President Maduro told a crowd waving Venezuelan flags outside the Miraflores Palace on Monday that his country wanted peace, but only peace “with sovereignty, equality and freedom.”
According to Press TV, the president denounced “Washington’s imperialist aggression” and said, “We don’t want peace for slaves or peace for the colonies! Colonies, never! Slaves, never!”
The US government is increasing pressure on Venezuela through a military buildup in the Caribbean, which it describes as an unsubstantiated anti-drug-trafficking operation.
Caracas said the steps taken by US President Donald Trump and his administration are aimed at overthrowing the Maduro regime and seizing control of Venezuela’s vast natural resources, including its oil reserves.
Analysts say the scale of the U.S. military operation far exceeds what is needed for a counter-drug operation, as Washington has 15,000 troops, aircraft carriers, submarines, destroyers and a squadron of F-35s in the region.
The United States has also attacked drug-smuggling vessels at least 21 times in the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean since September, killing at least 83 people.
President Maduro also denounced Washington’s campaign of “spiritual terrorism” and said: “We have endured 22 weeks of invasion… In these 22 weeks we have been tested and the Venezuelan people have shown their love for their homeland.”
Monday’s rally coincided with reports that President Trump met with his national security team at the White House to discuss “next steps” regarding Venezuela.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of the Army on Monday defended the actions of Adm. Frank Mitchell Bradley, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command. On September 2, the same commander ordered an attack on survivors of an earlier attack on a ship that Washington claimed was involved in drug trafficking.
The first attack destroyed the ship and killed nine people. The two survivors were clinging to the rubble, but following Secretary of War Peter Brian Hegseth’s order to “kill them all,” Bradley ordered a second attack, killing them as well.
Experts say the second attack, known in military parlance as a “double tap” attack, was illegal and a crime against humanity.
MNA