People in Havana Respond to Maduro's Abduction by U.S. Forces

Hours after the news broke of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s abduction by U.S. forces in Caracas, thousands of Cubans gathered at the Anti-Imperialist Tribune to show their support for Venezuela and condemn the U.S.

Belly of the Beast journalist Liz Oliva Fernández was on the ground covering the protest. Listen to what Cubans told her in our new video.

TRANSCRIPT

“The world woke up to the news that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had been abducted by U.S. special forces,” said Liz Oliva Fernández, a journalist with Belly of the Beast. “Following the announcement, the Cuban government called on people to gather at the José Martí Anti-Imperialist Tribune, in front of the U.S. Embassy, to express solidarity with the people of Venezuela.”

“We are here with members of the Venceremos Brigade, along with African, Indigenous, and Palestinian participants,” said one attendee at the gathering. “And we’re here to show that even though we live in the United States, we do not support the actions of the U.S. government against Venezuela or against Cuba.”

“An act like this goes against international law and violates human rights,” another participant stated.

“At first, I panicked,” said one Cuban attendee when asked how they reacted to the news. “I thought it was just another bluff—part of Trump’s different policy moves and rhetoric. I didn’t think they would actually do something on Venezuelan territory.”

“I felt a great deal of pain because Venezuela is a country that’s very close to us,” said another person at the protest. “We have friends and family who have gone on humanitarian missions there.”

“Our intervention is humanitarian,” said a Cuban doctor participating in the demonstration. “It’s not bombing or aggression. It’s meant to save lives. Venezuela stood by Cuba in its darkest moments, and we will stand by Venezuela.”

“They murdered so many innocent people, so many innocent fishermen in the Caribbean Sea,” another speaker said. “We knew this escalation would come at some point, but it was still a surprise.”

“It’s absolutely disgusting that in a sovereign nation, another country can come in and take its democratically elected leader and claim it’s in the name of peace,” one participant said. “We know this is the dying gasps of empire.”

“This is a demonstration of the values the United States upholds as a colonial regime,” another voice added, “one that continues to occupy and oppress people all around the world.”

“Cuba and Venezuela—one flag,” the crowd chanted.

When asked whether what happened in Venezuela could also happen in Cuba, one attendee responded, “The threat posed by the U.S. government is a threat to all countries in the world.”

“They’ve made it clear,” another participant said. “Marco Rubio said, first Venezuela, then Cuba, then Nicaragua. They are targeting Venezuela as a way to go after the entire region.”

“My family is from Gaza,” said another speaker. “We see how leaders like Netanyahu and Trump work side by side to push imperialist foreign agendas and suppress liberation movements all over the world.”

“We Cubans have been among the peoples most attacked by imperialism in history,” said one man. “Right now, we’re suffering hunger, poverty, abuse, and a criminal blockade that doesn’t let us live or breathe.”

“The main goal of this aggression is to seize Venezuela’s oil,” another participant argued, “and that will have an impact on Cuba as well.”

“It seems Donald Trump has no limits,” one speaker said. “Neither he nor Marco Rubio, with their disgusting and criminal policies. They don’t care about the United Nations, the international community, or anyone’s life.”

“I only know three words in English,” one man said, before shouting, “Yankee, go home.”

“If you resist imperialism, if you try to organize your resources to meet your people’s needs, the U.S. will try to overthrow your government,” said another participant. “If you try to build socialism, the U.S. will come for you.”

“That’s why it’s important to rise up wherever we are,” they continued, “to protect Cuba, to protect Venezuela, to protect Indigenous people, to protect Palestinians, and to protect all oppressed people around the world.”

Addressing the U.S. government directly, one attendee concluded, “The United States must stop acting as the judge and police of the world. There are more than 190 countries in the United Nations, and each one has the right to independence and sovereignty. That must be respected.”

“No country in the world can claim the right to kidnap a sitting president,” said a Cuban doctor in closing, “or to strip a people of their sovereignty and their peace.”