The following is a read aloud of the English translation of "Invasion, transactions, regime change, and power. That’s them. And us?", thoughts shared by Emmanuel Rozental-Klinger on the United States' invasion of Venezuela on January 3, 2026.
The original Spanish audio can be found at Pueblos en Camino YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKj-sCV3RDQ
The English translation of the full text can be found at Paliacate Press: https://paliacatepress.org/invasion-transactions-regime-change-and-power-thats-them-and-us/
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The author included the following note upon sharing:
An audio recording stemming from exchanges with siblings from and in Venezuela, following last night’s attack and what has begun (and with compas from other regions), attempts to synthesize and invite contributions based on our shared position, but for which I assume responsibility. Everything remains pending. The starting point is that we share our stance and struggle against the colonial, imperial, and patriarchal order and in favor of and from the perspective of peoples, struggles, and territories. The points in the audio (published below) are a reaction to the imperative not to remain silent and not to say only what is said or what they allow us to say.
A sister and compa in the struggle from Nicaragua and Our America adds more aspects for analysis:
- The international order and multilateralism have finally broken down.
- It is a country that occupies/invades another.
- Not even the opposition will govern (MCM was completely dismissed), the occupier governs, as happened in Nicaragua with William W.
- Yes, the powers of the Venezuelan State are meeting today, giving a conference from Venezuela (it is clear that there was negotiation with Chavismo).
- Trade, land, oil are emphasized, nothing about democracy and freedoms.
- It is evident that both those on the left and the right, in their pursuit of power, are capable of anything; everything is negotiable.
Among the many voices from Venezuela, at least this one from a brother who points out essential issues in an exchange:
- A- “For the moment, the structure of Chavismo seems to remain in power, now with the proposal of a presidency for Delcy Rodríguez and under the supervision of Trump and his oil project.”
- B- “The issue of last year’s electoral legitimacy is not on the table, and it seems to me that it is the only option for a minimally institutional and sovereign transition.”
- Reaction: “Agreed, compa. But in that electoral process, certain movements, parties, sectors, and communities were unable to participate due to suppression by Chavismo, which was effective in silencing and excluding the “left” to legitimize María Corina’s right-wing and her candidacy as the only option. If elections are called and there are more options, are there more possibilities than those offered by Maduro’s tyranny? Maduro eliminated every left-wing or popular option to force the opposition to the regime to vote for the right! Wouldn’t that unquestionable fact be an argument for calling elections? Are the conditions right? If Trump manipulated Argentina and Honduras, what will happen in Venezuela where Rubio and Hegseth, along with the Pentagon and the oil companies, are the government, according to them, to recover “our” oil?”
- Response: “Yes, they were not free elections. Although I think MCM would win any election at the moment. There is a legitimacy there that we cannot reject, no matter how much we may reject the agenda behind that person. New elections under better conditions would also be a good option. But after what happened last year, there is no electoral institution with credibility. There is a stalemate there, which is why I think that for the moment the only basis of legitimacy is that electoral result from last year, provided there is a guarantee of new elections, constitutional rights, and so on.”
- Reaction: “Thank you!!! One thing is the analytical perspective from afar, another is the concrete conditions, and one needs to be grounded in reality.”
- C- “Two more issues to put on the table at this moment: Yes, the regime released hundreds of political prisoners, effectively confessing its tyrannical nature, but many hundreds more remain in prison under terrible conditions and cannot be forgotten. Those who were released tend to be those who were not so involved with the press, in defending human rights, or in the struggle through processes and communities. There is also the issue of exploitative conditions, the wage situation, poverty and exploitation… well, that’s obvious, but it cannot be forgotten.”
We will be free when we are free by our own hand and strength, by our joy and creativity: When we can listen to each other, willing to be criticized and to criticize ourselves, knowing that it is for life and freedom, because those who rule are repugnant, as are those who obey and imitate and ignore them.
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Emmanuel Rozental-Klinger is a physician and surgeon, author and activist in Indigenous and popular movements in the continent. Founder of the Tejido de Comunicacíon of the Association of Indigenous Councils in Northern Cauca (ACIN). Founder and member of the Pueblos en Camino initiative, weaving resistance and autonomy between peoples and processes.
https://pueblosencamino.org
