Statement on the US Bombing of Venezuela and the Kidnapping of President Maduro

Early on January 3, 2026, the U.S. military launched a brazen act of aggression against Venezuela, forcibly abducting President Nicolás Maduro and his wife and illegally transporting them to the United States. Accompanied by airstrikes that killed and injured civilians and left widespread destruction across northern Venezuela, including Caracas, this assault is an unmistakable violation of international law and a direct attack on Venezuelan sovereignty. It is a clear act of war - unprovoked, unlawful, and intolerable.

The Trump Administration claims this operation targeted "drug trafficking." Yet it has presented no credible evidence, only political pretexts. The truth is clear: Washington seeks to dominate Venezuela's vast oil and mineral wealth and crush a government that dares to resist U.S. capitalist interests. This is imperialism in its crudest form.

The Socialist Party USA condemns this grotesque violation of international law and demands the immediate and unconditional ceasefire of all U.S. military operations in Venezuela. We demand the safe return of President Maduro and his wife to Venezuela, and full accountability under international law for those responsible for this invasion.

We stand firmly for peace, sovereignty, and the rights of nations to self-determination. We implore the American people to rise in outrage. Protest, organize, and reject this reckless use of our public resources to finance illegal wars abroad. Let our voices make clear: the U.S. must respect the law, not break it; build peace, not destruction; and serve humanity, not profit.

Passed by the SPUSA National Executive Committee January 3, 2026