Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro made an emphatic appeal for peace on Thursday night (23), rejecting war and defending harmony during a speech broadcast on state television.
In a mix of Spanish and English, Maduro declared: “No to war… Yes, peace, forever.”
He referred to his message as being made in “Tarzania language,” referring to a close relative of “Tarzan.” He concluded by reaffirming his position, saying: “no to the war of madmen, no to the madness of war”.
Maduro’s comments came in a context in which the US has intensified its military operations against alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean and the Pacific.
They killed at least 32 people, but the Trump administration provided few details, such as how many suspected drugs were carried by the targeted ships or what specific evidence they had to suggest they were transporting drugs.
Trump also reiterated the , which would represent an escalation. He said that if he takes such action, his administration will likely inform the US Congress.
Maduro denied any involvement in drug trafficking and condemned the American attacks as violations of Venezuelan sovereignty.
