For Immediate Release: January 7, 2026
PORTLAND, OR – The War Prevention Initiative condemns the U.S. military attack on Venezuela and the violent abduction of President Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores. This was a criminal act of war against a sovereign nation that violates U.S. and international law, threatens the lives of everyday people around the world, and the safety of our families here at home. Venezuela’s future must be decided by Venezuelans, not by Trump or U.S. oil interests. Our concern is with the Venezuelan people and their right to self-determination, human rights, and a future free from foreign domination.
We oppose U.S. military intervention because it is ineffective, costly, and ignores the principles of self-determination and rule of law. Bombing does not bring hope. It continues a long pattern of failed U.S. wars in Latin America and beyond, causing instability, suffering, and harm to civilians and U.S. service members. Trump’s actions must be challenged as part of the long history of U.S. wars that threaten democracy and human rights.
Oil drives this crisis. Wars for fossil fuels have driven violence and environmental damage for decades. Achieving peace means ending reliance on oil, prioritizing environmental peacebuilding, and a just transition to renewable energy.
Militarism shapes the broader context, and our long-term work is to challenge it and advance nonviolent alternatives. As Dr. Bernice A. King states in the context of the attack on Venezuela, “this is how militarism works. It diverts resources, concentrates power, and sustains empire while everyday people at home and abroad are left to suffer. Silence only enables more violence.” Civil society must respond with action and resolve. Globally, we must amplify voices across Latin America demanding liberation from colonialism and rejecting wars for oil. At home, we should support an anti-war moment that requires confronting Trump’s actions as part of the long history of U.S. wars that undermine democracy and human rights.
Key Points and Actions
- Violent regime change does not work. History shows failure and long-term harm.
Action: Speak clearly and condemn violent regime change. Emphasize its history of failure and harm. - The issue is not defending Maduro. It is the illegality of violent regime change under U.S. and international law. Congress has the power to declare war, not the President.
Action: Reject false narratives. Frame this as a defense of law, sovereignty, and democratic checks on war powers. - This attack was never about democracy or self-determination. Trump said the U.S. would “run” Venezuela and “get the oil flowing.” This is colonization and resource extraction.
Action: Name the drivers. Expose oil and profit as the real motives behind the attack. - U.S. interventionism has destabilized Latin America for decades and fueled migration into the U.S.
Action: Connect the dots. Show how militarism abroad drives displacement and migration. - Reports indicate at least 80 deaths and destruction in and around Caracas. Every life lost in this illegal attack is unacceptable.
Action: Coordinate messaging. Highlight the human cost and demand independent verification of casualties. - Maduro’s record includes serious human rights abuses and repression. Accountability is essential, but violent abduction will not deliver justice for Venezuelans.
Action: Amplify nonviolent alternatives. Advocate for diplomacy and inclusive dialogue rooted in dignity. - Control over natural resources fuels this crisis. Wars for oil drive violence and climate destruction. Peace requires ending oil dependency and making environmental peacebuilding central to foreign policy.
Action: Educate media and policymakers. Link militarism, fossil fuels, and climate harm. Push for a just energy transition. - Trump’s actions show a willingness to use the military for personal and political goals. Militarism abroad is tied to militarism at home.
Action: Monitor militarism at home. Speak out against normalizing military power in domestic governance and defend democratic institutions.
Our Commitment
The War Prevention Initiative advances alternatives to war and all forms of political violence. Our vision is a world beyond war for current and future generations. We work with our partners to challenge militarism and advance environmental peacebuilding. Peace requires ending reliance on fossil fuels and ushering a just transition to renewable energy sources.
Resources and Further Reading
American Friends Service Committee – “No War on Venezuela”
https://afsc.org/newsroom/no-war-venezuela-no-imperialism-latin-america
Policy statement on U.S. imperialism and militarism in Latin America.
CEPR – “Trump’s Sanctions Are Still Hurting Everyday Venezuelans and Fueling Migration”
https://cepr.net/publications/trumps-sanctions-are-still-hurting-everyday-venezuelans-and-fueling-migration/
Explains how U.S. sanctions under Trump worsened humanitarian conditions and migration pressures.
Brown University – Costs of War Project
https://costsofwar.watson.brown.edu/costs/environmental
Research on how resource interests, including oil, have driven U.S. wars and militarism globally.
Jeffrey D. Sachs – “Statement by Jeffrey D. Sachs to the UN Security Council Regarding U.S. Aggression Against Venezuela”
https://www.other-news.info/statement-by-jeffrey-d-sachs-to-the-un-security-council-regarding-us-aggression-against-venezuela/
Public statement delivered to the UN Security Council condemning U.S. aggression toward Venezuela and outlining its geopolitical, economic, and humanitarian consequences.
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) – “Environment of Peace”
https://sipri.org/research/environment/environment-peace
Global research on environmental drivers of conflict and peacebuilding strategies.
War Prevention Initiative – Peace Science Digest Special Issue
https://warpreventioninitiative.org/peace-science-digest/special-issue-decolonial-and-indigenous-approaches-to-environmental-peacebuilding/
Focus on decolonial and Indigenous approaches to environmental peacebuilding.
