Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan Condemns US Military Action in Venezuela, Calls It ‘Imperialist Aggression’

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday issued a sharp condemnation of the United States’ military operation in Venezuela, describing the pre-dawn strikes on what Washington termed “strategic centres” in Caracas as an act of terrorism. Accusing the US of behaving like a “rogue state”, Vijayan warned that such “blatant imperialist aggression” poses a serious threat to global peace and stability in Latin America.

In a statement shared on his official social media platforms, the Chief Minister said the assault reflected a “vicious operation” aimed at imposing “devious schemes” on countries of the Global South. Referring to Latin America’s long history of foreign intervention, Vijayan described the region as one that has repeatedly endured such attacks and has a strong legacy of anti-imperialist resistance. He characterised the American action as a contemporary form of colonial-style coercion and called for international solidarity to oppose violations of national sovereignty.

The remarks came in the wake of dramatic developments earlier on Saturday, when US President Donald Trump confirmed that American special forces had captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, during a series of precision operations targeting military installations, including the heavily guarded Fort Tiuna complex. The Venezuelan leadership has since been transferred to the United States, where they are expected to face narcoterrorism charges in a federal court in New York.

While the US administration has justified the operation as a decisive move against what it describes as a “criminal narco-state”, Left leaders in India have rejected this narrative, arguing that the action amounts to a resource-driven regime-change exercise rather than a lawful international intervention.

Vijayan’s statement echoes the position adopted by the CPI(M) politburo, which has demanded the immediate withdrawal of US military forces from the Caribbean region. Senior party leaders, including MA Baby and MV Govindan, have also criticised the Union government for what they termed its “shameful silence” on the issue. They pointed to India’s strategic ties with Venezuela, including cooperation through the International Solar Alliance and energy partnerships involving ONGC Videsh, and said New Delhi’s failure to respond marked a departure from its traditional anti-imperialist stance.

As the CPI(M) calls for nationwide protests against what it describes as the “kidnapping” of a sovereign head of state, the political response in Kerala underscores the sharp ideological divide over American military intervention abroad. Concluding his message, Vijayan urged people to “rise in unity” against the assault, asserting that the right of nations to chart their own political future must be defended against external military coercion.