Maduro vows crushing regional response to any US attack on Venezuela
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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro vows that any US aggression against Venezuela would ignite a united and powerful regional defense, affirming the nation's unwavering independence and readiness to confront imperialist threats.
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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro delivering a speech at the Bolivarian Army Military University in Caracas, where he was honored with an honorary doctorate in national defense. (screengrab/Telesur)
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has cautioned that any attack on his country would be met with a coordinated regional response, asserting that Venezuela will never surrender its sovereignty or bow to foreign domination.
The remarks came during a ceremony at the Bolivarian Army Military University in Caracas on Tuesday, where Maduro was awarded an honorary doctorate in national defense.
"We will never be a backyard, a colony, or slaves of any supremacist empire," he declared, pledging to defend the Bolivarian Republic's independence against what he called imperialist attempts to subjugate the nation.
Maduro invoked South America's legacy of anti-colonial struggle, urging neighboring countries to stand united in the face of external threats.
"If Venezuela is attacked, we will all be attacked," he said. "We must unite as one liberating army of South America to confront imperialist aggression."
He framed the nation's current challenge as a choice between "independence and colonization", or "slavery and free peoples," underscoring Venezuela's commitment to self-determination in the 21st century.
A new defense doctrine
Maduro highlighted Venezuela's move away from US-imposed military doctrines, noting that the country has charted its own defense path based on the principles of the Bolivarian Revolution.
"The 21st-century Bolivarian Revolution launched a powerful military reform and broke all dependence on the old national security doctrines imposed by institutions like the School of the Americas and West Point," he said.
The president also described the Venezuelan armed forces as "well-organized, well-prepared, capable and powerful," crediting them with safeguarding the nation amid years of political and economic pressure from abroad.
Expanding political power
Furthermore, Maduro outlined Venezuela's unique political structure, which he said includes five branches of government, alongside additional sources of authority, popular power and military power, though not formally codified in the constitution.
He attributed Venezuela's ability to withstand years of "multiform war", a term he used to describe Washington's economic and political pressure, to the unity of its institutions and the resilience of its people.
As part of his address, Maduro referenced his administration's "Seven Transformations" plan, a roadmap focused on strengthening domestic production across 13 strategic sectors to bolster the national economy and reduce external dependence.
Tensions with Washington
Maduro's statements came as tensions between Caracas and Washington continue to rise. The United States, which has imposed sanctions on Venezuela's government, is reportedly planning to expand military operations near Venezuelan waters under the pretext of anti-drug enforcement.
According to regional media, the US has dispatched eight warships to the Caribbean and deployed F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico, steps viewed by Caracas as aggressive and provocative.
In response, thousands of Venezuelans rallied in the capital last week, expressing support for Maduro and their readiness to defend national sovereignty. The Venezuelan military conducted defense drills showcasing its capacity to deter any potential incursion.
A call for Latin American Unity
Maduro framed his message as a rallying cry for regional solidarity, urging Latin American nations to revive Simon Bolívar's vision of continental independence and resist imperial domination.
He asserted that Venezuela's defense of sovereignty is not an isolated struggle but part of a shared continental cause against foreign intervention.
"If Venezuela is attacked, we will all be attacked," he repeated, calling on South America to stand as "one liberating army" in the face of aggression.
Maduro's remarks reinforce Venezuela's posture as a leading voice in the anti-imperialist movement in Latin America, as the country seeks to deepen alliances with regional partners and fortify its defenses amid escalating pressure from Washington.
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