President Petro deploys forces at the border in anticipation of a possible influx of refugees.
On Saturday, Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced a reinforcement of security on the border with Venezuela to address a potential massive arrival of refugees from that country following the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores, which took place amid U.S. airstrikes on Caracas and other cities.
“Public forces are being deployed on the border, as is all the aid capacity we have available in case of a mass entry of refugees,” Petro stated in a message on his X account, adding that he had been monitoring events in Venezuela.
The two countries share a 2,219-kilometer (1,379-mile) land border stretching from the Caribbean to the Amazon. The main border crossings are between the Colombian city of Cucuta and San Antonio del Tachira and Ureña in Venezuela’s Tachira state. At the opening of the Cucuta border crossings today, the situation was one of total normality.
So far, Petro has not commented on U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement that Maduro and his wife were “captured,” but he has condemned the airstrikes against Venezuelan localities.
The White House is confirming U.S. military operations in Venezuela tonight. Let us be clear: these strikes are illegal. The President does not have the authority to declare war or undertake large-scale military operations without Congress. Congress must act to rein him in.… pic.twitter.com/KsbxS6TbSp
— Rep. Melanie Stansbury (@Rep_Stansbury) January 3, 2026
“The government of Colombia rejects the aggression against the sovereignty of Venezuela and of Latin America. Internal conflicts among peoples are resolved by the peoples themselves in peace,” the Colombian leader affirmed.
Petro reiterated that Colombia, as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), will seek to have that body make a statement on the Venezuela situation.
“I invite the Venezuelan people to find the paths of civil dialogue and their unity. Without sovereignty, there is no nation. Peace is the path, and dialogue among peoples is fundamental for national union. Dialogue and more dialogue is our proposal,” he added.
Earlier, Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez announced a plan to prevent potential attacks by the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group in the border area with Venezuela, taking advantage of the U.S. attacks.
“All public forces capabilities were alerted and activated to anticipate and neutralize any attempt at a terrorist attack by the ELN cartel or other organized illegal armed groups that operate on the border,” he Sanchez said.
Previously, the ELN criticized the “interventionist actions” of the United States in Venezuela, following Washington’s military deployment in the southern Caribbean Sea and the Pacific under the pretext of combating drug trafficking.
The Venezuelan people are mobilizing in rejection of U.S. aggression and in support of President Nicolas Maduro. pic.twitter.com/uNOcMFlv3U
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) January 3, 2026
teleSUR/ JF
Source: EFE
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.
Mexico condemns US military intervention in Venezuela, calling it a violation of the UN Charter and a threat to Latin America’s status as a Zone of Peace.
Related: Russia Condemns U.S. Strikes on Venezuela as ‘Armed Aggression’
In a forceful diplomatic rebuke, the Mexican government has condemned the United States’ recent military intervention in Venezuela, denouncing it as a flagrant violation of international law and a direct threat to regional stability. On Saturday, December 28, 2025, Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an official statement declaring that armed actions by U.S. forces against Venezuelan territory constitute a clear breach of Article 2 of the United Nations Charter, which prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.
“Mexico categorically rejects any military intervention and calls for the immediate cessation of all acts of aggression against the government and people of Venezuela,” the statement read, reflecting Mexico’s long-standing commitment to non-intervention, peaceful conflict resolution, and respect for sovereignty.
The condemnation comes amid reports of U.S. airstrikes targeting locations in Venezuela’s capital Caracas and the states of Aragua, Miranda, and La Guaira, resulting in civilian casualties. Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez confirmed the attacks and demanded “immediate proof of life” for President Nicolás Maduro and First Combatant Cilia Flores, whose whereabouts remain unknown following the strikes.
Mexico Condemns US Military Intervention in Venezuela: Defending Latin America’s Zone of Peace
Mexico’s stance is rooted in a historical and legal tradition that rejects foreign military interference in the Americas. The statement explicitly reaffirmed that Latin America and the Caribbean is a Zone of Peace—a principle enshrined in the 2014 Havana Declaration adopted by all 33 member states of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). This framework, championed by Mexico and other regional powers, bans the use or threat of force and mandates that disputes be resolved through dialogue.
“Any military action in our region places regional stability at grave risk,” the Mexican foreign ministry warned. “The only legitimate and effective path to resolve differences is through dialogue and negotiation.”
In line with this principle, Mexico announced it is prepared to support mediation, facilitation, or diplomatic accompaniment efforts to de-escalate tensions and prevent wider conflict. It also urged the United Nations to intervene immediately to foster dialogue and ensure compliance with international law.
Read the CELAC Havana Declaration on Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace
Mexico’s embassy in Venezuela remains in constant communication with Mexican nationals residing in the country, offering emergency consular assistance and urging citizens to stay informed through official channels. Authorities have activated emergency hotlines and are monitoring the situation hour by hour.
This position aligns Mexico with a growing chorus of global voices denouncing the U.S. operation. Russia issued a statement of “deep concern and condemnation,” while the Network of Intellectuals, Artists, and Social Movements in Defense of Humanity (REDH) labeled the attack a “crime against peace” and a direct assault on the sovereignty of all nations. In the U.S., the ANSWER Coalition accused Washington of using “drug trafficking” and “democracy” as pretexts to “steal Venezuela’s oil and dominate Latin America.”
Review UN Office for Disarmament Affairs on the prohibition of the use of force
Critically, Mexico’s condemnation is not merely rhetorical—it is a strategic reaffirmation of its foreign policy doctrine. Since the Estrada Doctrine of the 1930s, Mexico has refused to recognize or reject foreign governments on ideological grounds, instead advocating for mutual respect and non-intervention. Under President Claudia Sheinbaum, this principle has been revitalized as a cornerstone of Mexico’s role in the Global South.
El Artículo 2, párrafo 4 de la Carta de las Naciones Unidas dice textualmente:
“Los Miembros de la Organización, en sus relaciones internacionales, se abstendrán de recurrir a la amenaza o al uso de la fuerza contra la integridad territorial o la independencia política de…
— Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo (@Claudiashein) January 3, 2026
Geopolitical Context: A Sovereign Latin America Resists Imperial Overreach
The Mexico condemns US military intervention in Venezuela statement carries profound regional and global implications. At a time when the U.S. is expanding its military footprint in the Caribbean—through naval deployments, drone operations, and base agreements—Mexico’s stance challenges the revival of the Monroe Doctrine and asserts Latin America’s right to self-determination.
Regionally, the attack on Venezuela threatens to destabilize an already fragile region. With migration flows surging and economies still recovering from pandemic and inflation shocks, military escalation could trigger a humanitarian and refugee crisis that would overwhelm neighboring countries, including Mexico itself.
Globally, the incident underscores a deepening rift between the Global North and South. While Western powers often invoke “rules-based order,” they simultaneously violate the very rules they champion when it suits strategic interests—such as control over Venezuela’s 304 billion barrels of proven oil reserves, the largest in the world.
Explore the International Court of Justice advisory opinions on non-intervention
Mexico’s position resonates with nations from South Africa to Indonesia that view unilateral military action as a relic of colonialism. By invoking the UN Charter and CELAC’s Zone of Peace, Mexico is not just defending Venezuela—it is defending the multilateral system itself against selective enforcement.
As the UN Security Council prepares for emergency consultations, all eyes are on whether powerful states will be held to the same standards as the rest. For Mexico, the answer is clear: peace cannot be imposed by bombs—it must be built through justice, dialogue, and respect.
In the words of the foreign ministry: “The sovereignty of nations is not negotiable. The peace of our region is not expendable.”
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.
Saab Calls for Citizen Mobilization After Deadly Strikes.
On Saturday, Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab condemned the terrorist attack carried out the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump against civilians, which left dead and wounded in the South American country.
RELATED:
Russia Condemns U.S. Strikes on Venezuela as ‘Armed Aggression’
“I energetically condemn the vile and cowardly attack by the imperial enemy carried out in the early morning hours against innocent civilian targets of our homeland,” he said, and demanded the release of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores, who were kidnapped by U.S. forces.
Saab attributed the aggression to the “imperial enemy,” stating that President Maduro’s warnings about a possible U.S. threat have become “facts of blood.” In this regard, he emphasized the premeditation and treachery of the nighttime attack, designed to “defile the people of Venezuela.”
Saab also demanded proof that President Maduro and his wife are alive. He directly held the U.S. government responsible for any circumstance that may befall the Bolivarian Revolution leader.
In a telephone conversation, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez condemned the U.S. aggression against the Venezuelan people. pic.twitter.com/IWXh2I7n59
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) January 3, 2026
Saab called for the alert and mobilization of citizens and officials in all the nation’s prosecutor’s offices, urging them to denounce these “massive human rights violations” to the world.
He made an explicit request to the United Nations and international human rights organizations to speak out regarding these cowardly attacks that have caused innocent fatalities.
The attorney general exhorted the people to maintain calm and vigilance in the streets, warning against an “enemy war” that spreads “false news” to demoralize the people.
Saab called on the population to demonstrate to the world the heroism inherited from the Liberator Simon Bolivar with the certainty that Venezuela will prevail.
Venezuelans take to the streets in rejection and protest against U.S. military aggression. pic.twitter.com/Ce12jEgBes
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) January 3, 2026
teleSUR/ JF
Source: Tarek William Saab
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.
Moscow Calls for Latin America to Remain a ‘Zone of Peace.’
On Saturday, Russia condemned U.S. airstrikes on several Venezuelan cities, describing them as an “act of armed aggression.”
RELATED:
Venezuelan Interior Minister Condemns U.S. Terrorist Attack
The government of President Vladimir Putin also warned of the risks of regional military escalation and demanded that Latin America remain a “Zone of Peace.”
The following is the statement published by the Russian Foreign Ministry regarding the U.S. armed aggression against the Bolivarian nation:
It has always been about the oil, major explosions are seen almost everywhere around the city… Trump is evil pic.twitter.com/D5e5oX8zMh
— Black (@Dark_Chaosss) January 3, 2026
“This morning, the United States has committed an act of armed aggression against Venezuela. This causes profound concern and condemnation.
The pretexts cited to justify such actions are unfounded. Ideological animosity has overridden business pragmatism and the willingness to build predictable, trusting relations.
In the developing situation, it is important, above all, to avoid further escalation and to prepare to find a solution through dialogue. We proceed from the position that all parties with grievances against each other must seek ways to resolve problems through solutions crafted by dialogue. We are prepared to support them in this.
Latin America must remain a zone of peace, as it proclaimed itself in 2014. And Venezuela must be guaranteed the right to determine its own destiny without any destructive interference, let alone military interference from abroad.
We reaffirm our solidarity with the Venezuelan people and our support for the course of its Bolivarian leadership, aimed at protecting the country’s national interests and sovereignty.
We support the statement by Venezuelan authorities and leaders of Latin American countries on the urgent convening of a U.N. Security Council meeting.
The Russian Embassy in Caracas is operating normally and, given the situation, maintains constant contact with Venezuelan authorities and with Russian citizens on Venezuelan territory. At this time, there is no information about affected citizens of the Russian Federation.”
The Minister of Internal Relations, Justice, and Peace, Diosdado Cabello, condemned the U.S. attack on Venezuela, called for calm among the people, and asked to trust in the country's leadership. pic.twitter.com/9Zhb4MeRws
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) January 3, 2026
teleSUR/ JF
Source: RFM
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.
Cabello Accuses Washington of Cowardly Bombing Civilians and Urges International Community to Break Silence.
On Saturday, Venezuela’s Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello condemned a “treacherous terrorist attack” by the United States involving bombs and missiles against civilians and infrastructure in Caracas, calling for calm and unity among the people.
RELATED:
Venezuela Activates All Its Comprehensive Defense Plans: VP Rodriguez
The minister stated that the aggression, which followed 28 weeks of threats from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, sought to generate desperation in the population, although its effects were only partial.
“The country is in complete calm. What they attempted with the bombs and missiles they launched, they achieved partially. And I say partially because they expected the people to perhaps react wildly, cowardly. No. The cowards remain in the past. The people know what to do,” emphasized Cabello.
The Interior minister emphasized that the country was the target of a “terrorist attack” directed against its people, the homeland, electrical installations and the Bolivarian Revolution.
He highlighted that the assault also affected those with no relation to the revolutionary process, constituting an indiscriminate attack against all of Venezuela. Bombs were reported falling on buildings and areas inhabited by civilians.
NOW: Diosdado Cabello is speaking to media right now. He's alive, seen as the most senior figure in government along with Vice President Delcy Rodriguez. The government is still in power and out in the streets. pic.twitter.com/usMS1GYXNF
— Ollie Vargas (@Ollie_Vargas_) January 3, 2026
Cabello noted that military and police forces, in coordination with organized communities, are deployed nationwide to guarantee peace and tranquility. He stated that a group of military and police personnel conducted intensive patrols in Caracas overnight.
From the streets of Caracas, Cabello made a firm call for calm and for trust in the leadership of the Political-Military High Command. He urged citizens not to fall into despair or facilitate actions for the “invading and terrorist enemy” that attacked cowardly.
He underlined that this is not the first battle faced by the Venezuelan people, who have known how to survive adverse circumstances, always with the conviction they will emerge victorious.
Furthermore, the Bolivarian minister called on the international community to speak out about this attack. Cabello warned that global organizations and bodies that remain silent in the face of this “massacre” of civilians and the bombing of inhabited areas will become accomplices. “It is a call only for reflection,” he affirmed, alluding to the need for a global ethical stance.
Cabello stated the country remains in “complete calm,” contradicting the expectations of the attackers, who hoped for an uncontrolled reaction. The Venezuelan people, far from falling for the provocation, demonstrate their maturity and organization. Cabello thanked the dedication of the men and women who worked tirelessly to secure the city.
Additionally, the senior official denounced that the “treacherous and vile” attack was perpetrated against a sleeping people, which highlights the cowardice of the aggression. The minister urged the country’s political organizations to issue unified statements and maintain constant “alertness.”
“Let us not fall into their provocation. Let us not fall into hopelessness. Let us have all our faith placed, and at the end of this battle the Venezuelan people will emerge victorious. And at the end of these attacks, we will overcome,” concluded Cabello.
The Venezuelan defense minister, Vladimir Padrino Lopez, made public statements following the attacks suffered by the country in the early hours of the morning by the United States. He addressed the people with the following: Heroic people of Venezuela! Soldiers of the… pic.twitter.com/XCX6EguCJk
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) January 3, 2026
teleSUR/ JF
Source: teleSUR
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.
U.S. Conducts Airstrikes in Venezuela and Kidnaps President Maduro
On Saturday, Venezuela’s government called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) after the United States bombed Caracas and other cities in the country.
RELATED:
Padrino López Orders Nationwide Defense After U.S. Missile Attacks
In a letter addressed to the UNSC president, Somalia’s Ambassador Abukar Dahir Osman, Caracas requested the emergency session to discuss the U.S. acts of aggression against Venezuela. The letter was also delivered to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Venezuela further asked the council to condemn the U.S. aggression against the Venezuelan people and government, demand a “cessation of the armed attacks,” and establish appropriate measures to hold the U.S. administration “accountable for the crimes of aggression” committed on Venezuelan territory.
Venezuela’s request came after “U.S. military forces executed a series of armed attacks” in the early hours of Saturday, which the government of President Nicolas Maduro described as “brutal, unjustified and unilateral.”
Venezuela’s capital is now under attack by the US regime
No authorization from Congress, no popular American support
Just another terrorist war for oil, plunder and imperial control initiated with “shock and awe”pic.twitter.com/7iesVaWNXo
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) January 3, 2026
The attacks involved bombing of civilian and military locations in Caracas and the northern states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira. Additionally, U.S. special forces are carrying out attacks in various parts of the national territory using helicopters and aircraft.
Venezuela stressed that this aggression “flagrantly violates” the UN Charter, which states that “all members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.”
In a post on Truth Social, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that the United States had successfully carried out “a large-scale attack against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who, along with his wife, has been captured and airlifted out of the country.”
Earlier, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez confirmed that President Maduro and his wife’s whereabouts are unknown.
The Venezuelan defense minister, Vladimir Padrino Lopez, made public statements following the attacks suffered by the country in the early hours of the morning by the United States. He addressed the people with the following: Heroic people of Venezuela! Soldiers of the… pic.twitter.com/XCX6EguCJk
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) January 3, 2026
teleSUR/ JF
Sources: EFE – VFAM
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.
Venezuela’s Defense Minister confirmed that the country is deploying all military capabilities in response to U.S. missile attacks targeting Caracas and several states.
RELATED:
enezuela: VP Rodriguez Asks U.S. for Proof of Life of President Maduro
On January 3, General Vladimir Padrino López, Venezuela’s Minister of Defense, issued the first official report following U.S. strikes on multiple locations across the country. He condemned the attacks as a “criminal military aggression” and confirmed that the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) would activate all available resources to defend national territory and citizens.
The minister reported missile impacts in Fuerte Tiuna, Caracas, and the states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira. He noted that civilian housing complexes were affected, and authorities are assessing potential casualties. In line with directives from President Nicolás Maduro, the FANB has initiated a comprehensive nationwide defense deployment.
El ministro de Defensa de #Venezuela
, Vladimir Padrino López:
¡Pueblo heroico de Venezuela! ¡Soldados de la Patria! ¡Hijos e Hijas de Bolívar! La Fuerza Armada Nacional Bolivariana, informa al mundo entero, que en la madrugada de hoy 03ENE26 el pueblo venezolano ha sido… pic.twitter.com/QjJdGYjusc
— teleSUR TV (@teleSURtv) January 3, 2026
“Faced with this vile and cowardly attack, which threatens the peace and stability of the region, we raise the most forceful denunciation before the international community and all multilateral organizations to condemn the U.S. Government for the blatant violation of the United Nations Charter and international law,” Padrino López declared.
Citing the Constitution, the Organic Law on States of Exception, and the Organic Law of National Security, the Venezuelan government declared a state of external commotion. The FANB is mobilizing its operational capabilities—including land, air, naval, riverine, and missile units—in a “perfect popular-military-police fusion” to form a unified combat force.
Maduro’s Defense Chief makes OFFICIAL STATEMENT
'Subjected to CRIMINAL MILITARY AGGRESSION BY US GOVT'
'Driven by GREED for our strategic resources'
No word from Vladimir Padrino Lopez on Trump’s claim he’s CAPTURED Maduro https://t.co/zUOBxLEpsD pic.twitter.com/PVlXMcAT9I
— RT (@RT_com) January 3, 2026
The minister also rejected the presence of foreign troops, describing any invasion as an “outrage” driven by “insatiable greed for our strategic resources,” rather than a genuine fight against narco-terrorism, aiming instead to impose regime change.
Invoking the courage of Venezuela’s liberators, Padrino López emphasized that “dignity is non-negotiable and the homeland is a supreme value.” Citizens were urged to remain calm and united, with the minister adding that “steadfastness is the shield of the homeland” as national defense measures are enacted.
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.
She confirms that the entire nation is following the instructions previously given by President Maduro.
In the early hours of Saturday, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez confirmed that the United States had kidnapped President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.
“Faced with this brutal situation and this brutal attack, we do not know the whereabouts of President Nicolas Maduro and the First Lady, Cilia Flores,” Rodriguez stated and confirmed the killing of soldiers and civilians during the U.S. military operation, which carried out bombings against Caracas and three other states in the country.
For this reason, Rodriguez demanded the U.S. government provide “immediate proof of life” of Maduro and Flores. She reiterated a warning previously made by the Venezuelan leader regarding how the country should respond to a U.S. aggression, motivated “by the desperation of U.S. energy greed.”
“The first thing President Maduro told the people of Venezuela was ‘people to the streets,’ activated as militia, activating all the Nation’s comprehensive defense plans,” the vice president asserted.
Rodriguez emphasized that the illegal detention of the Venezuelan president, as well as the airstrikes against the population, constitute a flagrant violation of international law.
“We condemn this brutal, savage form of aggression against our people, which has claimed the lives of military officials, who become martyrs of our homeland, (…) and of innocent Venezuelan civilians,” she added.
Rodriguez’s statements came after U.S. President Donald Trump offered initial remarks following his order of a military attack on Venezuelan soil:
“The United States has successfully carried out a large-scale attack against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who, along with his wife, has been captured and removed from the country,” the U.S. leader wrote on Truth Social.
“Further details will be released shortly. Today, at 11:00 a.m., a press conference will be held at Mar-a-Lago,” Trump announced.
In light of the situation, the Venezuelan vice president called for a “perfect fusion” of police and military to rise “in defense of the homeland.”
“No one will undermine the historic legacy of our Liberator father, Simon Bolivar. The people of Venezuela, in perfect national unity, must mobilize to defend their natural resources and what is most sacred: their right to independence and to the future,” she concluded.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro emphasized that 95% of the Venezuelan population rejects the military threats made by the Trump administration against the South American nation.
He added that the leader of the Venezuelan far right, Maria Machado, is rejected by 85% of… pic.twitter.com/H2DZxit8jn
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) January 2, 2026
teleSUR/ JF
Source: VTV – RT
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.
The Bolivarian Government Calls for National Mobilization.
In the early hours of Saturday, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez issued a statement following the start of the U.S. aggression against Venezuela.
RELATED:
Venezuela Accuses U.S. of Military Aggression, Declares Emergency
The Bolivarian official confirmed that the United States had kidnapped President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Celia Flores. Rodriguez demanded that the U.S. government provide proof of life for President Maduro and his wife.
The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry also issued the following statement:
“The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela rejects, repudiates and denounces to the international community the grave military aggression perpetrated by the current government of the United States of America against Venezuelan territory and population in the civilian and military localities of the city of Caracas, the capital of the Republic, and the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira. This act constitutes a flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter, especially Articles 1 and 2, which enshrine respect for sovereignty, the legal equality of states and the prohibition of the use of force. Such aggression threatens international peace and stability, specifically in Latin America and the Caribbean, and gravely endangers the lives of millions of people.
The objective of this attack is nothing less than to seize Venezuela’s strategic resources, in particular its oil and minerals, attempting to forcibly break the nation’s political independence. They will not succeed. After more than two hundred years of independence, the people and their legitimate government remain steadfast in defense of sovereignty and the inalienable right to decide their own destiny. The attempt to impose a colonial war to destroy the republican form of government and force a “regime change,” in alliance with the fascist oligarchy, will fail like all previous attempts.
Since 1811, Venezuela has faced and defeated empires. When in 1902 foreign powers bombarded our coasts, President Cipriano Castro proclaimed: “The insolent foot of the foreigner has profaned the sacred soil of the Homeland.” Today, with the spirit of Bolivar, Miranda and our liberators, the Venezuelan people rise again to defend their independence from imperial aggression.
People to the Streets
The Bolivarian Government calls on all social and political forces in the country to activate mobilization plans and repudiate this imperialist attack. The people of Venezuela and its Bolivarian National Armed Forces, in perfect popular-military-police fusion, are deployed to guarantee sovereignty and peace. Simultaneously, Bolivarian Peace Diplomacy will raise the corresponding denunciations before the U.N. Security Council, the Secretary-General of that organization, CELAC and the Non-Aligned Movement, demanding condemnation and accountability from the U.S. government.
President Nicolas Maduro has ordered all national defense plans to be implemented at the appropriate time and under appropriate circumstances, in strict adherence to the provisions of the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the Organic Law on States of Exception and the Organic Law on National Security.
In this sense, President Nicolas Maduro has signed and ordered the implementation of the Decree declaring a state of External Commotion throughout the national territory, to protect the rights of the population, the full functioning of republican institutions and to immediately transition to armed struggle. The entire country must activate to defeat this imperialist aggression.
He has likewise ordered the immediate deployment of the Command for the Integral Defense of the Nation and the Organs of Direction for Integral Defense in all states and municipalities of the country.
In strict adherence to Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, Venezuela reserves the right to exercise legitimate defense to protect its people, its territory and its independence. We call on the peoples and governments of Latin America, the Caribbean and the world to mobilize in active solidarity against this imperial aggression. As Supreme Commander Hugo Chavez Frias stated, “In the face of any circumstance of new difficulties, however large they may be, the response of all patriots… is unity, struggle, battle and victory.”
teleSUR/ JF
Source: VFAM
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.
Cuban authorities have condemned a U.S. military strike on Venezuela, calling for an immediate international response to defend the region.
RELATED:
REDH condemns U.S. military attack on Venezuela, calls for global solidarity
President Miguel Díaz-Canel described the early-morning attacks on Caracas as a “criminal attack,” declaring that “our #ZonaDePaz is being brutally assaulted.” His statement, posted on social media platform X, aligns with a broader regional condemnation of what Cuba frames as direct U.S. military aggression against Venezuelan territory.
“State terrorism against the brave Venezuelan people and against Our America,” the Cuban president added, emphasizing Havana’s solidarity with regional efforts to resist external interventions.
#Cuba denuncia y demanda URGENTE reacción de la comunidad internacional contra criminal ataque de E.U a #Venezuela. Nuestra #ZonaDePaz está siendo brutalmente asaltada. Terrorismo de Estado contra el bravo pueblo venezolano y contra Nuestra América.
Patria o Muerte ¡Venceremos!
— Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez (@DiazCanelB) January 3, 2026
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez reinforced this position, stating: “The bombings and military actions against Caracas and other locations in the country are cowardly acts against a nation that has not attacked the U.S. or any other country.” Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz also warned that “the attacks against Caracas and other locations demand urgent mobilization by the international community to defend Latin America and the Caribbean as a #ZoneOfPeace.”
The Venezuelan government confirmed what it described as a “serious U.S. military aggression” targeting both civilian and military areas across Miranda, Aragua, La Guaira, and Caracas. Authorities ordered the “immediate deployment of the Command for Comprehensive National Defense and of the Direction Organs for Comprehensive Defense in all states and municipalities of the country.” President Nicolás Maduro enacted a decree declaring a state of “external commotion,” allowing the mobilization of armed forces and immediate defensive operations to protect national territory.
Condenamos enérgicamente la agresión militar en curso de #EEUU contra #Venezuela.
Los bombardeos y acciones bélicas contra Caracas y otras localidades del país son actos cobardes contra una nación que no ha agredido a EEUU ni a ningún otro país.
— Bruno Rodríguez P (@BrunoRguezP) January 3, 2026
Detonations were reported during the early hours amid heightened tensions with the United States, whose military operations in the Caribbean reportedly included the destruction of vessels and threats to extend actions onto Venezuelan soil.
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.
A military contractor with a lineage going back to the notorious mercenary firm Blackwater will help U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement track down a list of 1.5 million targeted immigrants across the country, according to records reviewed by The Intercept.
Federal procurement document show that on December 15, ICE inked a deal with Constellis Holdings to provide “skip tracing” services, tasking the company with hunting immigrants down and relaying their locations to ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations wing for apprehension.
[
Related
10 Companies Have Already Made $1 Million as ICE Bounty Hunters. We Found Them.](https://theintercept.com/2025/12/23/ice-bounty-hunters-track-immigrant-surveillance/)
Under the terms of the Trump administration’s skip tracing initiative, first reported by The Intercept, contractors will receive monetary bounties in exchange for turning over the whereabouts of specified immigrants as quickly as possible, using whatever physical and digital surveillance tools they see fit.
Constellis was formed in 2014 through the merger of Academi, previously known as Blackwater, and Triple Canopy, a rival mercenary contractor. The combined companies and their subsidiaries have reaped billions from contracts for guarding foreign military installations, embassies, and domestic properties, along with work for the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. spy agencies.
Blackwater, founded in 1997 by Erik Prince, renamed itself multiple times over the years after it sparked international scandal for its violent work in Iraq. In 2007, Blackwater mercenaries massacred 14 civilians in Baghdad; several of its contractors serving prison sentences for the killings were pardoned by President Donald Trump in 2020.
Prince resigned as CEO of Blackwater in 2009, and Constellis says it has no relationship with him.
Though there are no ties between them, Constellis’s move to serve as a bounty hunter for ICE aligns with Prince’s reported interest in privatizing immigration enforcement.
The government has so far paid Constellis $1.5 million, with the potential for the total to grow to more than $113 million.
In February, Politicoreported that Prince — a longtime and steadfast Trump ally — was among a group of military contractors who urged the federal government to employ a “Skip Tracing Team” and “bounty program which provides a cash reward” to incentivize the rapid tracking of immigrants. The proposal suggested that, due to a lack of federal manpower, ICE should deputize private citizens to help track down immigrants.
The Trump administration wound up hewing closely to the spirit of the proposal, earmarking over $1 billion for skip tracing work, much of it going to companies with military and intelligence contracting experience like Constellis. Federal records show the government has so far paid Constellis $1.5 million, with the potential for the total to grow to more than $113 million by the contract’s end in 2027.
Records do not provide any information about how Omniplex World Services, the Constellis subsidiary named in the contract, will track immigrants on ICE’s target list, stating only that the work “provides ICE with Skip Tracing services nationwide.”
Contract materials indicate that companies can use whatever techniques and technologies they believe will get the job done fastest.
Omniplex has provided investigative services like personnel background checks to DHS and the U.S. intelligence community for decades.
Constellis did not respond to a request for comment or questions about how it will locate migrants for ICE, but the company’s past experience in verifying details of an individual’s private life, including their internet activity, would be of clear utility for a skip tracing campaign.
[
Related
Deportation, Inc.](https://theintercept.com/2025/12/19/deportation-abrego-garcia-ice-immigration/)
According to program materials reviewed by The Intercept, bounty hunters hired by ICE will not be given any credentials identifying them as agents of the Department of Homeland Security as they surveil assigned targets’ homes and workplaces.
Domestic work could also be a crucial revenue bump for Constellis, which has reportedly seen revenues fall in recent years as the U.S. spent less guarding embassies and other facilities in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Constellis, though, remains active in the Middle East, including through a contract to guard an American radar installation inside Israel.
The company has sought out business with dubious humanitarian implications. In 2024, Drop Site News reported Constellis was in talks to deploy mercenaries inside the Gaza Strip, and the company secured a $250 million construction contract at the U.S. military base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, earlier this year.
The post Blackwater Successor Hunts Immigrants for ICE appeared first on The Intercept.
From The Intercept via This RSS Feed.