‘THE entire country must mobilise to defeat this imperialist aggression,’ the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela declared in a defiant statement yesterday.
It said: ‘The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela rejects, repudiates, and denounces before the international community the grave military aggression perpetrated by the current government of the United States of America against Venezuelan territory and its population in the civilian and military areas of Caracas, the capital of the Republic, and the states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira.
‘This act constitutes a flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations, 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 seriously endangers the lives of millions of people.
‘The objective of this attack is none other than to seize Venezuela’s strategic resources, particularly 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 defence 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, as all previous attempts have.
‘Since 1811, Venezuela has confronted and defeated empires.
‘When foreign powers bombarded our shores in 1902, President Cipriano Castro proclaimed: “The insolent foot of the foreigner has profaned the sacred soil of the Fatherland.”
‘Today, with the morale of Bolívar, Miranda, and our liberators, the Venezuelan people rise up once again to defend their independence against imperial aggression.
‘People to the streets!
‘The Bolivarian Government calls on all social and political forces in the country to activate mobilisation plans and repudiate this imperialist attack.
‘The people of Venezuela and their Bolivarian National Armed Forces, in perfect popular-military-police unity, are deployed to guarantee sovereignty and peace.
‘Simultaneously, the Bolivarian Diplomacy of Peace will raise the corresponding complaints before the UN Security Council, the Secretary-General of that organisation, CELAC, and the Non-Aligned Movement, demanding the condemnation and accountability of the US government.
‘President Nicolás Maduro has ordered all national defence plans to be implemented at the appropriate time and under the appropriate circumstances, in strict adherence to the provisions of the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the Organic Law on States of Emergency, and the Organic Law of National Security.
‘In this regard, President Nicolás Maduro has signed and ordered the implementation of the Decree declaring a state of External Disturbance 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 mobilise to defeat this imperialist aggression.
‘Likewise, the immediate deployment of the Command for the Comprehensive Defence of the Nation and the Governing Bodies for Comprehensive defence has been ordered in all states and municipalities of the country.
‘In strict adherence to Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, Venezuela reserves the right to exercise legitimate self-defence to protect its people, its territory, and its independence.
‘We call upon the peoples and governments of Latin America, the Caribbean, and the world to mobilise in active solidarity against this imperialist aggression.
‘As Supreme Commander Hugo Chávez Frías stated, “In the face of any new difficulties, however great they may be, the response of all patriots … is unity, struggle, battle, and victory.”’
STARMER BACKS TRUMP’S ILLEGAL ATTACKS
LABOUR PM Starmer backed US President Trump’s illegal attack on Venezuela. yesterday, claiming that the UK ‘regarded Maduro as an illegitimate president and we shed no tears about the end of his regime’.
‘We’re working with the UK embassy in Caracas to ensure around 500 British citizens in Venezuela are safeguarded and get appropriate advice,’ he added.
During a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago residence, Trump said the US is going to ‘run’ Venezuela.
Over 100 people joined a protest at the US embassy in Nine Elms, south London on Saturday 3rd January. They were shouting: ‘Hands off Venezuela!’, ‘Viva, Viva Maduro!’ and: ‘Free him now!’.
One woman who spoke said: ‘They (the US) will do whatever and whenever they want – no rules. This is terrorism, this is piracy, a criminal act.
‘This is a war to take our oil, our land and our resources. We need international organisations to help stop this barbarity. Hands off Venezuela!’
RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey declared: ‘We condemn the illegal military attack carried out by the United States of America on Venezuela which resulted in President Maduro being kidnapped by US special forces.
‘In accordance with international law and respect for sovereign nations, the UK government must demand the immediate cessation of military hostilities towards Venezuela and the return of its President.
‘Only by following the UN Charter can we create a framework for peace, stability and mutual respect between nations.
‘We send our solidarity to the people of Venezuela and stand with them against this violent intervention.’
Russia and China have called on the US to immediately release Maduro. ‘China calls on the US to ensure the personal safety of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, release them at once, stop toppling the government of Venezuela.’
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasised ‘the absolute need to immediately release the legitimate President of Venezuela … and his wife, return them to the country’s capital, and reinstate Nicolas Maduro as head of state’.
