Kololo, Kampala: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has called for urgent global action to counter what she described as “unlawful U.S. sanctions and military intimidation” against the South American nation, warning that Washington’s escalating actions threaten peace and stability in the Caribbean and Latin America.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday at a press conference held at the Embassy in Kololo, Kampala, H.E. Fatima Yesenia Fernandez Juarez, the Venezuelan Ambassador to Uganda, said her country remains steadfast in defending its sovereignty, peace, and independence, despite enduring over 1,042 unilateral coercive measures imposed by the United States government over the past decade.
“The truth about Venezuela is not just a slogan; it is the strength that drives our people and our government to overcome coercive measures, build a diversified economy, and defend peace and democracy,” Ambassador Fatima told reporters.
The envoy further revealed that the provocative sanctions have inflicted more than USD 642 billion in economic losses, including USD 20 billion frozen in international banks, crippling the nation’s ability to trade and access global markets.
She explained that the blockade has cut Venezuela’s foreign currency earnings by 99%, but the country has nonetheless recorded 17 consecutive quarters of economic growth, a sign of resilience she attributed to “collective national effort and strategic international partnerships.”
Ambassador Fatima cited the 2021 report by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Negative Impact of Unilateral Coercive Measures, Prof. Alena Douhan, which confirmed that the sanctions had a “devastating effect on the Venezuelan population.”
Rising U.S. Military Tensions
The Venezuelan envoy strongly condemned Washington’s continued militarization of the Caribbean, warning that the recent deployment of U.S. warships, submarines, and fighter jets near Venezuelan waters amounts to “a clear provocation and violation of international law.”
“What they want is a war in the Caribbean and South America to impose a puppet government and steal our oil, gas, and gold,” Ambassador Fatima said, quoting President Nicolás Maduro in one his previous address to the South Americans.
She reiterated that Venezuela controls the world’s largest proven oil reserves and substantial deposits of gold, gas, and strategic minerals—all managed under national sovereignty for public welfare and social development.
Rebuttal against Drug Trafficking Allegations
Ambassador Fatima also dismissed longstanding U.S. allegations linking Venezuela to drug trafficking as baseless, citing UNODC reports (1999–2025) that confirm the country has no illicit crops and plays a minimal role in regional drug transit.
Since expelling the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in 2005, she said, Venezuela has increased drug seizures by 44% and arrested more than 170 cartel leaders, several of whom were extradited.
“Ironically, the United States remains the world’s largest drug consumer and money-laundering center for narcotics profits,” she added.
The Ambassador stood defense of Venezuela’s democratic system, noting that the country has held 33 elections in 26 years, with international observers verifying all 16 audit processes in recent presidential, parliamentary, and municipal elections.
She emphasized that Venezuela’s participatory democracy model, established under the 1999 Constitution, empowers over 5,000 community councils to directly influence local governance and development initiatives.
Uganda Joins the Call for Peace in Venezuela
Adding to the solidarity call, John Ngabirano, Coordinator of the Antifascist International Uganda Chapter and who participated in the Venezuela’s 2024 general elections as an international observer, read a statement from united voices of Uganda, condemning what they termed as an “unprecedented aggression” by the U.S., including the deployment of a nuclear submarine and warships in Caribbean waters—a move the Ugandan group described as “a grotesque violation of international law and the Treaty of Tlatelolco.”
“The accusations of Venezuela being a ‘narco-state’ are a smokescreen to justify regime change and seize the nation’s natural resources,” Ngabirano said.
The coalition urged the Government of Uganda, as sitting Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), to mobilize its members and multilateral bodies such as the UN, AU, and EAC to demand the withdrawal of U.S. forces and safeguard regional peace.
“Let us not allow complicit silence to open the doors to a war of aggression. Conscious solidarity is our greatest tool,” the statement concluded.
Ambassador Fatima reaffirmed Venezuela’s commitment to deepening it’s cooperation with Uganda and other African nations through partnerships in energy, education, agriculture, and cultural exchange, anchored on principles of mutual respect and non-interference.
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