New Delhi, India, January 7 (ANI): The Cuban Ambassador to India, Juan Carlos Marsan Aguilera, on Wednesday condemned the recent US military action in Venezuela as an “illegal military invasion” and called for the immediate release of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
Speaking to ANI, Aguilera expressed shock over the developments, comparing the situation to the Cold War era and 19th-century imperialist policies. “I was in my office on the 3rd of January when I received a call informing me that the US made a military aggression towards Venezuela. I was totally surprised. I never imagined that we would return to the time of the Cold War, where a big country would carry out this illegal military invasion over a sovereign nation,” he said.
On Saturday, the US launched a “large-scale strike against Venezuela,” during which Maduro and his wife were captured and taken out of the country. They were later indicted on charges of alleged “drug trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracies” in the Southern District of New York and are currently facing trial.
Aguilera detailed the damage caused in Caracas and other provinces, alleging that a terrorist group had kidnapped Maduro. “It is an illegal option. It violates all principles set out in the United Nations’ charter on international law. No single country could support such action in the 21st century,” he said.
Confirming the deaths of Cuban personnel during the crisis, the ambassador stated that Havana has declared two days of mourning to honor 32 Cuban citizens who were killed while protecting Maduro. “The Bolivarian government requested a presence to reinforce the safeguarding of President Maduro. We sent a group to support the safeguard team. They were fulfilling their duties and resisting the terrorist group. They were very brave for more than 30 minutes, facing this aggression with courage. For us, all of them are heroes,” he said.
Criticizing the US administration’s stance on Cuba, Aguilera accused Washington of attempting to “strangle” the Cuban economy by re-including it on the list of state sponsors of terrorism, describing the move as “politically motivated” and “totally unfair.” He added that during the first Trump administration, more than 243 measures were adopted to strangle Cuba’s economy and that current restrictions are aimed at limiting oil supplies from Venezuela and Russia while banning Americans from traveling to Cuba.
The envoy further alleged that the US is attempting to impose a modern version of the Monroe Doctrine to dominate the Western Hemisphere for access to natural and strategic resources, including oil. “They want every government in Latin America and the Caribbean to align with US interests. They are telling Mexico they will interfere in their policy and told Colombian President Gustavo Petro, ‘You can be the next.’ You cannot treat an independent country like this,” he said.
Calling for a united front, the Cuban ambassador highlighted the role of organizations such as the Non-Aligned Movement, G77+China, and BRICS in defending the rights of the Global South. “The UN Security Council and the Non-Aligned Movement have already expressed consensus against these unilateral military actions. We are calling on the international community to make it clear that we cannot accept this policy. Not a single country can force the US to change unilaterally, but all united, we can defend our ideas,” he concluded.
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