By Omar Silva I Editor/Publisher

National Perspective Belize I Digital 2026

www.nationalperspectivebz.com

Belize City: Saturday 3rd January 2026

Venezuela Sounds the Alarm

The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, through an official statement circulated by its diplomatic mission, has formally accused the United States of America of carrying out what it describes as an “extremely serious military aggression” against Venezuelan territory, civilian populations, and military installations.

According to the statement, the alleged attacks occurred in Caracas, the nation’s capital, and in the states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira, placing civilian lives at risk and threatening regional peace across Latin America and the Caribbean.

“This act constitutes a flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations, especially Articles 1 and 2 thereof, which enshrine respect for sovereignty, the legal equality of States, and the prohibition of the use of force.”

— Official Statement, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

The Venezuelan government further asserts that the operation represents a direct challenge to international law and the post-World War II system designed to prevent unilateral military intervention.

Oil at the Center of the Accusation

At the heart of Venezuela’s denunciation is a familiar and combustible claim: oil.

The statement explicitly alleges that the true objective of the U.S. action is the seizure of Venezuela’s strategic resources, particularly its oil and mineral wealth, in order to forcibly undermine the country’s political independence.

“The objective of this attack is none other than to seize Venezuela’s strategic resources, particularly its oil and minerals, attempting to forcibly break the Nation’s political independence.”

Venezuela sits atop the largest proven oil reserves on Earth, concentrated mainly in the Orinoco Belt. Control over these reserves has long been a geopolitical flashpoint, especially as Caracas deepened strategic partnerships with Russia, China, and Iran while resisting U.S. sanctions and financial pressure.

Historical Memory and the Language of Resistance

The tone of the statement is deliberately historic, invoking Venezuela’s long narrative of resistance to foreign domination.

It recalls the 1902 naval blockade of Venezuelan ports by European powers, quoting then-President Cipriano Castro, who warned that “the insolent foot of the foreigner has profaned the sacred soil of the Fatherland.”

By invoking Simón Bolívar, Francisco de Miranda, and the country’s independence struggles dating back to 1811, the Venezuelan government frames the present crisis not as an isolated event, but as part of a centuries-long struggle against imperial intrusion.

Mobilization and the Call to the Streets

The statement goes beyond diplomatic protest. It announces a nationwide mobilization, calling on all political and social forces to reject what it terms an imperialist attack.

“The people of Venezuela and their Bolivarian National Armed Force, in perfect popular–military–police fusion, are deployed to guarantee sovereignty and peace.”

This language signals the activation of Venezuela’s civil-military doctrine, a cornerstone of the Bolivarian political project since the era of Hugo Chávez Frías.

State of External Commotion and Armed Readiness

The most serious escalation comes with the announcement that President Nicolás Maduro has signed a decree declaring a State of External Commotion across the entire national territory.

According to the statement, this measure is intended to:

• Protect the rights of the population
• Ensure the functioning of republican institutions
• Prepare the country for armed struggle if required
•  

“The entire country must be activated to defeat this imperialist aggression.”

Additionally, Maduro ordered the immediate deployment of the Command for the Integral Defense of the Nation and all regional defense bodies at the state and municipal levels.

International Law and Article 51

Venezuela grounds its position in international law, explicitly invoking Article 51 of the UN Charter, which recognizes the inherent right of states to self-defense in the event of armed attack.

The government announced it will formally submit complaints to:

• The United Nations Security Council
• The UN Secretary-General
• CELAC
• The Non-Aligned Movement

“Venezuela reserves the right to exercise legitimate self-defense to protect its people, its territory, and its independence.”

Why This Matters for Latin America and the Caribbean

For small states like Belize and the wider CARICOM region, the Venezuelan accusation raises profound questions:

• Is unilateral military force returning as an accepted tool of hemispheric policy?
• Are sovereignty and non-intervention once again conditional on alignment and resource control?
• What precedent does this set for resource-rich but militarily weaker nations?

Regardless of where one stands politically on the Venezuelan government, the implications of the claim — if sustained — reverberate far beyond Caracas.

Between Allegation, Power, and Precedent

This investigation does not ask readers to accept any government’s claim uncritically. It does, however, insist that official state denunciations of military aggression, especially when grounded in the language of international law and accompanied by formal diplomatic action, must be taken seriously.

The Venezuelan government has placed its accusation on the international record. The global community now bears responsibility for scrutiny, verification, and accountability.

As history has shown repeatedly in the Americas, when oil, power, and sovereignty collide, silence is rarely neutral.

National Perspective Belize will continue monitoring diplomatic filings, UN deliberations, and regional responses as this situation dev