Never with the Aggressors, Always with the Bolivarian Revolution

Two facts: The U.S. Air Force invaded the territory of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, bombed Caracas, attacked key targets in the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira. Subsequently, in a kidnapping operation, the constitutional president, Nicolás Maduro, and first lady Cilia Flores were abducted and taken to New York City to be tried by U.S. courts — under U.S. law and on charges of his being a narcoterrorist. Under no circumstances should we take our attention away from these facts.

This is a violation of international law. More seriously, it sets a precedent that raises the following question: Which Latin American country, president or political leader will be the next target of the United States? And I do mean the United States. If the Trump administration is the executing arm, the decision is part of the imperialist conception of international relations toward our America and, by extension, the rest of the world under U.S. military power. Let's not fool ourselves. The Democratic Party, and what is referred to as its socialist wing, remains complicitly silent.

This is not a time for half measures. To minimize the violation of international law by classifying the Venezuelan state and its leaders as narcoterrorists serves only to justify the aggressor. Nor is it useful to take refuge in the argument of the internal and external opposition that alleges electoral fraud in the last Venezuelan presidential election — a claim it has been unable to prove, refusing to hand over the records that would substantiate it. Therefore, any explanation by Venezuelans justifying the military incursion of the U.S. armed forces betrays the principles of dignity and political independence on which national sovereignty is based. The rest is demagoguery.

All opposition is legitimate until it breaks the rules of the democratic game by expressing its support for a foreign invasion — even more so if the decision is based on a spurious pact to hand over its resources and natural wealth to imperialism in exchange for regaining power. Let's not fool ourselves: This operation, designed by the Pentagon, the White House, the CIA and the State Department, has a faithful servant in María Corina Machado. While Donald Trump declared to Fox News, “We are now making a decision on the next step regarding the Venezuelan leadership; we will evaluate whether Machado can lead Venezuela,”* Machado declared on social media: "The United States government has fulfilled its promise to uphold the law” ... Today we are prepared to assert our mandate and take power.”

The disinformation war takes over the space, and in that war, the United States' allies take the lead: Nothing about the demonstrations in Venezuela supports the Bolivarian revolution. Nor do journalists and academics emphasize the violation of international law and the illegitimacy of the kidnapping. All those interviewed are condescending. There are lukewarm statements from presidents, such as Pedro Sánchez in Spain, who, on Twitter on Feb. 24, 2022, “condemns Russia's aggression against Ukraine and stands in solidarity with the Ukrainian government and people;" and today, Jan. 3, 2026, wrote: "The Spanish government is closely monitoring events in Venezuela ... We call for deescalation and responsibility." No comment.

But let's not fool ourselves: The representatives of the United States in Latin America are not its ambassadors — not even Trump, Joe Biden, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, George Bush, Richard Nixon or John Kennedy. They have names and surnames, and they represent members of the Venezuelan plutocracy or are part of its armed forces.

They have been elevated to power by kneeling before the current occupant of the White House and requesting coups, covert actions, financial support and destabilization campaigns. Let us recall a few: Anastasio Somoza, Jorge Ubico, Rafael Trujillo, Castelo Branco, Augusto Pinochet, Alfredo Stroessner, Hugo Banzer and Jorge Videla. And if we include civilians: Joaquín Balaguer, Jair Bolsonaro, Javier Milei, Felipe Calderón, Nayib Bukele and Honduran President-elect Nasry Asfura. But there are many more.

In other words, the enemies are within. They despise the people, deeply hate the working class, and are behaving like mutinous soldiers. How else can we interpret Milei's words that fanatically support the aggression and kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores?

This is the moment of truth. There is no time left for appeasement. The international community, if it has any dignity left, must not only condemn the aggression; it must also show support for the government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and demand the release of President Maduro and Flores from the hands of their kidnappers.

Machado is not an option; she represents hatred, revenge, and the death of all democratic options. If she appears, the betrayal will be complete. We are witnessing the end of a cycle. With or without Maduro, the Bolivarian revolution must continue to forge its path. Surrender is not part of the victorious legacy of Simón Bolívar.

* Editor’s note: Although accurately translated, this quoted passage could not be independently verified.