Venezuela President Maduro grooves to ‘no war' remix amid US invasion threats

Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro showcased a dramatic display of defiance, by dancing to a remix of his own pro-peace rhetoric at a rally amid escalating United States military pressure on his government.

Among the cheering students at Miraflores Palace on Saturday, November 22, Maduro danced to an electronic track featuring his voice in English, “No war, no crazy war… peace, peace, yes peace.”

The event, marking Student Day, was a direct response to a major U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean, which involved the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier along with thousands of troops.

Addressing the crowd, Maduro said, “Nobody can stop me.”

He also urged students to connect with American students to push for dialogue. “Unite with the student movement there and tell them stop the war,” he stated.

The Venezuelan president’s defiance comes amid a sharp escalation from Washington. U.S. forces have conducted approximately 20 strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels.

Venezuela condemns this as “extrajudicial executions.”

Further building up the pressure, the U.S. plans to refer to the “Cartel de los Soles” as a foreign terrorist organization. The organization is led by Maduro and top officials of Venezuela.

Additionally, the reward of Maduro’s arrest now stands at $50 million.

Responding to the circumstances, Maduro has mobilized Venezuela’s armed forces, warning that in case of any U.S. incursion, a prolonged conflict akin to Afghanistan can be started.

While regional allies such as Columbia have criticized the U.S. strikes, others including Costa Rica’s President Rodrigo Chaves have supported the measures against the cartels.