Maduro Signals Readiness for Armed Conflict Amid Global Opposition: 'We Will Fight the Battle'

One day after being sworn in for a third term as Venezuela's president, Nicolás Maduro addressed widespread international opposition, stating that Venezuela, along with its allies Cuba and Nicaragua, is "preparing" for the possibility of armed conflict.

The announcement was made on Saturday as part of the Global International Anti-Fascist Festival celebrated in Caracas. More than 2,000 international delegates from 125 countries participated, according to CMH, a Cuban state-run radio news outlet known for its coverage of government and international affairs.

Maduro closed the festival with the following speech, positioning himself and Venezuela's leadership as defenders of the nation's sovereignty:

"Venezuela is preparing itself, together with Cuba, together with Nicaragua, together with our elder brothers of the world, so that if one day we have to take up arms to defend the right to peace, the right to sovereignty, and the historic achievements of our homeland, we will fight the battle and win it again.

We will fight the battle in armed struggle and win it again. We were not born on the day of cowards or the faint-hearted. We are not timid leaders; we are the Bolivarian Revolution of the 21st century. Let no one mistake Venezuela, let no one mistake us. If it is by peaceful means, we will advance peacefully, but if it is by force, we will also defeat them by force. So that they respect us."

- Nicolas Maduro

Maduro was sworn in for a third term on Friday, extending his rule until 2031. The ceremony unfolded amid unresolved allegations of electoral fraud and the looming presence of opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia, who has vowed to return to Caracas and claim the presidency himself.

The opposition claims Urrutia, who has been recognized by the United States as Venezuela's president-elect, secured 70% of the votes in the disputed presidential elections held on July 28, 2024.

As the political battle unfolds, the international community has widely sided with Venezuela's opposition. On the day of Maduro's inauguration ceremony, the Biden administration issued renewed sanctions directed at Venezuela's leadership and increased a reward for information leading to Maduro's capture from $15 million to $25 million.

The reward dates back to 2020 when Maduro was charged with narco-terrorism by U.S. prosecutors who accused him of collaborating with a terrorist group in Colombia and facilitating cocaine shipments to the United States, per NPR. Maduro has denied all allegations, saying they are part of an effort to remove him from office.