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Iran’s foreign minister sharply condemns the United States’ military aggression against Venezuela and the kidnapping of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.

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During a press conference on Saturday, US President Donald Trump announced that he intends to govern Venezuela and threatened a possible second attack.

This press conference comes after the US conducted military strikes against Venezuela in the early hours of Saturday, January 3. Several hours later, it was confirmed that the US had illegally abducted President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.

“We are going to run the country until a proper transition can take place… We’re going to have our very large US oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money,” Trump said.

Trump assured that they are ready to launch a “second and much larger attack if we need to do so… We actually assumed that a second wave would be necessary, but now it’s probably not… The first attack was so successful, so we probably don’t have to do a second, but we’re prepared to do a second wave—a much bigger wave, actually.”

US Launches Military Strikes Against Venezuela; President Maduro and Cilia Flores Kidnapped

He then reiterated plans to steal Venezuelan oil. This was agreed upon by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who stated that Trump was “deadly serious about getting back the oil that was stolen from us, and deadly serious about re-establishing American deterrence and dominance in the Western Hemisphere.”

Trump also reported that President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores are on a ship en route to New York and will be “prosecuted” in courts in Miami and New York.

He also said he did not know where the far-right Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado was. “I think it’d be very tough for her to be the leader,” he said during the briefing. “She doesn’t have the support or the respect within the country. She’s a very nice woman, but she doesn’t have the respect.”

(Últimas Noticias)

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

OT/SF

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

In a statement released on his social media accounts, former President of Mexico Andrés Manuel López Obrador, condemned the US’ “arrogant attack” on Veneuela and kidnapping of President Nicolas Maduro, referencing Simon Bolívar, Abraham Lincoln and Benito Juárez, and offering unconditional support to current President Claudia Sheinbaum.

The former President was noted for staking out assertive, anti-imperialist foreign policy policies during his six year-term, such as not attending the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles in 2022 because of the exclusion of Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua; offering asylum to President Evo Morales of Bolivia after the 2019 coup; honouring Julian Assange and advocating for his release from prison; breaking relations with Ecuador over its assault on the Mexican embassy; and breaking relations with Peru over its coup of President Pedro Castillo, and offering asylum to persecuted members of Ecaudor’s Movimiento Revolución Ciudadana and El Salvador’s Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional.

President AMLO’s statement

“I am retired from politics, but my libertarian convictions prevent me from staying silent in the face of the arrogant assault on the sovereignty of the people of Venezuela and the kidnapping of their president. Neither Bolívar nor Lincoln would accept the United States government acting as a world tyranny.

President Trump: do not fall into self-complacency or listen to the siren song. Tell the hawks to go to hell; you have the capacity to act with practical judgment. Do not forget that today’s ephemeral victory can be tomorrow’s resounding defeat. Politics is not imposition.

Remember that “respect for the rights of others is peace,” as Benito Juárez taught us in the 19th century. I am Mexican with great pride, but also Latin American. I unconditionally support my president Claudia Sheinbaum.

For now, I am not sending you a hug.

AMLO

• 

  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”.

• 

  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.

• 

  News Briefs

  President Sheinbaum Reiterates Condemnation of US Attack on Venezuela

  January 3, 2026

  The Mexican President emphasized the importance of Latin America and the Caribbean acting together in defense of sovereignty and international law.

The post President AMLO Breaks Silence, Condemns “Arrogant Attack” by US on Venezuela, Kidnapping appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.

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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 force, punishment, and geopolitical expansion that violates international law and the sovereignty of the Venezuelan people.

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 abduction of Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro, and the direct control of oil resources, the US statements reveal a criminal logic of illegal force 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 a magnitude that is unprecedented since World War II and executed with such precision that the Venezuelan army allegedly surrendered without US casualties.

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, thereby normalizing preemptive and overwhelming force.

Legal justification and extraterritorial capture of MaduroAccording 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 that there is sufficient evidence to ensure his conviction and that he will be taken to Miami or New York to face US justice.

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 abduction 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 gang 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 whereby Washington assumes the right to militarily intervene in another country to reorganize its internal US 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 [sic] for the Americans [sic].”

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.

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 the US— 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 [sic] 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, the US is issuing 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.

US Launches Military Strikes Against Venezuela; President Maduro and Cilia Flores Kidnapped

“Peace through strength” and the paradox of imposed peace
Trump concluded 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 such as the early-morning 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 English)

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

Before US President Donald Trump confirmed the attack on Venezuela, the interim leader of the New Democratic Party, Don Davies, posted on social media that if the action were true, it would be a flagrant violation of international law and the rules-based system that the United States claims to support.

“Canada must strongly condemn this attack and call for an immediate end to the US aggression against the sovereign state of Venezuela,” Davies stated. Meanwhile, the leader of the Bloc Quebecois, Yves-Francois Blanchet, expressed his concern that the United States “is acting as a policeman at the risk of ignoring international law, particularly by resorting to military force that endangers the lives of civilians and by kidnapping a head of state, even if illegitimate.”

However, contrary to the logic of international law, politicians like the leader of the conservatives, Pierre Poilievre, spoke out in favor of the bombings carried out by the United States in several Venezuelan states, and the kidnapping of the constitutional president of the South American nation, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores.

This morning, in a press conference, Trump made clear the United States’ interests in Venezuelan oil and its threats to other countries that do not follow the dictates of the White House.

jdt/jdt/mem/tdd

The post Canadian politicians decry US aAtack on Venezuela first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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He made the statement at a rally held in front of the Venezuelan diplomatic headquarters in Montevideo.

Sassone described what he called an “unprecedented military action by the United States in terms of violating the constitutional and international law of nations.”

He denounced that President Nicolas Maduro is being held hostage by invading US troops and must be freed.

It was also learned that the Association of Cuban Residents in Uruguay condemned what it called imperialist aggression against sister nation Venezuela.

The statement urged Cubans residing in Uruguay to join the Uruguayan people this afternoon in the rally called by the PIT-CNT labor union and various social organizations in the capital.

In the rally will be repudiated US interference and intervention in our sovereign countries, the text states.

It will also be to express “our solidarity and support for the brotherly Venezuelan people, who will not be alone in their struggle for freedom and self-determination.”

jdt/jcm/ool

The post Venezuela will resist, will not be a colony, says consul in Uruguay first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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This article by Andrea Becerril originally appeared in the January 3, 2026 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper.

Mexico City. The Senate of the Republic suspended the extraordinary meeting of Committees scheduled for next Monday, the 5th, in which it was planned to authorize the entry into national territory of special forces of the United States Navy to participate in naval exercises and the departure of elements of the Mexican Navy to Camp Shelby, Mississippi, for a similar exercise.

The Navy Commission, chaired by Morena senator Carlos Lomelí Bolaños, scheduled that meeting since the last week of December, since the intention was to have the two requests for entry and exit of troops, from President Claudia Sheinbaum, so that once approved, they could be voted on in an extraordinary session on the 13th of this month, but everything was canceled.

Senator Manuel Huerta Ladrón de Guevara, a member of the Navy Commission from the Morena party, reported that they were notified this afternoon that the meeting was postponed and that “this is an important fact to note,” given that the new circumstances following the US military intervention in Venezuela and the existing threats require “giving ourselves a reasonable amount of time to address this and other issues.”

Is that meeting scheduled for Monday the 25th still listed in today’s parliamentary gazette?

“We, the members of the Navy Commission, have already been informed that the meeting has been suspended, and I believe this is the most appropriate course of action given the current geopolitical situation. We will analyze the issue further to gather more information for our decision. We need to see how the situation develops; it’s always important to act deliberately and without haste.”

He did not want to specify whether the approval of the two permits is being completely cancelled, but in fact it is heading in that direction.

The presidential requests arrived at the Senate after the work of the previous ordinary session had already concluded on December 13, and given that naval training and instruction begins on January 18, it is necessary to convene that extraordinary session before that date.

Therefore, the president of the Navy Commission, Carlos Lomelí Bolaños, called for the extraordinary meeting on January 5, which would be semi-presential and in which the two opinions were to be approved, with a view to the extraordinary period being called in the session of the Permanent Commission, on the 7th of that same month, only in the Senate, since it is its exclusive power to approve the departure of troops from the country, as well as the entry of elements of the Army and Navy of other nations.

The federal executive requested authorization to allow the departure of troops from the Mexican Navy, in order to participate in the event called “Increasing the capacity of the Special Operations Unit”, which will take place from January 18 to March 13 of next year at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, United States.

Likewise, President Sheinbaum requests Senate approval to allow the entry into national territory of personnel from the Navy SEALs and the Seventh Special Forces Group of the United States Navy, to participate in the naval exercise called “Improving the Capability of Special Operations Forces”, to be held at three locations.

At the Headquarters of the Special Operations Unit in Donato Guerra, State of Mexico, at the Specialized Training Center of Marine Infantry (CENCAEIM), in Champotón and at the Naval Command of Ciudad del Carmen, both in Campeche.

• 

  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”.

• 

  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.

• 

  News Briefs

  President Sheinbaum Reiterates Condemnation of US Attack on Venezuela

  January 3, 2026

  The Mexican President emphasized the importance of Latin America and the Caribbean acting together in defense of sovereignty and international law.

The post Mexican Senate Suspends Meeting That Would Have Authorized Entry of US Military Personnel for Naval Exercises appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.

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This article originally appeared in the January 3, 2025 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper.

Mexico City. President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo reiterated on Saturday the Mexican government’s condemnation of the United States’ military intervention in Venezuela and defended the principles of Mexican foreign policy, while also responding to recent statements by President Donald Trump regarding the bilateral relationship and the fight against drug trafficking. She stated that Mexico maintains a relationship of cooperation with the United States, not one of subordination.

When questioned about the US bombing of Venezuelan territory, the President stated that the Mexican government had already established an official position through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “We defend the Estrada Doctrine and what our country’s foreign policy represents, which is established in the Constitution, and which opposes interventions and favors the peaceful resolution of any conflict,” she affirmed.

She also recalled that the Charter of the United Nations establishes that there should be no military intervention and that disputes should be resolved multilaterally. “That is why we condemn this intervention in Venezuela and we will be closely monitoring developments,” she emphasized.

Sheinbaum insisted that Mexico’s position goes beyond any particular government and has to do with respect for international law.

Following Trump’s remarks that the United States “must do something about Mexico” regarding drug trafficking and his accusations that the country is governed by cartels, the President maintained that, despite these statements, there is a cooperative relationship with Washington.

“He has told me this several times, however, we have a very good relationship with the United States in terms of security and other issues. There is communication, there is an understanding on security matters,” he said, referring to meetings held with U.S. officials, including Secretary Marco Rubio.

The head of the federal executive stressed that the Mexican position remains firm: “collaboration, coordination but not subordination.”

Regarding the future of the relationship between Mexico and Venezuela in light of Trump’s announcements that the United States will administer that country, Sheinbaum indicated that the issue will be reviewed with her team and the Foreign Ministry, always within the constitutional framework.

She also noted that Mexico is in contact with other countries and that an additional statement will be released in the coming hours or days. President Sheinbaum emphasized the importance of Latin America and the Caribbean acting together in defense of sovereignty, international law, and the peaceful resolution of conflicts. “We will continue to evaluate the situation and continue to express our views on this matter,” he concluded.

• 

  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”.

• 

  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.

• 

  News Briefs

  President Sheinbaum Reiterates Condemnation of US Attack on Venezuela

  January 3, 2026

  The Mexican President emphasized the importance of Latin America and the Caribbean acting together in defense of sovereignty and international law.

The post President Sheinbaum Reiterates Condemnation of US Attack on Venezuela appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.

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This editorial by Marcos Roitman Rosenmann 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.*

Two facts. The U.S. Air Force has penetrated the territory of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, bombed Caracas, attacked key centers, and advanced into the states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira. Subsequently, in an operation to abduct the constitutional president, Nicolás Maduro, and the first lady, Cilia Flores, and transfer them to New York to be tried in U.S. courts and under U.S. law on charges of being narco-terrorists. In no case should we be distracted. This is a violation of international law, and, more seriously, it sets a precedent that raises the following question: Which Latin American country, president, or political leader will be the next target of the United States? And I say “the United States.” If the Trump administration is the executor, the decision is part of the imperialist conception of international relations toward Our America and, by extension, the rest of the world dependent on U.S. military power. Let’s not fool ourselves: the Democratic Party and its so-called socialist wing maintain a complicit silence.

There is no room for half measures now. Covering up the violation of international law by labeling the Venezuelan state and its leaders as narco-terrorists only justifies the aggressor. Nor is it acceptable to take refuge in the argument of the internal and external opposition, which alleges electoral fraud in the last presidential elections—a claim they have failed to substantiate by refusing to hand over the tally sheets that would prove it. Therefore, any explanation that justifies the military incursion of the US armed forces into Venezuela betrays the principles of dignity and political independence upon which national sovereignty rests. Anything else is demagoguery.

All opposition is legitimate until it breaks the rules of the democratic game, expressing its support for a foreign invasion. Even more so if, behind this decision, a spurious pact is made to hand over resources and natural wealth to imperialism in exchange for regaining power. Let’s not fool ourselves, this operation, designed by the Pentagon, the White House, the CIA, and the State Department, has its faithful servant in Maria Corina Machado. While Donald Trump declares to Fox News: “We are now making a decision on the next step regarding the Venezuelan leadership… we will evaluate whether Machado can lead Venezuela…” Machado declares on social media: “The US has kept its promise… Today we are prepared to assert our mandate and take power.”

The disinformation war is taking over the media landscape, and in this war, the United States’ allies are gaining the upper hand. There’s nothing about the mobilizations in Venezuela supporting the revolution. Even less so do journalists and academics emphasize the violation of international law or the illegitimacy of the kidnapping. All those interviewed are condescending. There are lukewarm statements from presidents, like Pedro Sánchez in Spain, who, on Twitter on February 24, 2022, “condemns Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and expresses solidarity with the Ukrainian government and people”; and today, January 3, 2026, writes: “The Spanish government is closely monitoring the events in Venezuela… We call for de-escalation and responsibility….” No comment.

The enemies are within. They despise the people, they deeply hate the working class, behaving like lackeys.

But let’s not be fooled. The United States’ representatives in Latin America—whether Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Billy Clinton, Barack Obama, George Bush, Richard Nixon, or John Kennedy—are not its ambassadors. They have names and surnames, and they represent members of the plutocracy or are part of its armed forces. They have risen to power by groveling before the current occupant of the White House and soliciting coups, covert actions, financial support, and destabilization campaigns. Let’s remember some of them: Anastasio Somoza, Jorge Ubico, Rafael Trujillo, Castelo Branco, Augusto Pinochet, Alfredo Stroessner, Hugo Banzer, Jorge Videla, and, if we’re talking about civilians: Joaquín Balaguer, Jair Bolsonaro, Javier Milei, Felipe Calderón, Nayib Bukele, and the president-elect of Honduras, Nasry Asfura. But there are many more. In other words: the enemies are within. They despise the people, they deeply hate the working class, behaving like lackeys. How else can we interpret Milei’s words, fanatically supporting the attack and kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and Celia Flores?

This is the moment of truth. There is no more time for compromise. The international community, if it still has any dignity left, must not only condemn the aggression but also show its support for the government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and demand the release of President Maduro and Cilia Flores from their captors. Corina Machado is not an option; she embodies hatred, vengeance, and the death of all democratic options. If she appears in this way, the betrayal is complete. We are witnessing the end of an era. With or without Nicolás Maduro, the Bolivarian Revolution must continue forging its path. Surrender is not part of Simón Bolívar’s victorious legacy.

• 

  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”.

• 

  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.

• 

  News Briefs

  President Sheinbaum Reiterates Condemnation of US Attack on Venezuela

  January 3, 2026

  The Mexican President emphasized the importance of Latin America and the Caribbean acting together in defense of sovereignty and international law.

The post Never With the Aggressors, Always with the Bolivarian Revolution appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.

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Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez strongly condemns an illegal US military attack that resulted in the kidnapping of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.

From Presstv via This RSS Feed.

“Latin America, the Caribbean, and the world are now witnessing, at the highest price, the validity of previous denunciations by various governments and peoples regarding the voracity of the North, today more turbulent and brutal than in Martí’s time,” a statement from the organization reads.

“The United States not only directly attacked areas of Caracas, Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira, but, asserting its status as an international outlaw, kidnapped the legitimate president, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, who have now joined the endless list of ‘disappeared’ under imperial auspices,” UPEC stated.

“The plurinational veil of the Zone of Peace that Latin America and the Caribbean attempt to weave above diversity and dissension has been torn away, but perhaps the best argument for united condemnation today is the realization that the blow came from outside, from the ‘Other America,’ as Marti would say, and not from Ours,” the text points out.

“Donald Trump, who shamelessly changed the name of his Department of Defense to the Department of War, is now attempting, with the stroke of a pen, to change the name of our region,” states the UPEC.

“This act shows that, indeed, the US president would deserve the Nobel Prize for… war.

VIn any case, the Prize went to one of his admirers: Maria Corina Machado, who at this moment must be celebrating, with that strange vocation of the new ‘pacifists,’ the treacherous and nocturnal wound inflicted on several compatriots.”

“Probably, a little sisterly blood is tainted by the latest Oslo ruling,” the statement added.

The UPEC, which strongly condemned the aggression, reiterated that Cuba and its journalists will stand with Nicolas Maduro and the Bolivarian people.

“The oil greed of an empire cannot prevail over the yearning for peace of a people and a region! Latin America and the Caribbean do not want to be anyone’s backyard, but their own garden!” the statement concluded.

jdt/jcm/bbb

The post Cuba’s UPEC classifies attacks against Venezuela “oil thirst” first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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In a public statement issued in the wake of the US criminal attacks on Venezuela and abduction of President Nicolás Maduro, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez reiterated that Washington’s military operation seeks regime change and control of Venezuela’s natural resources. According to the presidential line of succession stipulated by Venezuela’s Constitution, Rodríguez will become the president of the nation in President Maduro’s absence.

In the statement, VP Rodríguez demanded the immediate release of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores: “The only president of Venezuela is President Nicolás Maduro,” she said.

In a statement broadcast on publicly owned national radio and television on Saturday, January 3, at 3 p.m., Rodríguez reflected on the unprecedented military aggression carried out by the United States against Venezuela, perpetrated at 1:58 a.m. Caracas time, which culminated in the illegal abduction of President Maduro and his wife.

Accompanied by senior officials from the Venezuelan government, representatives of the public authorities and military high command, and other authorities, the vice president led an emergency meeting of the National Defense Council (Codena) at Miraflores Palace. Rodríguez recalled that the administration had warned of attacks under “false excuses and pretexts,” noting that “the mask has fallen.”

The vice president reported on the activation of the Citizen Security Agency and “all national power” in Venezuela. This seeks to activate the defense of national independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, which she described as “savagely attacked.” She also added that “the people of Venezuela have taken to the streets,” following a previous call by President Maduro for the activation of the armed forces (FANB) and the civil militias.

VP Rodríguez also announced the activation of a decree of “external commotion” signed by President Maduro and delivered to the president of the Supreme Court of Justice for endorsement by the Constitutional Chamber. This decree is expected to obtain judicial approval in the coming hours and effectively places the country in a state of emergency, permitting special measures to be carried out under the Constitution.

The vice president reiterated that the real objective of this operation is “regime change in Venezuela,” which would allow the United States to take over “our energy, mineral, and natural resources.” She called on the international community to stand up for justice.

The vice president highlighted international support from countless countries, including China, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, neighboring countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, and numerous nations of Africa and Asia. She stated that the governments of the world are shocked by this attack. Incidentally, she also mentioned a possible “Zionist influence” on the attacks and referred to the abduction as “truly shameful.”

Rodríguez quoted Simón Bolívar, liberator of the Americas from Spanish colonial rule: “The veil has been torn, we have seen the light, and they want to return us to darkness. The chains have been broken, we have been free, and our enemies seek to enslave us once again.” She emphasized that Venezuela “will never again be a colony of any empire.”

The vice president recalled recent statements by President Maduro, who, in a recent interview with Ignacio Ramonet, confirmed the Venezuelan government’s willingness to “maintain dialogue to address a constructive agenda.”

She pointed out that the US aggression “flagrantly violates Articles 1 and 2 of the United Nations Charter” despite the fact that Maduro had extended his hand to the US administration to attempt to establish “diplomatic, political, and institutional channels of communication” based on the well-being of civilians, friendship, cooperation, and respect for international law.

Finally, the vice president called on the Venezuelan people to “remain calm” and to face the situation “together in perfect national unity.” She urged that the “police, military, and popular forces” become “one body” to defend “our beloved Venezuela” in this “stage of defense of our sovereignty and our national independence.”

(Alba Ciudad) with Orinoco Tribune content

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

SL

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

The demonstration against the attack carried out early this morning against the Bolivarian nation was held outside the US Embassy.

Earlier, the National Coordinating Committee of Social, Labor, Popular, and Political Organizations for Change in Colombia (CNPC) called for a sit-in in solidarity with Venezuela.

“It is urgent that we come together and mobilize in defense of our Latin American sovereignty and the Bolivarian Revolution, The message reads.

We invite all revolutionary and anti-imperialist forces to join us or to spread this call,” the movement urged in its announcement.

Communist activists also circulated a call to gather near the U.S. embassy in protest.

Other organizations, such as the Antifascist International-Colombia Chapter, “urged the peoples of the region to unite, to raise a single voice, and to take up the historic battle for definitive independence, sovereignty, and peace, through political mobilization, international denunciation, and active solidarity among sister nations.”

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The post Bogota: Protests outside US Embassy against attack on Venezuela first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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In a national radio and television broadcast, the vice president announced the activation of the state of emergency decree signed by the president following the threat of imperialist aggression.

She delivered the decree to the president of the Supreme Court of Justice for its immediate implementation.

Rodriguez declared that this armed aggression constitutes “a terrible stain on the development of bilateral relations” with the United States, and that President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores were captured during the operation.

She reiterated that the true goal of the aggression is to seize energy, mineral, and natural resources, and that “the world and the international community must know this.”

Rodriguez emphasized that the people of Venezuela are takinged the streets, responding to a call made by the President of the Republic, who warned that if anything were to happen to him, “the people will be mobilized in the streets, militant groups will be at their workplaces, and the Bolivarian National Armed Forces will be activated and deployed.”

She stated that the entire National Power of Venezuela is activated to reaffirm what we are by inheritance as children of Simon Bolivar, and to uphold the sacred duty of safeguarding national independence, including sovereignty and territorial integrity, which were “savagely attacked in the early hours of this morning.”

She said that the international community has joined in and raised its voices in support of Venezuela from China, Russia, Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia.

“The governments of the world are simply shocked that Venezuela is the victim and target of an attack of this nature, which has Zionist undertones,” she added.

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The post Venezuelan Vice President demands iImediate release of Maduro first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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A Minrex statement reads that the country supports the address by Executive Vice President Delcy Rodriguez and endorses the demand that the US government provide proof of life for the constitutional president, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores.

The Foreign Ministry statement reiterates its support for the determination of the Bolivarian and Chavista government and its people to reject the aggression and defend their independence and sovereignty.

The cowardly US aggression is a criminal act, violating International Law and the Charter of the United Nations.

A dangerous escalation of the war campaign waged for years by the United States against that sister nation, intensified by the aggressive naval deployment in the Caribbean Sea, under mendacious pretexts and unfounded accusations without any evidence, since September 2025, underlines the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Minrex).

Cuba emphatically demands the immediate release by U.S. authorities of President Nicolás Maduro Moros and Vice President Cilia Flores, the statement insists.

The Minrex document emphasizes that the U.S. government, President Donald Trump, and his Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, along with aggressive and hostile elements in Latin America and the Caribbean, are responsible for the deaths and the human and material damage already caused, and that which will result from the aggression.

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This article originally appeared in the January 3, 2026 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper.

Caracas. The Venezuelan government expressed its “most sincere gratitude to the President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, for her firm condemnation and rejection of the recent military actions carried out by the United States against the territory and population of Venezuela, which constitutes a clear violation of Article 2 of the Charter of the United Nations.”

In a message on social media, Foreign Minister Yván Gil reiterated the call for respect for international law and the request “to stop these criminal attacks.”

En nombre del Gobierno Bolivariano y del pueblo venezolano, expresamos nuestro más sincero agradecimiento a la Presidenta de México, Claudia Sheinbaum, por su firme condena y rechazo a las recientes acciones militares llevadas a cabo por Estados Unidos contra el territorio y la… https://t.co/py66RkRTXw

— Yvan Gil (@yvangil) January 3, 2026

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  Venezuela Thanks Mexico for Firm Condemnation of US Attack

  January 3, 2026January 3, 2026

  Foreign Minister Yván Gil reiterated the call for respect for international law and the demand “to stop these criminal attacks.”

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  Trump Says “something will have to be done about Mexico” After Attacking Venezuela, Kidnapping President Maduro

  January 3, 2026January 3, 2026

  The US President and international criminal claimed that President Sheinbaum does not control Mexico.

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  Mexico Condemns US Aggression Against Venezuela

  January 3, 2026

  Mexico strongly condemns and rejects the military actions carried out unilaterally in recent hours by armed forces of the United States of America.

The post Venezuela Thanks Mexico for Firm Condemnation of US Attack appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.

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The governor of Zulia state, Luis Caldera, denounced what he called a treacherous and illegal attack perpetrated by the Donald Trump administration against the sovereignty of the Republic.

He denounced the detention of President Maduro and the First Lady as a kidnapping that flagrantly violates all the norms of the United Nations system and international law.

The governor assured that the people of Zulia will not yield to foreign pressure and will remain steadfast in their struggle until democratic order is restored and Maduro and Cilia are freed.

In Lara state, Governor Luis Reyes also called on the people to remain in the streets in defense of the homeland, declaring that they had moved “from unarmed to armed struggle.”

Reyes asserted that the U.S. government perpetrated a “criminal aggression against strategic targets in Caracas, Miranda, La Guaira, and Aragua,” and emphasized that “this audacity will cost them dearly.”

In Barquisimeto, Lara state, people took to the streets to gather in Bolivar Square and condemn the airstrikes that occurred early this morning, against civilian and military installations.

Images showed widespread destruction, such as at Fort Tiuna in Caracas.

The governor of La Guaira state, Alejandro Teran, revealed that at least 10 missiles struck medicine warehouses in that area.

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The post Growing expressions of rejection in Venezuela against US attacks first appeared on Prensa Latina.

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Caracas, January 3, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuelan popular movements and international solidarity organizations have taken to the streets to condemn a US military attack against the country and the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro.

Following the bombings and special operations raid in the early hours of January 3, pro-government collectives began to concentrate in Caracas near Miraflores Presidential Palace. Demonstrations were likewise registered in many other Venezuelan cities.

“Long live a free and revolutionary Venezuela,” grassroots leader Mariela Machado told press in the Caracas demonstration. “International institutions must stop being accomplices and take a stance because our people are being massacred.”

She went on to state that “the US government is not the world’s police” and demanded the safe return of the Venezuelan President.

Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López published statements in the early morning hours, urging the international community to take a stance against the US actions and calling for popular mobilization.

International solidarity organizations also set up emergency rallies in dozens of cities, including London, New York and several Latin American capitals.

US forces began the attack at 2 am local time with missiles fired against a number of Venezuela military installations in the capital and surrounding areas. Social media users broadcast fires and large columns of smoke emerging from Fuerte Tiuna, the main military installation in Caracas.

The port in La Guaira, an airbase in Higuerote, Miranda State, and a radar facility in El Hatillo, Eastern Caracas, were among the targets reportedly struck. Venezuelan authorities have not disclosed information concerning damages and casualties.

A few hours after the first bombings, US President Donald Trump announced that a special operations raid had kidnapped Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores and that the two were “flown out of the country.” The pair was reportedly taken aboard the USS Iwo Jima warship.

US Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that Maduro and Flores were indicted in a New York District Court on charges including “narco-terrorism conspiracy.” In recent years, US officials have repeatedly accused Maduro and other Venezuelan high-ranking officials of “flooding” the US with drugs. However, they have not presented any court-tested evidence, while UN and DEA reports have shown Venezuela to be a marginal player in global drug trafficking.

In a Saturday press conference, Trump stated that the US will “run” Venezuela until there are conditions for a “safe, proper and judicious transition.” He added that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other officials will be charged with “running the country.”

The US president reiterated claims to Venezuelan oil resources and threatened that Venezuela would have to “reimburse” the US for oil nationalizations and damages from alleged drug trafficking. Trump went on to say that Rubio had held talks with Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, alleging that she had been sworn in and had vowed to accept US dictates.

Trump dismissed the idea of María Corina Machado taking power in the South American nation, affirming that the far-right leader lacks on-the-ground support.

Washington’s military attack and special operations raid followed months of buildup and escalating regime-change threats against Caracas. US forces have amassed the largest military deployment in decades in the Caribbean Sea while also conducting dozens of bombings against small boats accused of narcotics trafficking.

The military operation drew widespread international condemnation from Latin America and elsewhere.

“The US bombings and Maduro’s capture are unacceptable,” Brazilian President Lula da Silva wrote on social media. “These actions are an affront to Venezuelan sovereignty and set an extremely dangerous precedent for the international community.”

Colombian, Mexican and Cuban leaders were among those to strongly reject US actions and demand respect for international law.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reportedly held a phone conversation with Vice President Rodríguez, reiterating Moscow’s support for the Venezuelan government and a call for dialogue.

For its part, the Chinese foreign ministry issued a statement “fiercely condemning the use of force against a sovereign nation.” Beijing urged Washington to cease its violations of international law and respect other countries’ sovereignty.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil held multiple phone conversations with counterparts from different countries who expressed their condemnation of the US attacks as violations of international law.

Caracas has likewise requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council. Two prior meetings called by Venezuela saw China, Russia and other countries criticize the US’ military actions but ultimately no resolutions were put forward.

The post Venezuelan, International Popular Movements Condemn US Bombings, Maduro Kidnapping appeared first on Venezuelanalysis.

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This article originally appeared in the January 3, 2026 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper.

Mexico City. In the context of the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by the United States, US President Donald Trump made new statements about Mexico, asserting that “something will have to be done” in the face of the power of the drug cartels.

US President Donald Trump dismissed on Saturday that the kidnapping of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife was a message directed at Mexico, but called for “something to be done” against the cartels in the neighboring country.

During an interview with Fox News, journalists asked Trump if the operation against Maduro should also be interpreted as a message directed at Mexico and President Claudia Sheinbaum, referring to previous statements by Vice President JD Vance, who indicated that “the message is quite clear: drug trafficking must be stopped.”

Asked whether the operation, which officially resulted in no American deaths, was also a message to Mexico, through which most of the drugs enter the United States, Trump replied: “That was not the intention.”

“We are very good friends with her,” added President Claudia Sheinbaum.

“She’s a good woman, but the cartels control Mexico. She doesn’t control Mexico.”

Trump responded that he did not intend to send a direct message to the Mexican government and affirmed that he maintains a friendly relationship with the President. However, he immediately asserted that in Mexico, “the cartels run the country,” not its President.

“We are very friendly with her, she is a good woman, but the cartels run Mexico. She doesn’t run Mexico, the cartels run Mexico,” declared the president, who added that Sheinbaum “is very afraid of the cartels.”

The US president also asserted that he has repeatedly raised with the Mexican president the possibility of the United States taking direct action against criminal groups, a proposal that—according to Trump—has been rejected by the Mexican government.

“I’ve asked her many times, ‘Would you like us to eliminate the cartels?’ And she says, ‘No, no, no, Mr. President, please,’” he stated.

“So we have to do something, because in my opinion the real number of deaths [from drug use] is 300,000 a year,” Trump asserted.

Mexico accuses the United States of attracting this flow of drugs because it is the largest consumer market in the world, in addition to allowing the illegal passage of a large number of weapons for organized crime.

• 

  News Briefs

  Venezuela Thanks Mexico for Firm Condemnation of US Attack

  January 3, 2026January 3, 2026

  Foreign Minister Yván Gil reiterated the call for respect for international law and the demand “to stop these criminal attacks.”

• 

  News Briefs

  Trump Says “something will have to be done about Mexico” After Attacking Venezuela, Kidnapping President Maduro

  January 3, 2026January 3, 2026

  The US President and international criminal claimed that President Sheinbaum does not control Mexico.

• 

  News Briefs

  Mexico Condemns US Aggression Against Venezuela

  January 3, 2026

  Mexico strongly condemns and rejects the military actions carried out unilaterally in recent hours by armed forces of the United States of America.

The post Trump Says “something will have to be done about Mexico” After Attacking Venezuela, Kidnapping President Maduro appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.

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The Government of Mexico strongly condemns and rejects the military actions carried out unilaterally in recent hours by armed forces of the United States of America against targets in the territory of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, in clear violation of Article 2 of the Charter of the United Nations (UN).

Based on its foreign policy principles and its pacifist vocation, Mexico makes an urgent call to respect international law, as well as the principles and purposes of the UN Charter, and to cease any act of aggression against the Venezuelan government and people.

Latin America and the Caribbean is a zone of peace, built on the basis of mutual respect, the peaceful settlement of disputes and the prohibition of the use and threat of force, so any military action seriously jeopardizes regional stability.

Mexico emphatically reiterates that dialogue and negotiation are the only legitimate and effective ways to resolve existing differences, and therefore reaffirms its willingness to support any effort to facilitate dialogue, mediation or accompaniment that contributes to preserving regional peace and avoiding confrontation.

It also urges the United Nations to act immediately to help de-escalate tensions, facilitate dialogue and create conditions that allow for a peaceful, sustainable solution in accordance with international law.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Mexican Embassy in Venezuela, will maintain constant communication with Mexican citizens residing in that country to assist them in any way necessary. These individuals are advised to remain attentive to information released in the coming hours and to contact the following emergency telephone numbers and channels:

Embassy of Mexico in Venezuela

Rio de Janeiro Avenue, intersection with Trinidad Street,
Rio de Janeiro City Center Building, Penthouse Level,
Las Mercedes Urbanization, Caracas, Venezuela
Emergency phone number: +58 412-2524675
Local dialing: 0412-252-4675
Email: embvenezuela@sre.gob.mx
X: @EmbamexVen

• 

  News Briefs

  Venezuela Thanks Mexico for Firm Condemnation of US Attack

  January 3, 2026January 3, 2026

  Foreign Minister Yván Gil reiterated the call for respect for international law and the demand “to stop these criminal attacks.”

• 

  News Briefs

  Trump Says “something will have to be done about Mexico” After Attacking Venezuela, Kidnapping President Maduro

  January 3, 2026January 3, 2026

  The US President and international criminal claimed that President Sheinbaum does not control Mexico.

• 

  News Briefs

  Mexico Condemns US Aggression Against Venezuela

  January 3, 2026

  Mexico strongly condemns and rejects the military actions carried out unilaterally in recent hours by armed forces of the United States of America.

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Condemnations have poured in after US President Donald Trump announced that the United States had carried out a “large scale military strike” against Venezuela and captured its leader, President Nicolas Maduro.

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Lawmakers, journalists, and analysts from around the world denounced us attack on Venezuela as illegal and imperialist in nature.

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President Trump says the US plans to play a major role in Venezuela’s oil sector following the Venezuelan president’s kidnapping.

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Trump says the US will take control of Venezuela following the reported kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

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The Kremlin’s call adds geopolitical dimension to ongoing events.

On Saturday, the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry urged the United States to release Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores, who were seized by U.S. forces during an attack on the South American country in the early morning hours.

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The World Condemns Imperialist Assault Against Caracas

“In view of the confirmed reports about Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his spouse being in the United States, we strongly urge the U.S. leadership to reconsider their position and release the legitimately elected president of a sovereign country and his spouse. We highlight the need to create conditions for resolving any existing issues between the United States and Venezuela through dialogue,” the Russian diplomacy said.

This statement constitutes the first official confirmation by a foreign government regarding the whereabouts of the Venezuelan president, whose location had remained unknown since Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez denounced the U.S. military aggression against Caracas and the states of Aragua, Miranda and La Guaira.

On Jan. 3, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also held a telephone conversation with Rodriguez in which he expressed Moscow’s “firm solidarity” with the Venezuelan people in the face of the aggression.

He affirmed that Russia would continue to support the course of the Bolivarian government, aimed at protecting national interests and sovereignty. Both officials agreed on the imperative need to avoid further military escalation and to find a solution to the crisis through political dialogue.

They also expressed their mutual willingness to continue strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and Venezuela, a link that encompasses military, energy, economic and diplomatic cooperation. Over the last decade, these multidimensional ties have allowed Venezuela to have a counterweight to Western sanctions and the isolation imposed by Washington.

The Kremlin’s diplomatic intervention adds a larger geopolitical dimension to the hemispheric crisis. Russia maintains close strategic relations with Venezuela, including arms sales, cooperation in the oil sector and financial support, making Moscow a relevant actor in any escalation involving the Bolivarian government.

The Russian emphasis on Maduro’s electoral legitimacy represents a direct challenge to the narrative of the U.S. government, which has systematically attempted to minimize the validity of Venezuelan electoral processes and accuses Bolivarian officials of links to international criminal organizations.

Moscow’s stance consolidates its role as a counterweight to U.S. influence in Latin America, a region Washington has historically considered within its sphere of influence according to the Monroe Doctrine.

Currently, the Kremlin’s call for dialogue openly contrasts with the military path taken by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Madelein Garcia, teleSUR correspondent, reports from La Carlota military base, one of the places that was hit by U.S. missiles in the attack they carried out against the nation in the early hours of January 3. pic.twitter.com/bwagA4PaTe

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) January 3, 2026

teleSUR/ JF

Sources: RT – teleSUR

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