be linked to the White House’s interest in controlling Venezuelan natural resources, such as oil, gold, and rare earth elements.

The statement remembered historical precedents of military interventions in the region and warned of the risk of repeating this pattern based on economic interests.

ACURE demanded the immediate return of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife and called for the defense of respect for sovereignty and international law as the foundation of coexistence among nations.

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The post Cubans in Ecuador condemn US aggression against Venezuela first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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The FRM described the operation as a “criminal violation of the UN Charter and international law,” and denounced Washington’s true objective as the control of Venezuelan natural resources, particularly oil and strategic minerals.

The organization rejected the drug trafficking accusations leveled by President Donald Trump’s administration, calling them a “false flag” to justify military intervention and regime change in the South American nation.

The statement directly blamed Trump for the events and described him as a “fascist and militarist psychopath” whose foreign policy reflects “the most reckless and brutal face of US imperialism.”

Likewise, the FRM called on progressive movements, anti-imperialist forces, and popular organizations worldwide to mobilize in defense of Venezuelan sovereignty.

Among its demands are the immediate cessation of all military aggression against Venezuela, the presentation of conclusive proof that Maduro and Flores are still alive, and the international prosecution of US authorities for war crimes and violations of international law.

The statement concludes with a call for global unity and emphasizes that “the defense of Venezuela is the front line of the collective struggle against imperialism.”

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The post Timor-Leste’s Maubere Front condemns aggression against Venezuela first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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I listened to the January 3 press conference with a knot in my stomach. As a Venezuelan American with family, memories, and a living connection to the country being spoken about as if it were a possession, what I heard was very clear. And that clarity was chilling.

The president said, plainly, that the United States would “run the country” until a transition it deems “safe” and “judicious.” He spoke about capturing Venezuela’s head of state, about transporting him on a U.S. military vessel, about administering Venezuela temporarily, and about bringing in U.S. oil companies to rebuild the industry. He dismissed concerns about international reaction with a phrase that should alarm everyone: “They understand this is our hemisphere.”

For Venezuelans, those words echo a long, painful history.

Let’s be clear about the claims made. The president is asserting that the U.S. can detain a sitting foreign president and his spouse under U.S. criminal law. That the U.S. can administer another sovereign country without an international mandate. That Venezuela’s political future can be decided from Washington. That control over oil and “rebuilding” is a legitimate byproduct of intervention. That all of this can happen without congressional authorization and without evidence of imminent threat.

We have heard this language before. In Iraq, the United States promised a limited intervention and a temporary administration, only to impose years of occupation, seize control of critical infrastructure, and leave behind devastation and instability. What was framed as stewardship became domination. Venezuela is now being spoken about in disturbingly similar terms. “Temporary Administration” ended up being a permanent disaster.

Under international law, nothing described in that press conference is legal. The UN Charter prohibits the threat or use of force against another state and bars interference in a nation’s political independence. Sanctions designed to coerce political outcomes and cause civilian suffering amount to collective punishment. Declaring the right to “run” another country is the language of occupation, regardless of how many times the word is avoided.

Under U.S. law, the claims are just as disturbing. War powers belong to Congress. There has been no authorization, no declaration, no lawful process that allows an executive to seize a foreign head of state or administer a country. Calling this “law enforcement” does not make it so. Venezuela poses no threat to the United States. It has not attacked the U.S. and has issued no threat that could justify the use of force under U.S. or international law. There is no lawful basis, domestic or international, for what is being asserted.

But beyond law and precedent lies the most important reality: the cost of this aggression is paid by ordinary people in Venezuela. War, sanctions, and military escalation do not fall evenly. They fall hardest on women, children, the elderly, and the poor. They mean shortages of medicine and food, disrupted healthcare systems, rising maternal and infant mortality, and the daily stress of survival in a country forced to live under siege. They also mean preventable deaths,  people who die not because of natural disaster or inevitability, but because access to care, electricity, transport, or medicine has been deliberately obstructed. Every escalation compounds existing harm and increases the likelihood of loss of life, civilian deaths that will be written off as collateral, even though they were foreseeable and avoidable.

What makes this even more dangerous is the assumption underlying it all: that Venezuelans will remain passive, compliant, and submissive in the face of humiliation and force. That assumption is wrong. And when it collapses, as it inevitably will, the cost will be measured in unnecessary bloodshed.  This is what is erased when a country is discussed as a “transition” or an “administration problem.” Human beings disappear. Lives are reduced to acceptable losses. And the violence that follows is framed as unfortunate rather than the predictable outcome of arrogance and coercion.

To hear a U.S. president talk about a country as something to be managed, stabilized, and handed over once it behaves properly, it hurts. It humiliates. And it enrages.

And yes, Venezuela is not politically unified. It isn’t. It never has been. There are deep divisions, about the government, about the economy, about leadership, about the future. There are people who identify as Chavista, people who are fiercely anti-Chavista, people who are exhausted and disengaged, and yes, there are some who are celebrating what they believe might finally bring change.

But political division does not invite invasion.

Latin America has seen this logic before. In Chile, internal political division was used to justify U.S. intervention, framed as a response to “ungovernability,” instability, and threats to regional order, ending not in democracy, but in dictatorship, repression, and decades of trauma.

In fact, many Venezuelans who oppose the government still reject this moment outright. They understand that bombs, sanctions, and “transitions” imposed from abroad do not bring democracy, they destroy the conditions that make it possible.

This moment demands political maturity, not purity tests. You can oppose Maduro and still oppose U.S. aggression. You can want change and still reject foreign control. You can be angry, desperate, or hopeful, and still say no to being governed by another country.

Venezuela is a country where communal councils, worker organizations, neighborhood collectives, and social movements have been forged under pressure. Political education didn’t come from think tanks; it came from survival. Right now, Venezuelans are not hiding. They are closing ranks because they recognize the pattern. They know what it means when foreign leaders start talking about “transitions” and “temporary control.” They know what usually follows. And they are responding the way they always have: by turning fear into collective action.

This press conference wasn’t just about Venezuela. It was about whether empire can say the quiet part out loud again, whether it can openly claim the right to govern other nations and expect the world to shrug.

If this stands, the lesson is brutal and undeniable: sovereignty is conditional, resources are there to be taken by the U.S., and democracy exists only by imperial consent.

As a Venezuelan American, I refuse that lesson.

I refuse the idea that my tax dollars fund the humiliation of my homeland. I refuse the lie that war and coercion are acts of “care” for the Venezuelan people. And I refuse to stay silent while a country I love is spoken about as raw material for U.S. interests, not a society of human beings deserving respect.

Venezuela’s future is not for U.S. officials, corporate boards, or any president who believes the hemisphere is his to command. It belongs to Venezuelans.

Michelle Ellner is a Latin America campaign coordinator of CODEPINK. She was born in Venezuela and holds a bachelor’s degree in languages and international affairs from the University La Sorbonne Paris IV, in Paris. After graduating, she worked for an international scholarship program out of offices in Caracas and Paris and was sent to Haiti, Cuba, The Gambia, and other countries for the purpose of evaluating and selecting applicants.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Venezuelanalysis editorial staff.

The post ‘We’re Going to Run the Country:’ Preparing an Illegal Occupation in Venezuela appeared first on Venezuelanalysis.

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Thousands of people peacefully packed in front of the diplomatic mission, which was heavily guarded by the Civil Guard and the police, in response to a call from the Committee Against NATO and Military Bases and the Antifascist International.

“Yankees hands off Venezuela,” “Stop US interference in the world and with respect for the sovereignty of Latin American peoples,” were some of the slogans chanted by the demonstrators.

Along with Venezuelan flags, they also displayed the Palestinian flag and denounced Israel’s genocide in Gaza and NATO’s growing belligerence, with the complicity of the European Union (EU).

Araceli Escudero, an activist with the Bolivarian Solidarity Platform and friendship groups with Cuba, described Sunday’s demonstration in front of the U.S. Embassy in the Spanish capital as a complete success.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve seen so many people at a demonstration of this nature. What has happened in Venezuela violates all rights and could ignite all of Latin America and the Caribbean,” she told Prensa Latina.

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The post Spain in mass drives in support of Venezuela first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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The group condemned what it called an “interventionist escalation” by the U.S. administration against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. The movement decried the kidnapping of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, stating that these actions seek to decapitate the legitimately constituted authorities through the illegal use of force.

Meanwhile, legislator Claudia Ortiz, of the center-right Vamos party, questioning the action, maintained that the challenge for the region is not only to combat organized crime, “but to do so without making the exception the rule or weakening the rule of law.

Without active institutions, no democracy can withstand the pressure.”

Quoted by the newspaper El Mundo, the parliamentarian questioned the US operation to kidnap Maduro and his wife, stating that the United States wields power without democratic limits.

These expressions of rejection were joined by other actions from social and popular movement organizations in El Salvador, including unions that supported statements from the World Federation of Trade Unions, which asserted that Washington’s true objective is to seize Venezuelan oil.

The Antifascist International El Salvador Chapter, the Operation Solidarity Network, and Mission Miracle also joined in the condemnations, reaffirming their rejection of the kidnapping of the Venezuelan president.

jdt/oda/lb

The post Social rejection grows in El Salvador against aggression of Venezuela first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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This article by Magdiel Sánchez Quiroz originally appeared in the January 3, 2026 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those ofMexico Solidarity Media*, or theMexico Solidarity Project.*

In the early morning of January 3, 2026, U.S. troops carried out a criminal incursion into Venezuelan territory. They bombed various strategic points in the country, damaged infrastructure, murdered military personnel and civilians, and kidnapped the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro Moros, and his wife, Cilia Flores. This operation represents the most serious and violent attack perpetrated by the United States against a country in the Americas since the invasions of Grenada (1983) and Panama (1989).

Since September 2025, under the pretext of combating drug trafficking, the Donald Trump administration launched a new offensive against Venezuela that escalated from economic pressure and attacks on boats allegedly transporting drugs, to the hijacking of oil tankers and the largest naval and air blockade ever seen, with the aim of overthrowing the government of Nicolás Maduro and installing a puppet government that would hand over the country’s oil, water, and other resources to imperialism.

The offensive against Venezuela comes in the context of Donald Trump launching his Monroe Doctrine Corollary to reinforce imperial hegemony weakened by geopolitical changes at a global level.

Under the global media dominance of the United States, an attempt is being made to portray the criminal operation as having the support of the Venezuelan people. Only a few isolated and marginal displays of support for Trump have been seen in some cities in Europe and Latin America. None in Venezuela. Nor have they succeeded in getting any political force with a real presence in Venezuela to come out in support of the President’s kidnapping.

However, the psychological terror operations are building the ideal scene for the “regime change” longed for by Trump: Nicolás Maduro handcuffed and dressed in prison clothes, presented before a New York court as if it were a retrial against Joaquín El Chapo Guzmán.

Reducing the President and leader of the revolutionary process in Venezuela to a common criminal is necessary for imperialism to advance what it promises will be a “peaceful transition” between the current interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, and the unpatriotic María Corina Machado and former opposition candidate Edmundo González. This so-called “regime change” is nothing more than an attempt to impose a puppet ruler who will hand over the country’s natural resources to the United States.

Undoubtedly, the kidnapping of Maduro and his wife was made possible by both Venezuelan intelligence and security errors and a successful US infiltration of the Venezuelan president’s inner circle. However, regime change is still a long way off. Events within the country demonstrate this.

In Venezuela, the vast majority of the country went very quickly from the confusion and shock of the early morning hours to indignation, courage, and a readiness to fight.

Thousands of people took to the streets to demand the safe return of their President and condemned the US military actions. The Armed Forces have demonstrated their unity and loyalty to the people and their President. Beyond the narrative that has been promoted claiming Venezuela is living under a dictatorship that undermines civil liberties, the Bolivarian Revolution, initiated under the leadership of Hugo Chávez in 1998 and continued today by Nicolás Maduro, has succeeded in building a unity among the people, the armed forces, the police, and the Bolivarian militias that the operation of January 3, 2026, will not be able to break so easily.

An organization of 5,336 communes and Communal Circuits, together with the Bolivarian Militias already armed and deployed throughout the national territory. They are the foundation of the only power that, beyond the state apparatus, can halt the neocolonial occupation: popular power.

Today is the moment for the people of Venezuela. Their capacity to defend their territory street by street, commune by commune, as well as their unwavering resolve to resist any betrayal or attempt by a traitorous politician who presents himself as capable of guaranteeing the transition longed for by Trump, will be the most decisive factor in the sovereign future of that country.

Very difficult days are coming for Venezuela and the world. At a time when international organizations have shown their inability to stop the genocide in Gaza, we watch in horror what may come. However, overcoming horror, even in the darkest of times, is possible.

Hope can only emerge from below, from the people of Venezuela and from a consequent movement in the world that occupies the streets and defeats indifference and terror.

• 

  Analysis

  Venezuela, The People’s Hour

  January 4, 2026

  The Bolivarian Revolution has succeeded in building a unity among the people, the armed forces, the police, & Bolivarian militias that the US operation of January 3 will not be able to break so easily.

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  News Briefs

  President AMLO Breaks Silence, Condemns “Arrogant Attack” by US on Venezuela, Kidnapping

  January 3, 2026January 3, 2026

  The popular former President of Mexico has been in retirement from politics, but today advised President Trump to “tell the hawks to go to hell”.

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  News Briefs

  Mexican Senate Suspends Meeting That Would Have Authorized Entry of US Military Personnel for Naval Exercises

  January 3, 2026January 3, 2026

  The meeting was cancelled this afternoon, citing new circumstances following US military aggression against Venezuela.

The post Venezuela, The People’s Hour appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.

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Vice President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez, denounced an “unprecedented” US military aggression against Venezuela that culminated in the “illegal kidnapping” of President Nicolás Maduro and First Fighter Lady Cilia Flores.

VP Rodríguez, accompanied by senior officials, headed an emergency meeting of the National Defense Council, recalling that the Venezuelan government had already warned about an ongoing aggression under “false excuses”.

The vice president emphasized that the true objective of this operation is “regime change in Venezuela,” which would allow the United States to “capture our energy, mineral, and natural resources.” She called on the international community to be aware of this truth.

The Vice President of Venezuela demanded the release of Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores during the National Defense Council, reaffirming Maduro as the sole president and at the same time announcing the activation of the Citizen Security Agency and national power to defend independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, which they denounce as attacked.

The Venezuelan people, following Maduro’s call, also mobilized in the streets. “The people of Venezuela have taken to the streets,” following a previous call by Maduro for the activation of the FANB and the Bolivarian militias.

Likewise, Rodríguez announced the activation of a decree signed by President Maduro, which has been delivered to the president of the Supreme Court of Justice for its constitutional endorsement in the constitutional chamber. This decree of “external commotion” is expected to obtain judicial approval in the coming hours for its immediate execution.

The vice president highlighted the international support, mentioning that the community has “added and raised their voices” from China, Russia, Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia. She affirmed that the governments of the world are impacted by this attack, which she attributed a “Zionist tint,” calling it “really shameful.”

Venezuela’s Revolution Remains Intact—International and Domestic Demonstrations Demand Return of Abducted President

Rodríguez quoted the Liberator Simón Bolívar from the Jamaica Letter: “The veil has been torn, we have already seen the light and they want to return us to darkness. The chains have been broken, we have already been free and our enemies intend to enslave us again.” She emphasized that Venezuela “will never again be a colony of any empire.”

The vice president recalled the recent statements by President Maduro, who “just two days ago publicly in a television interview” ratified the government’s willingness to “maintain dialogue relations to address a constructive agenda.”

She pointed out that the aggression of the U.S. “flagrantly violates Articles 1 and 2 of the Charter of the United Nations,” despite the fact that Maduro had extended his hand to the American people to establish “diplomatic, political, institutional channels of State” based on the well-being of the peoples, friendship, cooperation, and respect for international legality.

(Telesur)

From Orinoco Tribune – News and opinion pieces about Venezuela and beyond via This RSS Feed.

Sun Yanfeng, director of the Institute of Latin American Studies at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, stated that Washington “once again placed its domestic law above international law.”

In this regard, he told The Paper that the United States justified the action with accusations of drug trafficking based on domestic laws and its own court orders, without presenting verifiable evidence.

The expert emphasized that the principle of sovereign equality of states and non-interference prohibit the extraterritorial application of national legislation against heads of state.

Sun remembered a similar action in 1989, when the United States invaded Panama and captured its leader on drug trafficking charges, which he described as a dangerous precedent.

According to the analyst, beyond the rhetoric surrounding drug trafficking, the operation serves Washington’s strategic objectives, including weakening Venezuela as a regional actor opposed to the United States and with close ties to China and Russia.

The expert considered this the first direct US intervention in Latin America in the 21st century, occurring after the recent adoption of the new US security strategy.

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The post Chinese academician warns of US intentions in Venezuela first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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US military intervention in Venezuela is justified with alarming rhetoric by Trump and his allies, revealing threats, imposition and a dangerous power doctrine.

US military intervention in Venezuela is being publicly celebrated by Donald Trump and his closest allies as a decisive victory, but their own words expose a dangerous agenda of domination, threats and control over an entire country. The rhetoric used to describe this operation reveals a project of imposition, punishment and geopolitical expansion that challenges international law and the sovereignty of the Venezuelan people.

Donald Trump and top US officials presented the military operation against Venezuela as a “lesson for the world” and a step toward “peace through strength”, but the very discourse used to justify it reveals the scope of the aggression, the cynicism of its narrative, and the geopolitical dimension of an operation conceived to forcibly reorder the map of power in Latin America. From the name of the operation to the references to the Monroe Doctrine, the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, and the direct control of oil resources, their statements condense a logic of imposition, exemplary punishment, and economic appropriation that collides head‑on with international law and the principle of the sovereignty of peoples.

A shock operation and the narrative of absolute power
In their narrative, the US military intervention in Venezuela is framed through the name of the operation: “Absolute Determination”, presented as a historic milestone similar to the “Midnight Hammer” operation carried out months earlier in Iran. The administration describes it as a lightning incursion of unprecedented magnitude since World War II, executed with such precision that the Venezuelan army allegedly surrendered without US casualties or equipment losses.

This language turns the US military intervention in Venezuela into a spectacle of power, where the tactical blackout and overwhelming technological superiority are highlighted as proof that the US possesses “the most powerful army on the planet”. The message is clear: Washington claims the right not only to attack, but to set a global standard for how to remove governments it considers hostile, normalizing preemptive and overwhelming force.

Legal justification and extraterritorial capture of Maduro

US Military Intervention in Venezuela
According to Trump and his allies, the US military intervention in Venezuela is legally justified by accusing Nicolás Maduro of narcoterrorism and of leading the so‑called “Cartel of the Suns”. They insist there is sufficient evidence to ensure his conviction, and that he will be taken to Miami or New York to face US justice after rejecting what they describe as “multiple diplomatic exits”.

Behind this narrative, the US military intervention in Venezuela masks an extremely serious precedent: the extraterritorial capture of a head of state in his own country and his transfer to courts of the attacking power. Trump presents himself as a leader who “does not play games: he speaks, acts and delivers”, turning this capture into a warning to any government that dares to challenge US national security.

Migrants, security and a regional occupation logic
Supporters of the US military intervention in Venezuela also justify it through domestic security arguments. They allege that the Venezuelan government emptied prisons and psychiatric institutions to send criminals and “thugs” from the Tren de Aragua toward US borders. In this discourse, migrants are framed as a direct threat, turning the border into an extension of the battlefield.

The US military intervention in Venezuela is thus presented as an internal security measure: by “sealing the border”, the administration claims to have stopped drug trafficking by speedboats and the export of chaos from Venezuela. This is more than a border policy; it is part of a narrative where Washington assumes the right to militarily intervene in another country to reorganize its internal reality and, supposedly, protect US territory.

Transitional administration and an updated Monroe Doctrine
One of the most revealing aspects of the US military intervention in Venezuela is the open admission that the United States will take temporary control of Venezuela’s government. Trump and his allies state that Washington will manage the country’s economy and reconstruction until a “proper transition” is achieved, explicitly evoking and “surpassing” the principles of the Monroe Doctrine with the slogan “America for the Americans”.

In practice, the US military intervention in Venezuela is transformed into a trusteeship project where the occupying power decides who governs, how long the intervention lasts and under what economic and political conditions. Although they say they do not wish to keep permanent troops on the ground, they stress that they will not hesitate to deploy forces whenever they deem it necessary to “protect the people” and “guarantee regional stability”, leaving the duration of the intervention entirely in US hands.

Venezuela Condemns Macron’s Statements Supporting US Abduction of President Maduro, ALBA-TCP Repudiates Military Aggression

Oil, reconstruction and control of strategic resources
The US military intervention in Venezuela is also clearly linked to control over the country’s vast energy resources. The administration describes Venezuela’s oil infrastructure as “failed and ruined” due to years of “abandonment and corruption”, and promises that US oil companies —“the best in the world”, according to them— will invest to recover resources that were stolen.

In this framework, the US military intervention in Venezuela is presented as a plan to “clean up the economy”, “recover debts owed to our nation” and create wealth “for the Venezuelan people and the American people”. This makes the reconstruction sound less like humanitarian support and more like a geopolitical business project, in which Washington decides how to exploit strategic resources and which local actors are acceptable partners.

Strategic message to China, Russia, Iran and Cuba
The discourse surrounding the US military intervention in Venezuela also sends a message to other global powers. Officials warn that, from now on, any country that wants Venezuelan oil will have to negotiate directly with the United States. This places the intervention in a broader context of confrontation with China, Russia and Iran, which have invested heavily and maintained political alliances with Caracas.

At the same time, they issue a direct warning to Cuba, suggesting that its system is in decline and that it should “watch its back”. The US military intervention in Venezuela thus becomes a regional and global signal: an example of how Washington is willing to impose a new order in the Western Hemisphere, using overwhelming force, territorial control and management of resources as tools of pressure and realignment.

“Peace through strength” and the paradox of imposed peace
Trump concludes by framing the US military intervention in Venezuela as part of a doctrine of “peace through strength”, citing his intention to end the “bloodbath” in Ukraine as another example of his capacity to close conflicts. However, the underlying message is that peace is achieved not through negotiation and international law, but through decisive and forceful actions, like the overnight operation that toppled the Venezuelan government.

Within this doctrine, the US military intervention in Venezuela is portrayed as a necessary shock to prevent future wars, when in reality it sets a dangerous precedent of unilateral action, regime change and control over a country’s natural resources. The rhetoric of strength is used to justify a project that many international actors see as a threat to global stability and to the basic principle of sovereignty.

(Telesur)

From Orinoco Tribune – News and opinion pieces about Venezuela and beyond via This RSS Feed.

AKP spokesman Omer Celik stated that his party does not support any initiative that threatens the sovereignty of states and emphasized that political sovereignty belongs exclusively to the Venezuelan people.

In a message posted on the social media platform X, Celik expressed that the AKP’s position on the events in Venezuela is based on respect for international law and the popular will, and stressed that the Venezuelan people are the sole holders of political sovereignty in their country.

The spokesman remembered that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the AKP have consistently defended the legitimate sovereignty of states and their territorial integrity as guiding principles of their political action.

Celik reiterated that the AKP does not support any event that contradicts these principles and affirmed that political legitimacy has been and continues to be a central tenet of the policies of the Turkish president and the ruling party.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Venezuelan government denounced the US attacks as aimed at seizing the country’s strategic resources, particularly its oil and minerals, and forcibly undermining the nation’s political independence.

It warned that Venezuela reserves “the right to exercise legitimate self-defense to protect its people, its territory, and its independence,” while urging international solidarity to condemn the foreign aggression.

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The post Turkiye’s ruling party opposes intervention in Venezuela first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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The Chinese Foreign Ministry asserted that “such actions flagrantly violate international law and the fundamental regulations of international relations, contravening the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter.”

Beijing also underscored its deep concern over the detention and forced deportation of President Maduro and his wife, while calling for guarantees for their personal safety.

China urged the United States to resolve the issue with Venezuela through dialogue and negotiation.

The Foreign Ministry condemned on Saturday Washington’s military strike on Caracas and expressed its profound shock at the reckless manner in which force was used against a sovereign country and its president.

The statement added, “This kind of hegemonic behavior by the United States seriously violates international law, infringes upon Venezuela’s sovereignty, and threatens the peace and security of the Latin American and Caribbean region.”

Local media closely followed the events in the South American country, where the United States violated its sovereignty, militarily attacked Caracas, and kidnapped the president and his wife.

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PRINCIPAL-CHINA/VENEZUELA

China aboga por liberación inmediata de Maduro y su esposa

Beijing, 4 ene (Prensa Latina) China exigió hoy a Estados Unidos que libere de forma inmediata al presidente Nicolás Maduro y a su esposa, y a dejar de subvertir el orden en venezuela.

En un comunicado la cancillería del gigante asiático aseguró que “tales acciones violan flagrantemente el derecho internacional y las normas fundamentales de las relaciones internacionales, contraviniendo los propósitos y principios de la Carta de las Naciones Unidas”.

Asimismo Beijing subrayó su profunda preocupación por la detención y deportación forzosa del presidente Maduro y su esposa, al tiempo que llamó a garantizar la seguridad personal de ambos.

China urgió a Estados Unidos a resolver la cuestión con Venezuela mediante el diálogo y la negociación.

La Cancillería condenó la víspera el ataque militar de Washington contra Caracas y expresó su profunda conmoción por la manera temeraria en la que ejerció la fuerza contra un país soberano y su presidente.

“Este tipo de comportamiento hegemónico por parte de Estados Unidos viola gravemente el derecho internacional, vulnera la soberanía de Venezuela y amenaza la paz y la seguridad de la región de América Latina y el Caribe”, agregó la declaración.

Los medios de prensa locales siguieron de cerca los acontecimientos en el país sudamericano, donde Estados Unidos vulneró la soberanía, agredió militarmente a Caracas y secuestró al presidente y su esposa.

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The post China calls for immediate release of Maduro and his wife first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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The Progressive Union of Prosecutors (UPF) of Spain deplored the actions of US President Donald Trump in Venezuela, arguing that they contravene international law.

Meanwhile, the head of Politics and International Relations for EH Bildu, Igor Zulaika, denounced that President Trump seeks to “destroy international law” following Saturday’s attack in Venezuela.

The representative of the Basque party assessed the existence of a “risk” that Trump might intervene “in the European elections in favor of the far right.”

Shortly before a demonstration was held in front of the Venezuelan Consulate in Bilbao, Zulaika accused Trump of “setting his imperialist plan in motion.”

Just yesterday, the Venezuelan consul in Bilbao, Glenna del Valle Cabello, called on “the entire country to mobilize to defeat imperialist aggression.”

In various press releases, the United Left, Podemos, and Sumar parties, as well as the Workers’ Commissions and UGT unions, condemned the kidnapping of Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, and the White House’s announcement that it would lead Venezuela through a supposed period of democratic transition.

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The post Majority in Spain rejects US interference in Venezuela first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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The military institution announced on its official Telegram channel that attacks with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Ukraine against Russian territory are expected to increase this year due to losses suffered by the enemy armed forces on the front lines.

The Ministry stated that 37 drones were shot down over the Bryansk region, 22 over Kursk, 11 over Kaluga, 11 over Moscow, four over Tula, two over Voronezh, and one over Belgorod, Rostov, and Oryol.

Meanwhile, the national air transport agency, Rosaviatsia, reported that temporary restrictions have been imposed at the airports of Saratov, Tambov, and Yaroslavl, as well as two of Moscow’s four airports (Vnukovo and Zhukovsky), due to security reasons.

Russia has been conducting a special military operation in Ukraine since February 24, 2022, to protect the population from “the Kiev regime’s genocide,” according to President Vladimir Putin.

It also aims to counter national security risks posed by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)’s eastward expansion.

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The post Russian air defense downs 90 Ukrainian drones in a single day first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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The Chinese Foreign Ministry informed that this is the first state visit to China by a South Korean president in almost nine years and comes two months after the meeting between the two presidents in Gyeongju, South Korea.

The Foreign Ministry informed that Lee will hold talks with Chinese leaders in Beijing from January 4 to 6, and will continue his program in Shanghai on January 6 and 7.

Seoul informed that the leaders will discuss cooperation in supply chains, investment, the digital economy, the environment, and the fight against transnational crime, with the possible signing of several memoranda of understanding.

South Korean authorities pointed out that the visit aims at consolidating the momentum of the bilateral strategic partnership and strengthen channels of political dialogue.

During his stay in Shanghai, Lee will visit the former site of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, as part of the commemorations of Kim Gu’s 150th birthday and the 100th anniversary of the establishment of that historic headquarters.

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The post China: South Korean leader boosts a new stage in bilateral ties first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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