'There was no regime change' -Venezuela's ex-FM Jorge Arreaza on US kidnapping raid

In an exclusive interview with The Grayzone's Max Blumenthal, Venezuela's former Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza discusses the January 3 US military raid on Caracas that resulted in the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores and the killing of as many as 100 people.

Arreaza argues the operation violated international law, the US Constitution, and head-of-state immunity, calling it “barbaric.” He insists Maduro and Flores were in a secure location and were defended by guards who “gave their lives,” but that US technological superiority made resistance ineffective.

He rejects claims that Maduro was betrayed internally, dismissing them as psychological warfare designed to sow division, and insists the military and Chavista leadership remain unified.

According to Arreaza, "there was no regime change," as Vice President Delcy Rodríguez assumed the presidency, and the government continues to function normally, with schools reopening, oil production continuing, and public order intact. He points to the stability as a demonstration of the strength of Chavismo and the resolve of its popular base. Without this movement in place, he argues that Venezuela would face civil war or collapse similar to Libya.

Arreaza portrays Acting President Rodríguez as a deeply loyal and courageous Chavista leader. He says the government’s top priority is securing the release and return of Maduro and Flores through legal challenges in U.S. courts, blasting the charges against them as bogus and arguing that Maduro’s immunity should compel his release.

While condemning Trump's threats and demands—such as severing ties with China, Russia, Cuba, and Iran—Arreaza maintains that Venezuela remains open to negotiations with the United States, but only on the basis of sovereignty, international law, and mutual respect. He frames the broader conflict as part of a historic struggle between the "Donroe Doctrine" of US dominance and Latin American independence rooted in the Bolivarian ideology.

||| The Grayzone |||

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