Chavista figure questions if Venezuelans are still 'at war' with the U.S. or should accept defeat

Francisco Arias Cárdenas, a political leader and former Chavista ambassador, has publicly questioned whether Venezuelans should continue to consider themselves at war with the United States or if they should accept defeat. His remarks appear to highlight internal divisions within the Chavista movement.

In a series of posts on X, formerly Twitter, the former governor of Zulia state suggested that U.S. President Donald Trump acts and speaks like the "supreme authority of a victorious military force." Arias Cárdenas argued that Venezuelan leaders should instead operate "within the logic of a defeated force." He asserted that this defeat must be acknowledged "without doubts and without embellishments."

Citing a principle from a "war manual" that advises keeping troops informed, Arias Cárdenas called for a clear explanation of the Venezuelan people's and leadership's stance in light of U.S. actions. "It is necessary for all Venezuelans to know if we continue at war or if we accept defeat and abandon the option of fighting," he stated. He added that if the conflict were to continue, it "can only be political and with the force of the people in peaceful demonstration," requiring a public debate among all leaders.

Furthermore, Arias Cárdenas warned that an agreement dictated by the United States, especially one with only U.S.-selected participants, would be "worse than a capitulation." He stressed that if the decision is to capitulate, the country must be informed clearly and truthfully. He concluded by stating that continuing to follow the State Department's orders and building a country tailored to U.S. interests, without even a ceasefire or withdrawal of occupation forces, amounts to surrender, disregarding the civic strength and peaceful protest of the Venezuelan people.