The President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, has suggested the idea of “liberating” Puerto Rico from U.S. control. During his address at the International Antifascist World Festival in Venezuela, Maduro claimed: “Just as those in the north pursue a colonization agenda, we have a liberation agenda. And our agenda was penned by Simon Bolivar. The liberation of Puerto Rico is on the horizon, and we will achieve it… with Brazilian forces. Abreu de Lima will head The Abreu de Lima Battalion to free Puerto Rico.”
Abreu de Lima was a Brazilian companion of Simón Bolívar, who is celebrated as a hero in the South American quest for independence from Spanish rule. Maduro also asserted that Cuba and Nicaragua would participate in this mission.
Who is Maduro?
Nicolás Maduro has recently taken the oath for his third consecutive term as the President of Venezuela. His socialist party maintains that he received 51% of the votes, though no proof has been presented. The Biden administration has issued a $25 million bounty for his capture and arrest concerning allegations of narco-terrorism. Sanctions have been placed on Venezuela by the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States, all of whom recognize Edmundo González as the legitimate president-elect. Maduro’s political opponent has fled to Spain.
Approximately eight million Venezuelans have left their increasingly oppressive nation. Some organizations in Brazil have called for acknowledgment of Maduro’s claims to the presidency. Leaders from Cuba and Nicaragua were present at the Antifascist World Festival, but no other Latin American representatives attended. Venezuela is facing growing isolation from its neighboring countries and the global community.
Why Puerto Rico?
José Enrique Meléndez-Ortiz, a member of Puerto Rico’s legislature, remarked, “[i]t is no coincidence that Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua — countries that have fostered Russia’s and China’s expanding influence in Latin America — are pushing for Puerto Rico’s separation from the United States.” This advocacy has consistently appeared in the discussions of the United Nations’ Decolonization Committee. Indeed, these three nations have been endorsing Puerto Rico’s independence for many years. “One can only anticipate that an independent Puerto Rico would join the ranks of Latin American nations that are sympathetic to our adversaries,” Meléndez-Ortiz added.
The obstacle for the socialist governments in Latin America wishing to add Puerto Rico to their ranks is that Puerto Rico does not desire independence. Constitutional expert Christina Ponsa-Kraus informed Newsweek: “The Puerto Rican populace has never— not once— voted for independence. For over a century, they have been unified in their wish to stay part of the United States in some capacity… And in the recent November election, statehood garnered 57 percent of the vote. While support for independence did increase, surpassing 30 percent, that still means a significant majority opposes independence. In other words, President Maduro is merely another in a long line of politicians who choose to overlook the preferences of the Puerto Rican electorate to utilize the island’s status for their own political agenda.”
By advocating for a “liberation agenda,” Venezuela’s leader is proposing a challenge to the strengthened connection between the U.S. and Puerto Rico that many Puerto Ricans desire and which experts have indicated is crucial to U.S. national security. He has explicitly called for an invasion of Puerto Rico with Brazilian support, alongside closer connections to South and Central American nations that are not aligned with the U.S.
This announcement aligns with Venezuela’s actions at the United Nations, but the Venezuelan President has elevated the discussion. It remains uncertain how ardently and for how long he will pursue this agenda.
Governor González-Colón Responds
In a post on X, the Governor of Puerto Rico contributed to the debate by sharing a letter she addressed to incoming President Donald Trump. She noted that “Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro has called for an invasion of Puerto Rico, which is a blatant threat to both the United States and our national security,” she articulated in her letter:
Yesterday, just days after conducting an illegitimate swearing-in ceremony in a desperate bid to retain power in Venezuela, socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro publicly proposed a military invasion of Puerto Rico. This constitutes a direct threat to the United States, our national security, and stability in the region. I trust that your incoming administration will react swiftly and communicate to the Maduro regime that, under your leadership, the United States will safeguard American lives and sovereignty and will not yield to threats from petty, murderous dictators.
Since 1898, Puerto Rico has been a vital part of the United States. We have been proud American citizens since 1917 and have made substantial contributions to American society, including the hundreds of thousands of service members from the Island who have fought alongside fellow citizens in every military conflict since World War I. In stark contrast to Maduro’s and others’ calls for independence, the Puerto Rican populace has consistently rejected that option. Instead, we have voted to enhance our union with the United States through statehood — most recently during the November 5, 2024 plebiscite held concurrently with our general elections.
Puerto Rico also serves as a key asset in advancing U.S. national security interests in the region. The Island houses Fort Buchanan — the only U.S. Army installation in the Caribbean — and National Guard facilities like Camp Santiago, Fort Allen, and Muñiz Air National Guard Base, which strategically support U.S. military exercises and operations alongside our partners. Similarly, Puerto Rico contains critical U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Protection assets that assist in securing our borders and combating the drug trafficking networks that finance Maduro’s narco-regime. In fact, the United States shares a maritime boundary with Venezuela through Puerto Rico. Maduro’s calls for an invasion represent a clear attempt to diminish United States’ presence and expand his influence in the region.
As Governor of Puerto Rico, I stand ready to collaborate with you and your administration to counter this and other threats posed by the illegitimate Maduro dictatorship and to support the Venezuelan people in their pursuit of freedom. I also look forward to entering into substantial discussions on how to best enhance Puerto Rico’s role in national security and to firmly confront the increasing presence of our adversaries in the region.
Updated on January 14, 2025 to include Governor González-Colón’s letter.
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