The Makabayan bloc has challenged the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to issue a clear condemnation of what it described as U.S. military aggression in Venezuela, including the bombing of the Bolivarian Republic and the abduction of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.
The progressive lawmakers warned that silence from the Marcos government amounts to complicity in violence. In their official statement, they branded the U.S. actions as “state-sponsored terrorism” not only an assault on Venezuela but a direct attack on the foundations of international law.
“This brutal offensive has no other aim but to seize Venezuela’s wealth — its oil and minerals — and impose a puppet regime,” the bloc declared.
They cited the bombing of civilians and military facilities in Caracas and other Venezuelan states as a blatant violation of the UN Charter, adding that the Trump administration’s conduct exemplifies “gangsterism expressed as foreign policy.”
The group urged Marcos Jr. to cancel the scheduled visit of U.S. President Donald Trump to the Philippines this year, saying he is “not welcome on our shores.”
They further stressed that the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) and Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) have turned the Philippines into a “forward operating base” for U.S. military operations.
“If the U.S. can abduct the president of another country, what would stop them from doing the same to Philippine leaders who refuse to follow their orders?” the bloc asked.
The lawmakers called on the Department of Foreign Affairs to raise the issue before the United Nations, ASEAN, and the Non-Aligned Movement, demanding Maduro’s immediate release, cessation of hostilities, and withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Venezuelan territory.
According to a New York Times report, Trump announced Saturday that Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez had been sworn in as “interim president” and would act as Washington’s partner in governing the country.
Hours later, Rodríguez delivered a televised address rejecting the U.S. as an “illegal invader” that Venezuela must resist.
Concluding their statement, the Makabayan bloc expressed solidarity with the Venezuelan people in their struggle for sovereignty and the right to determine their future.
“Today it is Venezuela and President Maduro; tomorrow it could be any nation or leader that dares to chart an independent path. Their fight is our fight,” the group said. (ZIA LUNA)
