The People’s Coalition on Food Sovereignty (PCFS) joins the international community in vehemently condemning the US bombings of Venezuela and the abduction of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.

The imperialist United States has begun the new year with an outright invasion of Venezuela—a blatant violation of national sovereignty and international law. The bombing of several densely populated states, including the capital, Caracas, constitutes an act of state terrorism. These strikes served as a precursor to the abduction of President Maduro and his wife under the cover of night. Currently, they are being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York.

While the Trump administration has attempted to justify this operation through legally questionable criminal drug charges, the true motive is transparent. President Trump has brazenly disclosed his intent to seize Venezuela’s massive oil reserves—the largest proven reserves in the world. Dubbed “Operation Absolute Resolve,” the decapitation of Venezuela’s government exposes the desperation of a declining US empire to sustain its global hegemony. This aggression aligns directly with the 2025 National Security Strategy, which prioritizes “American preeminence in the Western Hemisphere” and “energy dominance” as core strategic goals for US economic security.

This latest act of aggression adds to a long history of US crimes against Venezuela, including years of crippling sanctions and political interference. The country is already grappling with an economic crisis and a severe hunger emergency, with 40% of the population experiencing moderate to severe food insecurity. This military intervention will undoubtedly exacerbate this humanitarian catastrophe. The devastation caused by bombings in Caracas, Miranda, La Guaira, and Aragua cannot be overstated.

Our Coalition views this escalation with grave concern, particularly as it follows the US’s unconditional support for Israel’s genocidal war in Palestine and the June 2025 “Operation Midnight Hammer,” the largest B-2 strike in history targeting Iran. Furthermore, the risk of conflict in Asia continues to rise as the US bolsters its military presence through the Indo-Pacific Strategy.

PCFS calls upon its members and global networks to denounce this attack and demand absolute respect for Venezuela’s sovereignty. Such state aggression is unacceptable. We must pressure the US to immediately release President Maduro and Cilia Flores and cease all intervention. We assert: An assault on national sovereignty is an assault on people’s food sovereignty. ###

(Photo from AFP – Getty Images)