Maduro accuses US of using military to force regime change

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
23 Aug 2025 11:09

Venezuela’s president warns that Washington’s naval presence endangers Latin America’s stability, calling it a violation of international law and regional sovereignty.

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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (AP)

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro condemned Washington’s decision to station three warships off his country’s coast, describing it as a direct attempt to impose regime change under the pretext of combating drug trafficking.

Maduro denounced the move as “immoral, criminal, and illegal,” warning that such actions threaten regional peace and violate international law.

Addressing lawmakers on Friday, he emphasized that any aggression against one Latin American state constitutes an attack on all nations in the region.

At the XIII Extraordinary Summit of ALBA-TCP Heads of State and Government, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel delivered on Thursday a forceful denunciation of the Trump administration’s latest measures targeting Venezuela.

Cuba supports Venezuela

Diaz-Canel began by condemning Washington’s actions as a clear breach of international law, accusing the administration of defying the UN Charter and ignoring regional agreements opposing coercion and foreign intervention.

“The imperialism in its demonic offensive shows no intention of respecting the limits imposed by International Law,” he said, warning that such policies threaten global peace and stability.

The Cuban leader challenged Washington’s justification for deploying up to 4,000 troops in the Caribbean, ostensibly to curb drug trafficking. He described it as a cover for potential military action against Venezuela.

“This movement could facilitate actions under the US law, specifically Title 50 of the United States Code concerning war and national defense, granting the president the ability to conduct military or clandestine operations without prior notification to Congress,” Diaz-Canel explained.

Calling the rationale hypocritical, he added, “The world’s most narcotic state, the United States, promotes this false and disproportionate narrative.”

Diaz-Canel urged nations to stand against what he called an irrational escalation, reaffirming Cuba’s commitment to solidarity and resistance.

“We join Nicolas, ALBA-TCP, and all peoples of the world in condemning this Trump administration aggression,” he declared, dismissing US accusations linking Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to criminal organizations as unsubstantiated and politically motivated.

Referencing revolutionary figures Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez, Diaz-Canel underscored the enduring legacy of regional solidarity and resistance to imperialism.

US military buildup in Caribbean endangers regional peace

Last week, CNN reported that the United States has started deploying 4,000 troops, primarily Marines, in Latin American and Caribbean waters, claiming the operation is aimed at combating drug cartels.

The surveillance mission involves a nuclear submarine, P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft, multiple destroyers, and a missile-equipped warship.

Meanwhile, months earlier, a letter from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had surfaced, expanding the interpretation of the US military's traditional mandate to encompass additional missions.

Hegseth stated that the military's role involves protecting the homeland, a duty that extends to "sealing the borders, repelling all forms of invasion, including mass immigration, drug trafficking, human smuggling, and other criminal activities."

In 2014, the leaders of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) adopted a declaration designating the region as a "Zone of Peace," affirming their commitment to maintaining peace and cooperation in the area.