Amidst the profound economic, political, and social crisis afflicting Venezuela, aggravated by external geopolitical tensions and an accelerating internal deterioration, we unite, as citizens committed to the future of our nation, to express a firm and unanimous rejection of any form of foreign interference that violates our national sovereignty. At the same time, we denounce with equal force the authoritarian continuity of Nicolás Maduro’s government, which has eroded popular sovereignty, violated fundamental rights, and exacerbated conflicts both internal and international. This declaration arises from a broad dialogue among diverse sectors, inspired by the need to build convergences that transcend ideological divisions, and seeks to summon all Venezuelans—regardless of their political affiliation, origin, or beliefs—to join a collective effort for a peaceful, constitutional, and sovereign solution.

The current crisis is not only the result of external pressures but also of irresponsible internal decisions that have deepened the suffering of the people. We categorically reject the United States’ naval operations in the Caribbean, carried out under the pretext of combating drug trafficking, which have included bombings against Venezuelan vessels resulting in at least 17 reported deaths since September 2, 2025, affecting coastal communities and escalating unnecessary risks. These acts, which violate international law, do not solve problems such as drug trafficking but serve as an excuse for interventions that prioritize geopolitical interests over regional peace.

On the other hand, Maduro’s government lacks democratic legitimacy, having culminated its authoritarian drift in the electoral fraud of July 28, 2024, where the totaled tally sheets have not been published despite national and international demands, thus perpetuating a blatant violation of popular sovereignty. This irresponsibility has aggravated the internal crisis, generating systematic repression with hundreds of political prisoners—including civilians, military personnel, men, and women—and thousands of pending political trials. We denounce the brutal physical and psychological tortures, the prolonged isolation of detainees, forced disappearances, and practices such as the detention and torture of relatives—which constitute crimes against humanity already reported to international courts. Maduro has suppressed social rights through unconstitutional laws such as the Anti-Blockade Law, the Special Economic Zones Law, and the Law Against Hatred, which have facilitated the opaque handover of national wealth and plunged the working class into poverty, driving a massive emigration of nearly 7.9 million Venezuelans—almost a third of the population—in search of better living conditions. This context of democratic illegitimacy and repression prevents the nation from adequately confronting the imperialist threat.

The country is in a state of extreme weakness to face foreign aggression. Internationally, it is practically isolated. Internally, the country’s social fabric is torn. Instead of recognizing this and taking steps toward the reconstitution of the country, for example, by releasing all political prisoners, the government appeals to a single, useless response: the military one. A climate of war is exacerbated by calling up millions of militiamen, deepening the unconstitutional militarization of civil society. This response not only ignores the 1999 Constitution (CRBV), which prioritizes peace and dialogue, but also stems from an arbitrary, arrogant, and despotic exercise of power, which has grossly distanced Venezuela from international bodies, such as the UN, preventing recourse to them for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

We issue an urgent and compelling call to all democratic and popular forces and the broadest universe of the Venezuelan opposition—regardless of their political or ideological affiliation, and overcoming all forms of sectarianism and arrogance—to radically distance themselves from any belligerent adventure and any form of foreign interference. The moment explicitly demands a truly nationalist and Venezuelan commitment from all democratic and popular factors in the country, and we summon them to openly reject all forms of interference and promotion of violence by foreign powers in our territory, as well as by Nicolás Maduro’s own regime.

Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

October 2025

Critical Thinking, Red Flag, Popular Vanguard, and Citizens’ Platform in Defense of the Constitution are all civil society organizations in Venezuela.

This statement was originally published in Spanish by Aporrea.org here.

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