Venezuela’s disputed President Maduro, who is wanted by U.S. courts for narco-terrorism, threatened at an international Antifascst Festival to invade Puerto Rico and “liberate” the territory from the United States. Maduro said he would do this with Brazilian troops and “the agenda of Simon Bolívar,” famed for spearheading independence from Spain in multiple South American nations. He suggested that Cuba and Nicaragua would help. Some observers claim that Maduro was just calling out the South American nations represented in the room, rather than reporting on a plan among these countries.
However, Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua have all called for independence for Puerto Rico in meetings of the United Nations decolonization committee, along with Syria and Iran.
Response from the Resident Commissioner
Rep. Pablo José Hernández spoke on the floor of the House, saying, “As Puerto Rico’s Representative before the United States government, I want to let Mr. Maduro know: an overwhelming majority of Puerto Ricans support a relationship of permanent union or permanent association with the United States, be that as a state or as a commonwealth. That same overwhelming majority also defends the right of a respectable patriotic minority to advocate and fight for the island’s independence though peaceful and democratic means. That respect for differing views is a hallmark of our democratic values, something Mr. Maduro clearly does not understand. Maduro, the future of Puerto Rico will be decided peacefully and democratically by Puerto Ricans, just as the future of Venezuela should be decided peacefully and democratically by Venezuelans.”
Three Congressional Representatives from Florida spoke up for Puerto Rico, too, on X.
“Maduro’s a brutal dictator,” said Rep. John Rutherford. “Now, he has the audacity to threaten Puerto Rico and American national security. We must support Venezuelans fighting for freedom and hold Cuba, China, Russia and Iran accountable for propping up this murderous regime.”
Response from the Governor of Puerto Rico
“Yesterday, just a few days after holding an illegitimate swearing-in ceremony in a desperate attempt to cling on to power in Venezuela, socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro publicly proposed an invasion of Puerto Rico,” Governor Gonzalez-Colon wrote to President-elect Donald Trump. “This is an open threat to the United States, our national security, and stability in the region. I trust your incoming administration will swiftly respond and make clear to the Maduro regime that, under your leadership, the United States will protect American lives and sovereignty and will not bow down to the threats of petty, murderous dictators.”
“Since 1898, Puerto Rico has been an essential part of the United States.,” the governor continued. “We have been proud American citizens since 1917 and have contributed to every aspect of American life, including the hundreds of thousands of service members from the Island who have fought alongside our fellow citizens in every U.S. military conflict since World War I. Contrary to Maduro’s and other adversaries’ calls for independence, the people of Puerto Rico have repeatedly rejected this option. Instead, we have voted to strengthen our union with the United States through statehood一most recently in the November 5, 2024 plebiscite held alongside our general elections.”
More than 57% of voters chose statehood in the most recent referendum. Fewer than 30% of voters chose independence.
Does Puerto Rico have anything to fear?
GlobalFirepower.com ranks Venezuela 50th among 145 nations they track, equal in military strength to Bangladesh. They rank Brazil among the Top 15, equal to Italy or Turkey. Brazil matters because Maduro proposed using Brazil’s troops to conduct his planned invasion. However, Brazil has not commented on Maduro’s statements.
However, Venezuela’s military may not be as strong as it looks on paper. Poor pay and internal strife threaten the manpower of the military, lack of maintenance and spare parts are an issue with vehicles, and much military power is already in play to shore up Maduro’s controversial government. When Maduro threatened to invade Guyana in 2023, his forces were described as “ill-equipped.” No invasion took place.
Rep. Mario Rafael Díaz-Balart, also of Florida, commended González-Colón’s “leadership in condemning the absurd and pathetic threats to Puerto Rico from Venezuela’s dictator.” Are the threats absurd and pathetic, or could Venezuela attack Puerto Rico effectively?
An attack on Puerto Rico would be an attack on the United States. While some social media comments suggest that Venezuela could rely on Russia and China for support, it seems unlikely that Maduro is planning an invasion. It may be more likely that the threat was more an off-the-cuff bit of theater in response to the banners at the festival, where only a handful of Latin American nations were represented.
Indeed, it may give the United States an opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to Puerto Rico, an Island of more than three million U.S. citizens with a long history of patriotism and military service with the U.S.
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