Latin American Publications!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

abo/iff/lam/mh

The post Latin American congressmen reject US aggression against Venezuela first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

jdt/mem/ocs

The post Protest over Venezuela reaches US Embassy in Brasilia first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

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

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

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

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

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

jdt/iff/lam/mpm

The post Malaysia: Cuban diplomat joins solidarity event with Venezuela first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

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

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

jdt/iff/lam/amr

The post Cuba: Fidel Castro, Venezuela, and Revolution at UNEAC event first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

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

From Presstv via This RSS Feed.

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

From Presstv via This RSS Feed.

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

From Presstv via This RSS Feed.

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

From Presstv via This RSS Feed.

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

From Presstv via This RSS Feed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Delcy Rodríguez Acting President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

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

Swearing-in oath

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cuba Reports 32 Military Deaths in US Operation in Venezuela

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

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

Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff

OT/JRE/SL

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Alba Ciudad) with Orinoco Tribune content

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

OT/JRE/SF

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

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

From Presstv via This RSS Feed.

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

From Presstv via This RSS Feed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) January 5, 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Telesur)

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

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

From Presstv via This RSS Feed.

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

Mexico Defends Sovereignty, Non-Intervention, and International Cooperation

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

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

Relationship with the United States and National Unity

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

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

Energy Sovereignty as the Foundation of National Sovereignty

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

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

Well-Being: Historic Social Investment

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

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

Education and Support for Youth

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

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

• 

  Mañanera

  People’s Mañanera January 5

  January 5, 2026

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

• 

  Analysis

  Bolívar Versus Monroe: Two Antagonistic Visions of America

  January 5, 2026

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

• 

  Analysis | Labor

  Workers Diplomacy & Bolivarian Brigades

  January 5, 2026January 5, 2026

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

The post People’s Mañanera January 5 appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.

From Mexico Solidarity Media via This RSS Feed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

jdt/jha/mrs

The post Peru: Following the attack on Venezuela, Latin America is in danger first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

By Héctor Bernardo – Jan 1, 2026

While the threat against Venezuela persists with the presence of aircraft carriers and troops in the Caribbean Sea, Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth are busy finalizing agreements to send marines to Peru, Ecuador, Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Dominican Republic. Opinion by Telma Luzzani, researcher and author of the book “Monitored Territories.”

The corollary with which President Donald Trump updated the Monroe Doctrine takes different forms. Strategies that mutate, but that pursue the same goal: to regain control of the territory that the United States has always considered its “backyard” and to control the natural resources that are currently in dispute with other major powers.

One of the forms the Trump Corollary has taken involves increasing the US military presence in Latin America and the Caribbean. The pretext: the fight against the current enemy, “narco-terrorism.” Those in charge of carrying out this strategy: Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense (or War) Pete Hegseth.

In addition to the well-known threat against Venezuela, with the largest military deployment that Washington has ever made in the region, the presence of an aircraft carrier, troops, and even a nuclear submarine, there is the deployment of marines to Peru, Ecuador, Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago and the Dominican Republic.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader. Photo from the official website of the Dominican Republic Presidency.

Dominican Republic
On November 26, during his visit to the Dominican Republic, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth thanked President Luis Abinader for supporting a “temporary agreement” that allows the United States to deploy troops on Dominican soil. Hegseth stated that this is “a great collaboration and, truly, a joint effort between our two countries against drug trafficking and narco-terrorism.”

Along the same lines, President Abinader asserted that there is “a threat that recognizes no borders, that does not distinguish flags, that destroys families, and that has tried to use our territory as a route. That threat is drug trafficking, and no country can, nor should, confront it without allies.”

According to a statement from the official website of the Dominican Republic’s Presidency, “The United States Southern Command and Air Force will provide refueling and airlift aircraft to support counter-narcotics operations, including Operation Southern Spear, announced by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on November 13, which also combats illicit arms trafficking.”

“This collaboration aims to disrupt illicit operations by transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs), identified by the United States on various routes spanning the entire Caribbean Sea,” the text adds.

It is also noted that “there will be a presence of several KC-135 tanker aircraft in support of air patrol missions, expanding monitoring and interdiction capabilities over a large part of the maritime and air domains, and will provide refueling services to aircraft of partner countries, thus ensuring sustained operations of monitoring, detection and tracking of verified illicit smuggling activities.”

“Additionally, the C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft will facilitate aeromedical evacuations, firefighting, meteorological reconnaissance, and disaster relief,” the official text states.

Trinidad and Tobago
A few days later, on November 29, according to the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian website, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar confirmed that the United States had installed “a new radar to monitor activities inside and outside of Trinidad and Tobago.”

The radar was located at the ANR Robinson International Airport, a few kilometers from the Venezuelan coast.

According to the Zona Militar website, “Authorities in Trinidad and Tobago recently confirmed that the US. Marine Corps is reinforcing its local presence with the deployment of an AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR radar. This assistance is part of an agreement between the two countries to increase surveillance capabilities against illegal flights directly linked to narco-terrorist organizations and the growing tension with Venezuela.”

According to reports, Marines from the 22nd Expeditionary Unit, who were on the island for joint exercises in mid-November, remain in Trinidad. The website highlights that “in addition to the ground component, the Marines have air assets such as helicopters and fifth-generation F-35B Lightning II fighter jets, as well as amphibious assets from the US Navy and aircraft from the Air Force.”
Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and Marco Rubio, United States Secretary of State. Official photo from the Department of State.

Peru
On December 5, the government of Peru reported that “the Plenary of the Congress of the Republic approved, by majority (73 votes in favor, 25 votes against and 2 abstentions), Legislative Resolution 13436/2025-CR, authorizing the entry of foreign military personnel with weapons of war into the territory of the Republic of Peru.”

The statement emphasizes that “the military personnel of the United States Department of Defense, specified in its first article, will enter national territory with weapons of war from January 1 to December 31, 2026,” that is, for one year.

“The institutions involved are: Joint Special Operations and Intelligence Command (CIOEC); Joint Special Force (FEC) and Special Operations Forces (FOES) of the Navy; Special Forces Group (GRUFE) of the Peruvian Air Force; 1st, 3rd, and 6th Special Forces Brigades of the Peruvian Army and National Police of Peru (DIROPESP, DIRANDRO, GRECCO),” the official information states.

Paraguay
Just nine days later, on December 14, an official statement from the United States Embassy in Paraguay announced that “Secretary of State Marco Rubio met today with Paraguayan Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez Lezcano to sign a Status of Forces (SOFA) agreement between the United States and Paraguay.”

“The historic agreement establishes a clear framework for the presence and activities of the US Department of War military and civilian personnel in Paraguay, facilitating bilateral and multinational training, humanitarian assistance, disaster response, and other common security interests,” the text states.

It is noted that “Secretary Rubio emphasized that the SOFA reflects the United States’ commitment to coordinate closely with Paraguay on regional security and the growing importance of Paraguay as a regional leader and defender of security in our hemisphere.”

“The agreement strengthens a long-standing partnership and supports our shared priorities. Both officials expressed their confidence that the agreement will strengthen the sovereignty of both countries and enhance our cooperation to achieve greater stability and prosperity in the region,” the text concludes.
Paraguayan Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez Lezcano and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Official website of the Paraguayan Foreign Ministry.

Ecuador
Three days later, on December 17, the US embassy in Ecuador posted a welcome message on social media to the US troops arriving in that territory.

In a text beginning in a confusing manner, saying that “the United States welcomes United States Air Force personnel for a temporary operation with the Ecuadorian Air Force in Manta.”

“This short-term joint effort is part of our long-term bilateral security strategy, in line with current agreements under Ecuadorian law,” it added.

The post concludes that “the operation will enhance the Ecuadorian military’s ability to combat narco-terrorists, including strengthening intelligence gathering and counter-narcotics capabilities, and is designed to protect the United States and Ecuador from shared threats.”

On the same day, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa also posted on X that “with the support of the United States, we have activated a temporary operation in Manta with the Ecuadorian Air Force, as part of a long-term bilateral security strategy. This operation will allow us to identify and dismantle drug trafficking routes and bring to justice those who thought they could take over the country.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the President of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa. Photo from the official website of the Government of Ecuador.

Advanced militarization with a history
Regarding Washington’s new military redeployment in the region, PIA-GLOBAL spoke with Telma Luzzani, a journalist, researcher and author of the book “Monitored Territories. How the network of North American military bases operates in South America.”

Luzzani pointed out: “In one way or another, the United States, at this stage—a stage of hegemonic decline—is seeking to militarize its security zone, its vital platform, through which it was historically able to expand and become the world’s leading power. It does so with subservient governments, like those of Ecuador, Peru, and Argentina. It does so explicitly by directly announcing the arrival of Marines who will control absolutely everything in those countries and in the region. It does so explicitly and obviously, with the acquiescence of puppet or subservient governments.”

“However, it also does so in a different way with governments that maintain a sovereign stance. That is why the Caribbean Sea is militarized today, why supposed drug-trafficking vessels—which are actually fishing boats, as has been proven on more than one occasion—are bombed in the Pacific, and why, in my opinion, it seeks to implement a kind of pincer movement against Brazil from the north and from Argentina in the south. Brazil, let us remember, is a BRICS country. Therefore, it is fundamental to this stage of the United States’ strategy. One of its main objectives is the destabilization of BRICS,” she emphasized.

Luzzani recalled that “the strategy has always been one of absolute domination and militarization of our countries. There was a period during the Cold War when our governments were military governments. Under the pretext of the Soviet threat or the threat of communism, the aim was to militarize our region, our Latin America, through military governments. In fact, the United States specifically had the School of the Americas in Panama to train military personnel in this way. That is to say, it did not do it directly as it does now, but through the armed forces of the various South American or Latin American countries.”

US Southern Command Hides Locations of End-of-Year Executions; Southern Spear Victims Reach 115

“In the post-Cold War era, in 1991, General Powell, for example, was very explicit regarding the role the United States wanted for Latin American militaries. He said that in the plan the United States had drawn up at that time, the Latin American Armed Forces ‘should maintain only those military capabilities necessary for self-defense, for combating drug trafficking, natural disasters, and for safeguarding peace in accordance with the laws and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the OAS.’ This was stated by Colin Powell under the presidency of George H.W. Bush in 1991.”

The analyst stated that “today, with Donald Trump, that framework is explicitly violated. The Charters of the United Nations and the OAS are irrelevant. Donald Trump has set his own rules, which are very clearly stipulated in the National Security Strategy, where the first region he refers to is ours, recognizing it as a primary area, and where he outlines a significant reform at the Pentagon.”

“A few months ago, Trump held a meeting at the Quantico military base, where American generals, who came from all over the world, were given new instructions, not only regarding other nations, but also regarding a supposed internal enemy in the United States. This speaks to a significant change in US military policy,” he asserted.

Luzzani pointed out that “in this new phase, we have a significant change within the Pentagon, a new foreign policy expressed in the National Security Strategy, and specifically, actions in our region. In Argentina, the military base in Ushuaia is a crucial point due to its easy access to Antarctica. Paraguay has historically been occupied by US armed forces at their bases. Peru is of great concern to the United States because it is home to the port of Chancay, where China has a strong presence. Ecuador is also a concern, with its renewed attempts to remilitarize Manta and the Galapagos Islands, dismissing a referendum in which Ecuadorians voted against the installation of foreign bases on their territory. Added to this are the military actions being carried out against Venezuela and the harassment of Gustavo Petro.”

“It is important to remember that Colombia, until the arrival of President Gustavo Petro, always had right-wing governments that were completely subservient to the United States. In fact, the United States considered Colombia its most important strategic point in South America. There, with Plan Colombia, they even managed to control a large part of the region, especially in relation to Central America to the north and South America to the south, including the Amazon. Furthermore, Colombia is a country rich in oil, so that was also a fundamental interest for the US,” the analyst concluded.

Hector Bernardo:  Journalist, writer, and professor of Introduction to Contemporary Social and Political Thought – Faculty of Journalism and Social Communication – UNLP. Member of the PIA Global team.

(Internationalist 360°)

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

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty to federal charges of drug trafficking and weapons possession, just 48 hours after U.S. Army special forces, in violation of Venezuelan sovereignty, forcibly removed them and transferred them to New York for prosecution.

Hundreds of people gathered around the courthouse to show their support for the Bolivarian leader and demand that the current Republican administration halt a war with Venezuela over oil.

The hearing that just concluded marks the beginning of what will likely be months of legal proceedings prior to a possible criminal trial.

The couple’s defense attorneys said their clients are currently seeking bail.

The constitutional president of the South American nation and his partner were kidnapped in what President Donald Trump described as a “full-scale attack on Venezuela and its leader” following an unprecedented campaign of pressure on Caracas in recent months.

The anti-war coalition ANSWER warned that the United States was starting a new war based on lies.

jdt/jha/dfm

The post Outside New York Courthouse rally in support of Nicolas Maduro first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

The Iranian foreign minister censures the administration of US President Donald Trump for pursing what it calls "peace through strength," saying the policy actually means “law of jungle”.

From Presstv via This RSS Feed.

Venezuelan Defense Minister and sectoral Vice President for Political Sovereignty, Security, and Peace Vladimir Padrino López read a statement alongside the high military command of the Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB). The statement repudiated the abduction of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, First Lady Cilia Flores, denouncing that much of President Maduro’s security team, “soldiers and innocent citizens,” were “cold-bloodedly murdered.” It fully supported the previously signed decree on external commotion and noted that he will guarantee the country’s governability, the maintenance of internal order, and the preservation of peace. The statement called on the Venezuelan people to resume normal activities.

In remarks before reading the statement, Padrino López stated that the Bolivarian National Armed Force repudiates the aggression against Venezuela’s sovereignty and the illegal abduction of President Nicolás Maduro, “the person the people elected as their president” in the 2024 elections. He reiterates that Maduro is the president, “the authentic and genuine leader of all Venezuelans.”

Padrino López also defended First Lady Cilia Flores, whom he described as a brave and principled woman who had been viciously attacked. “We ask the world to carefully watch everything that is happening against Venezuela, its citizens, and its Constitution.”

The minister praised the response of governments and peoples of the world condemning this gross intervention against Venezuelan sovereignty. However, he was emphatic in saying, “The world should put its boundaries in place, because this is an aggression against global sovereignty. If it were against Venezuela today, it could be against any country tomorrow.”

He highlighted that the FANB has guaranteed Venezuela’s democratic continuity and will continue to do so. He called for Venezuela to resume its commercial, educational, and other activities, applauding the fact that the swearing-in ceremony for the new National Assembly will take place this Monday, January 5.

Venezuela’s Government Declares Unwavering Unity Behind President Maduro

See the full unofficial translation of the statement:

The Bolivarian National Armed Force strongly condemns the cowardly abduction of Nicolás Maduro Moros, Constitutional President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, our Commander-in-Chief, and his wife, First Lady Dr. Cilia Flores de Maduro. This act was perpetrated yesterday, Saturday, January 3, after murdering a large part of his security team, soldiers, and innocent citizens in cold blood.

Likewise, in accordance with the decision of the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice dated January 3, 2026, appointing Delcy Eloína Rodríguez Gómez, Executive Vice President of the Republic, to assume, in her capacity as ACTING PRESIDENT, all the powers, duties, and authorities of the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. In strict compliance with the provisions of our Constitution, the Organic Law on States of Exception, and the Organic Law on National Security, we fully support the previously signed Decree of a State of Foreign Commotion throughout the national territory. In this same vein, the Bolivarian Government will guarantee the governability of the country, and our institution will continue to use all its available capabilities for military defense, the maintenance of internal order, and the preservation of peace.

Finally, we have activated Full Operational Readiness throughout the entire national territory, in perfect harmony between the people, the military, and the police, to integrate the elements of National Power in the mission to confront imperial aggression, forming a single combat bloc to ensure the freedom, independence, and sovereignty of the nation.

The FANB is the United Liberation Army of the 21st Century!

Chávez lives! The homeland continues!

Independence and Socialist Homeland! We will live, and we will win!

Venezuela’s sun rises in Essequibo!

Independence or nothing!… Always loyal… Never traitors!

Caracas, January 4, 2026

Vladímir Padrino López

Commander-in-Chief

(Alba Cuidad) by Luigino Bracci

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

OT/AS/SF

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

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty to federal charges of drug trafficking and weapons possession, just 48 hours after special military teams from the United States Army, in violation of Venezuelan sovereignty, forcibly removed them and transferred them to New York for prosecution.

Both appeared before Federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein in the federal court in lower Manhattan and, according to television footage, were transported under heavy security from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn hours before the hearing.

The defense of the Venezuelan leader was taken over by Barry Pollack, a veteran trial lawyer who represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and helped negotiate the plea deal that led to his release in 2024.

In Flores’ case, her lawyer is Texas-based Mark Donnelly, according to court documents.

The hearing that just concluded marks the beginning of what will likely be months of legal proceedings leading up to a possible criminal trial.

Defense attorneys said their clients are currently seeking bail.

The constitutional president of the South American nation and his partner were kidnapped in what President Donald Trump described as a “full-scale attack on Venezuela and its leader” following an unprecedented campaign of pressure on Caracas in recent months.

Maduro faces four charges, including narcoterrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, and weapons-related offenses.

The indictment against Maduro and Flores was made public on Saturday and includes four other co-defendants, among them Maduro’s son and Venezuela’s Interior Minister, Diosdado Cabello.

jdt/mem/dfm

The post Maduro: I’m innocent, I am still the president of Venezuela first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

In a Facebook post, Orban expressed that the action ordered by President Donald Trump to kidnap Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro is “further proof” of the collapse of a geopolitical model.

The first days of this year reminded us that the liberal world order is disintegrating. The new world is only just beginning to take shape, and the years to come will be even more unstable, unpredictable, and dangerous, warned the Hungarian leader, while reaffirming his government’s commitment to “the path of peace and security.”

Orban stressed that, should his Fidesz party win the parliamentary elections in April, Hungary “will stay out of the war in Ukraine” and will refuse to send its youth to the front lines or commit its economy to foreign conflicts.

“Our priority is to protect Hungarians, not to fuel wars driven by hegemonic logics that have already proven their failure,” he declared.

Analysts close to the multipolar worldview believe that Budapest’s stance reflects a growing rejection in Europe of the continent’s instrumentalization in disputes that do not serve its sovereign interests.

The Hungarian prime minister also expressed his hope that the conflict in Ukraine will find a diplomatic solution by 2026 and that Western sanctions against Russia will be lifted, a measure he considers essential for European economic recovery and regional stabilization.

jdt/jha/ehl/amp

The post Hungary: Aggression to Venezuela confirms collapse of liberal order first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

In more than a dozen plazas, workers from this large Cuban province raised their voices in solidarity with the Venezuelan people and the Bolivarian government.

The demonstrations took place following recent events in South America, which are being followed with concern by the island’s labor movement.

The agricultural sector gathered at the Provincial Delegation of Agriculture, and the sugar workers at Lenin Workshops.

Meanwhile, civilian workers met at the Ignacio Agramonte Industrial School, and the Commerce union at its corresponding Business Group.

Other meeting included the Community Computer Clubs (Communications), the Ministry of Construction, and the Electricity Company.

The Transportation sector at the Airport and the Tourism sector at Transtur venue are also joining the demonstration today, in a clear show of unified support for a

united America.

jdt/mem/fam

The post Cuban Workers’ Federation launches support for Venezuela first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.

“Honor and glory to the 32 Cuban heroes who lost their lives defending the Venezuelan people against the United States’ attack on that sister nation,” added the Hermanos Saíz Association (AHS) on its Facebook page.

The organization, which brings together the young artistic vanguard in Cuba, echoed the statement of the intellectual and president of Casa de las Américas, Abel Prieto, quoting his words:

“Eternal glory to our fallen comrades!!!” It is worth remembering that the Cuban writer, during his address at the Anti-Imperialist Tribune in Havana, urged everyone to “knock on every door so that the truth about this sinister plan to seize Venezuela’s wealth is made public.” “We must stop the forces of hatred, war, and fascism, and defend the right to peace, life, solidarity, sovereignty, and justice,” he asserted.

The AHS also remembered the messages of the renowned singer-songwriter Silvio Rodriguez and the duet Buena Fe, through which the latter praised the dedication and sacrifice for their homeland and for Latin America of the “32 Cuban brothers who fell in the line of duty.”

“All peace-loving people, all human beings with dignity across the world, international organizations, peoples, and governments must stop all this madness from the power elite in the United States and its president, who believes himself to be emperor of the world,” wrote the national president of the AHS, Yasel Toledo.

jdt/jha/amr

The post Honor and Glory in Cuba to its fallen combatants in Venezuela first appeared on Prensa Latina.

From Prensa Latina via This RSS Feed.