In a defiant address to the nation on January 3, 2026, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López declared that the country’s armed forces would “resist with all strength” the presence of foreign troops on its soil.
The statement comes hours after a series of large-scale U.S. military strikes rocked the capital and amid claims from Washington that President Nicolás Maduro has been captured.
A “Deplorable” Act of Aggression
Speaking via a video broadcast on state media, Padrino López described the overnight operation as a “criminal” and “barbaric” act of aggression. He accused U.S. forces of “desecrating sacred land” and targeting both military installations and civilian residential areas.
“This invasion represents the greatest outrage the country has ever suffered,” Padrino López stated, visibly defiant. “They have attacked us, but they will not vanquish us. We will form an indestructible wall of resistance.”
U.S. Claims and Global Reaction
The escalation began in the early hours of Saturday when explosions were reported at key sites including the Fuerte Tiuna military complex and La Carlota air base. Shortly after, U.S. President Donald Trump announced via social media that elite special forces had successfully captured Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, flying them out of the country.
While the U.S. characterizes the move as a “brilliant operation” aimed at ending a “narco-state,” the Venezuelan government has officially declared a “state of external commotion”—effectively a national state of emergency. Padrino López confirmed that a massive deployment of land, air, and naval capabilities is underway to defend the nation’s sovereignty.
Regional Instability and Humanitarian Concerns
As the Venezuelan government compiles data on casualties from helicopter and missile strikes in urban centers, the international community has reacted with a mix of alarm and condemnation. Russia and Iran have both denounced the strikes as a violation of international law, while neighboring Colombia and regional bodies like CARICOM have called for immediate de-escalation to prevent a wider regional conflict.
For now, the streets of Caracas remain in a state of high tension. With the whereabouts of Maduro officially unconfirmed by Caracas and the military under orders to mobilize, the “indestructible wall of resistance” promised by Padrino López marks the beginning of a volatile new chapter in Latin American history.
