Maduro Warns of Taking Up Arms along with Cuba & Nicaragua
Maduro assures that “Venezuela is preparing alongside Cuba, Nicaragua, and our elder brothers around the world.”
HAVANA TIMES – Nicolas Maduro, the Chavista leader, was sworn in on Friday, January 10, 2025, as president for the 2025–2031 term, after blatantly stealing the July 28th elections. He announced on Saturday that Venezuela is preparing, along with Cuba and Nicaragua, to “take up arms,” if necessary, to defend “the right to peace,” warning that “no one should make a mistake” about the South American country.
“Venezuela is preparing alongside Cuba, Nicaragua, and our elder brothers around the world, so that if one day we must take up arms to defend the right to peace, the right to sovereignty, and the historical rights of our homeland, we will be ready,” declared Maduro during the closing of the International Anti-Fascist World Festival, organized by his party.
He also called during the event for the formation of a “great global alliance,” similar to the one formed 80 years ago to defeat “fascism.” However, he asserted that “if it comes to it,” they must have the ability to “face it with weapons in hand” and engage in “legitimate armed struggle.”
“Let no one deceive themselves into thinking that scenario couldn’t happen again. Eighty years later, I ring the bell of humanity,” he proclaimed, alluding to the victory of the former Soviet Union over Nazi Germany in World War II.
Ortega and Díaz-Canel Attend Maduro’s Inauguration
In this context, he warned that “no one should make a mistake with Venezuela.”
“If it’s peacefully, we’ll move forward peacefully. And if it’s not, we’ll also prevail by any means necessary to ensure respect for our people,” he added at the event, broadcast by the state channel VTV.
Maduro was sworn in this Friday before the National Assembly for a third consecutive six-year term, despite allegations of fraud in the July 28, 2024, elections by the majority opposition, which claims the landslide electoral victory of its leader, Edmundo Gonzalez. The opposition denounced Friday’s inauguration as the consummation of a “coup d’état.”
“This Venezuelan constitutional inauguration could not be stopped, and it is a great victory for Venezuelan democracy,” said Maduro on Friday to a small group of guests, including the dictators of Cuba and Nicaragua Miguel Diaz-Canel and Daniel Ortega, the only Latin American leaders present at the inauguration.
Numerous Countries Reject Maduro’s Presidency
The United States, the European Union, and several Latin American countries, such as Peru and Paraguay, have denied the legitimacy of Nicolas Maduro’s inauguration, which representatives from these nations did not attend.
Following the swearing-in of Maduro, the United States announced that it does not recognize him as Venezuela’s president and insisted that opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez, whom it considers the rightful winner of the July elections, should be sworn in as the new president.
“Today, Nicolas Maduro held an illegitimate presidential inauguration ceremony in Venezuela in a desperate attempt to cling to power,” said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The European Union (EU) also declared that Nicolas Maduro lacks “the legitimacy” of a “democratically elected” leader.
“The Venezuelan authorities missed a crucial opportunity to respect the will of the people and ensure a transparent democratic transition with guarantees for all. Nicolas Maduro lacks the legitimacy of a democratically elected president,” said EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas in a statement on behalf of the 27 member states.
The United Kingdom joined the sanctions announced by the EU against Nicolás Maduro, issuing a new round of penalties targeting 15 individuals associated with the Venezuelan government, including Supreme Court President Caryslia Rodriguez, while also declaring Maduro’s presidency “illegitimate.”
In a statement released by the Foreign Office, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy described Maduro’s presidency as “fraudulent.”
In Peru, President Dina Boluarte rejected Maduro’s “fraudulent” assumption of a new government term and reiterated that she does not recognize him as Venezuela’s president but instead acknowledges opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez.
Similarly, Paraguay’s government expressed its firm support for Edmundo Gonzalez, whom it considers the elected president of Venezuela, and said it “absolutely condemns the actions of the illegitimate regime” of Nicolás Maduro.
First published in Spanish by Confidencial and translated and posted in English by Havana Times.