Venezuela is Not Alone!
US Hands Off Venezuela!
Venezuela Solidarity Network Statement
October 17, 2025
U.S. attacks are escalating against the people of Venezuela and President Maduro at a deadly and dangerous pace.
On October 14, 2025, U.S. President Trump announced that the United States launched an airstrike against a small boat off the coast of Venezuela, killing all six people on board. This airstrike was the sixth such attack to be announced by Trump since early September 2025, including one carried out in conjunction with the Dominican Republic off its own coast. At least 27 people have now been killed by these brutal and illegal U.S. attacks in international waters. Without a single shred of evidence, the Trump Administration claims that the people killed are “narcoterrorists” allegedly carrying drugs headed for the United States. In fact, these murderous attacks are blatant violations of Venezuela’s sovereignty and international law. They are also a dangerous expansion in the U.S.-led military campaign against Venezuela.
The outrageous claim of “narcoterrorism” is not just used to justify extrajudicial killings in the Caribbean. Allegations of “narcoterrorism” are also wielded by the U.S. government against President Nicolas Maduro and the Bolivarian government of Venezuela, as the Trump administration lays the ground for a regime change operation in the country.
Starting in July 2025, the Trump administration began to resurrect the myth of the “Cartel de los Soles,” this time claiming that it was headed by President Maduro. “Cartel de los Soles” has been used by U.S. government officials attempting to paint Venezuela as a “narco-state” for over a decade.
To justify its war drive against Venezuela and attacks against Venezuelan migrants in the United States, the U.S. government has also classified alleged drug cartels as terrorist organizations. In February 2025 the U.S. classified “Tren de Aragua,” another transnational criminal organization allegedly operating in Venezuela, as a terrorist organization. The U.S. Treasury announced sanctions against “Cartel de los Soles” as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist,” organization in July 2025.
Not only is there no evidence to back up these allegations, but U.S. government reports also actually contradict the claims. The most recent U.S. State Department report on global anti-drug operations makes no mention of President Maduro, or the mysterious “Cartel de los Soles,” which also goes unmentioned in any of the DEA’s yearly National Drug Threat Assessments. The National Intelligence Council found no connections between “Tren de Aragua” and any high-level officials in Maduro’s government. Venezuela is also not responsible for the U.S. drug overdose crisis. In fact, the United Nations 2025 World Drug Report barely mentions Venezuela at all, noting that only 5% of cocaine from Colombia is trafficked through Venezuela. There is no proof of any connection between Venezuela and the trafficking of the deadly opioid drug fentanyl to the U.S.
The U.S. is increasing its military presence in the Caribbean under the bogus pretext of fighting “narcoterrorism.” Starting in August 2025, the Pentagon has sent at least eight Navy warships, a nuclear submarine, and 10,000 troops to the region. It has also deployed 10 F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico. With these deployments, the United States is positioning itself not only for increasing attacks against Venezuela, but for coming wars and occupations in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The recent award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuela’s right-wing opposition leader, Marina Corina Machado, is yet another component of Washington’s campaign against Venezuela. Machado is anything but peaceful. For over 20 years she has been one of the architects of a right-wing, anti-democratic campaign to overthrow the Bolivarian revolutionary government in Venezuela through attempted coups, violent riots, and treasonous appeals to the U.S. and other Western governments to sanction and even bomb Venezuela. Machado is also an avowed Zionist and fervent supporter of genocidal Israel. Giving the Nobel Peace Prize to Machado is a component of the U.S.-led propaganda campaign to build support for a U.S.-backed overthrow of President Maduro.
Make no doubt about it, Venezuela is in the crosshairs of the U.S. war machine.
For over 26 years, the people of Venezuela have stood strong in defense of their sovereignty and self-determination. They have stood strong against U.S.-sponsored coup attempts and right-wing violence and the brutal impacts of over 10 years of criminal economic and financial sanctions which continue through to today.
Despite over two decades of covert and overt operations, the United States government and their allies have not brought regime change to Venezuela. The forces of empire have been unable to reverse either the struggle for participatory and protagonistic democracy or the social justice gains made in Venezuela under the Bolivarian revolutionary process.
Now more than ever, we must stand with the people of Venezuela as they fight to defend their sovereignty and self-determination.
The Venezuela Solidarity Network encourages peace-loving people the world over to respond to Trump’s increasing attacks with an increasing commitment to educate, organize and mobilize in solidarity with Venezuela. From the “Belly of the Beast” we have the responsibility not only to demand an end to Trump’s war drive against Venezuela, but to build a more united and stronger movement in defense of Venezuela’s sovereignty and self-determination. Together we must take action to demand:
U.S. Hands Off Venezuela!
Venezuela is Not Alone!
