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There Was No Regime Change in Venezuela, It Was Something Worse // The Grayzone
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Venezuela’s Former Foreign Minister Says U.S. Raid Was Kidnapping, Not Regime Change
Venezuela’s former foreign minister Jorge Arreaza says the U.S. military operation that seized President Nicolás Maduro was not a regime change, but an illegal kidnapping that violated international law and killed scores of civilians. Speaking days after the January 3 raid, Arreaza rejected claims of a political transition and said Venezuela’s government remains intact under constitutional authority.
The overnight assault on Caracas involved more than 150 aircraft, drones, bombers, helicopters, and naval assets operating from the Caribbean. Venezuelan officials say at least 80 people were killed, including civilians and 32 Cuban security officers assigned to protect the president. No U.S. casualties were reported.
“There Was No Regime Change”
Arreaza stressed that despite Maduro’s capture, the Venezuelan state did not collapse. Under the constitution, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez assumed the role of acting president immediately. Government ministries, oil production, schools, and businesses resumed operations within days. “The same government continues,” Arreaza said, describing claims of regime change as deliberate misinformation.
He argued that the absence of chaos following the raid disproves U.S. narratives about Venezuelan instability. According to Arreaza, it was the strength of the Chavista movement, its grassroots organization, and direct communication with the population that prevented civil war or state collapse.
Overwhelming Military Force
According to Venezuelan officials, the U.S. attack relied on overwhelming technological superiority. Radar systems and air defenses were neutralized within minutes, allowing U.S. aircraft to operate freely over Caracas. Bombs struck both military and civilian areas, killing people with no connection to the government or armed forces.
Arreaza said Venezuelan security forces fought to protect Maduro and his wife, Celia Flores, with many dying during the assault. He described the operation as unprecedented in Venezuela’s republican history and condemned it as a blatant act of aggression by a foreign power.
Cuban Security Officers Killed
Thirty-two Cuban officers were killed during the raid, according to Venezuelan officials. Arreaza explained that Cuban advisers had long assisted Venezuelan leaders with security, citing Cuba’s experience protecting Fidel Castro from hundreds of assassination attempts. He said the Cuban officers died in combat while defending Maduro and Flores.
The deaths have further strained regional tensions, with Venezuela accusing the U.S. of escalating the conflict beyond its borders and targeting allied personnel stationed legally in the country.
Rejecting Claims of Betrayal
Following the raid, speculation spread online suggesting Maduro was betrayed by Venezuelan officials or military commanders recruited by U.S. intelligence. Arreaza dismissed those claims as psychological warfare designed to sow division. He said he has seen no evidence of treason within the government, armed forces, or Chavista leadership.
According to Arreaza, unity inside Venezuela has increased since the attack. He said even former critics of the government have expressed support for national sovereignty in the face of foreign bombing and abduction of the head of state.
Delcy Rodríguez’s Role
Arreaza described Delcy Rodríguez as one of the most important leaders of Venezuela’s Bolivarian Revolution, rejecting portrayals of her as a moderate figure willing to accommodate U.S. demands. He said Rodríguez is firmly committed to Venezuelan sovereignty and to securing the return of Maduro and Flores.
Rodríguez has established legal and diplomatic commissions aimed at challenging Maduro’s detention and contesting U.S. indictments. Arreaza said the government views the charges as fabricated and expects international law to ultimately require Maduro’s release due to head-of-state immunity.
A Broader Warning
Arreaza warned that the raid sets a dangerous global precedent. If a sitting head of state can be kidnapped under the guise of law enforcement or counter-narcotics, he said, no country’s leadership is safe. He compared the operation to acts of barbarism rather than diplomacy or lawful conflict.
Despite ongoing threats from Washington, Arreaza said Venezuela remains open to negotiations, but only on the basis of mutual respect and sovereignty. “This cannot be resolved with bombs,” he said, warning that continued aggression will only deepen resistance and harden regional opposition to U.S. actions.
