215 years after Venezuela's Declaration of Independence: Long live the republic!

The massive demonstrations of popular solidarity following the earthquakes that shook the country on June 24 have once again shown us that no hardship can destroy the moral and spiritual foundation that defines us as a nation. We have responded to the destructive and deadly seismic energy with the restorative energy of humanity. With the same unyielding spirit that our Liberator Simón Bolívar displayed in the face of the earthquake of March 26, 1812, we will overcome this painful situation, and with the same resolve of yesterday and today, all patriotic forces will fight to regain our independence.

Amid the current tribulation, we do not forget that the cracking of the earth was preceded by the roar of missiles and shrapnel, which also brought destruction, death, and pain. On January 3 of this year—exactly six months ago—Venezuela was attacked militarily by the U.S. armed forces, under orders from its current government, in an act of war that was undeclared, unprovoked, unjustified, disproportionate, and illegal, in open violation of Article 2, paragraph 4, of the United Nations Charter. This military aggression, which resulted in a regrettable and reprehensible toll of victims, also constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law, as documented in United Nations reports at the time.

Since that day, Venezuela has experienced a systematic escalation of grievances. A nation with a tradition of fighting for freedom and independence, and of peaceful coexistence and integration with other peoples, an attempt is being made to impose a plan for colonial administration of the State under the threat of new military attacks. This plan takes the form of control over the sale of oil, gold, and other strategic minerals, and—even more gravely—through direct control of the revenues these generate, which are deposited into a budget line item of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, which administers them at its discretion.

Added to this is the imposition of foreign investment plans—preceded by forced legislative reforms—that favor the interests of the aggressor country and contravene the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, particularly in the areas of hydrocarbons and mining. Similarly, the U.S. government has arrogated to itself the right to decide on political and institutional processes that fall exclusively within the competence of Venezuelan popular sovereignty and to impose conditions on the foreign policy of peace and integration that we have promoted as a nation.

Furthermore, the illegal presence and operations of agents and troops from the aggressor country within our territory constitute another blatant violation of our Constitution and international law, a situation that has been exacerbated following the earthquakes of June 24: We hereby denounce and express our strongest rejection of any decision leading to the establishment of U.S. military bases or installations on our territory under the pretext of humanitarian assistance, out of basic patriotic dignity and because it is expressly prohibited by our National Constitution.

This entire situation constitutes an extremely serious and unprecedented violation of the 1965 United Nations Declaration on the inadmissibility of intervention in the internal affairs of States and the protection of their independence and sovereignty.

Faced with this ignominious situation that undermines the sovereign rights to which we are entitled as a nation, as a state, and as a republic, those of us who love and honor our homeland are called upon to prevent the normalization or concealment of this foreign intervention. Therefore, we are compelled to denounce this violation of our sovereign rights before the international community. Historical circumstances call upon us to unite in the struggle to regain our national independence.

A national agreement is urgently needed—one that includes all patriotic political and social organizations and actors—to present us to the world as a united nation and to raise awareness among the peoples, governments, and democratic movements of the United States itself regarding the unacceptability of a situation that harms not only Venezuela but also the paradigm of the international community that has been sought to be built since World War II.

We consider the immediate cessation of all coercive unilateral measures against Venezuela to be non-negotiable, and we demand our right to access and manage the national assets and resources illegally administered by the occupying power. Amid the emergency the nation is facing as a result of the June 24 earthquakes, both the meager humanitarian aid announced by the U.S. government and the decision to partially lift, and for a brief period, some of the “sanctions” imposed on the country, are not only insufficient but also constitute an affront to the entire Venezuelan people and yet another demonstration of the occupying force’s profound insensitivity in the face of a tragedy that has plunged tens of thousands of families into mourning.

Likewise, we consider it appropriate for the institutions of the Venezuelan State to file a formal complaint with the United Nations General Assembly regarding the violation of our national sovereignty and with the United Nations Human Rights Council regarding the violations of international humanitarian law that have been committed, and that a formal complaint be filed with the International Court of Justice seeking the restoration of control over our national revenues and our full political self-determination as a sovereign State in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, in accordance with the Social Pact that we democratically ratified in a constitutional referendum on December 15, 1999.

Preserving national dignity today requires reaching an agreement among all patriotic forces willing to reaffirm their unwavering commitment to the Declaration of Independence issued by our forefathers on July 5, 1811, which they set forth in the following words:

We, therefore, in the name and by the will and authority we hold from the virtuous people of Venezuela, solemnly declare to the world that its united Provinces are, and shall be from this day forward, in fact and in law, free, sovereign, and independent States, and that they are absolved from all submission and dependence on the Crown of Spain or on those who are or may be called its agents or representatives, and that, as such a free and independent State, it has full power to adopt the form of government that is in accordance with the general will of its peoples, to declare war, to make peace, to form alliances, to conclude treaties of commerce, boundaries, and navigation, and to perform and execute all other acts that free and independent nations perform and execute… Despite our protests, our moderation, our generosity, and the inviolability of our principles… we are blockaded, we are harassed, agents are sent to incite us to revolt against one another, and attempts are made to discredit us among the nations… in order to oppress us… Without giving the slightest consideration to our reasons, without presenting them to the impartial judgment of the world, and with no judges other than our enemies, we are condemned to a painful isolation from our brothers; and to add contempt to slander, representatives are appointed against our express will, so that in their courts they may arbitrarily dispose of our interests under the influence and coercion of our enemies.

People of Venezuela: Stability, peace, and the very possibility of building a just society on Venezuelan soil today depend on the restoration of the full exercise of our sovereignty.

People of Venezuela: The peoples of the world must know that we will never renounce our status as a Republic to merge with any other State, nor will we accept being administered by those who are currently oppressing us.

Now that we have overcome these initial moments of anguish, mourning, rescue efforts, and providing primary care to the victims of the earthquakes, the patriotic people must promote unified initiatives of civic and democratic struggle—within the framework of political diversity—to recover our independence and, with it, the full legal effectiveness of the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

We proclaim, with our heads held high and with the voice of the Liberating People, that we will exercise our inalienable right to remain a nation free from all domination, and we call for the broadest international solidarity with our struggle.

People of Venezuela: Today more than ever, Bolívar’s words before the Patriotic Society on July 3, 1811, compel us:

…what we want is for that union to be effective and to inspire us in the glorious undertaking of our freedom; to unite merely to rest, to sleep in the arms of apathy—yesterday it was a shortcoming, today it is a betrayal… Let us lay, without fear, the cornerstone of South American freedom; to waver is to lose ourselves.

People of Venezuela: Let us fight without hesitation for the restoration of our sovereignty and our independence!

Long live Venezuela! Long live the Republic!

In Caracas, July 3, 2026

1. Reinaldo Iturriza López
2. Carlos Ojeda Falcón
3. Jorge Giordani
4. Juan Contreras
5. Ignacio Ramírez
6. Carlos Mendoza Pottellá
7. Elías Jaua Milano
8. Leonardo Bracamonte
9. Óscar Figuera
10. Luis Bonilla Molina
11. Eduardo Sánchez
12. Yul Jabour
13. Aurora Morales
14. Michel Mujica Ricardo
15. Óscar Feo
16. Gerardo Rojas
17. José Félix Varela
18. María Elena Lovera
19. Pedro Eusse
20. Amílcar Figueroa
21. Bruno Zanardo
22. Juan Carlos Dugarte
23. Christian Medina Macero
24. Braulio Álvarez
25. Alexis Ramírez
26. María Alejandra Castillo
27. Julio Millán
28. Manuel Villalba
29. Enrique Maestre
30. Gaudy María García García
31. Manuel Azuaje Reverón
32. Héctor Navarro
33. Gustavo Márquez
34. Juan Ramón Guzmán
35. Nidia Cárdenas
36. Enrique Vila
37. Lorenzo Angiolillo
38. Eleazar Mujica
39. Humberto Rojas
40. Luis Marín
41. Sergio Rodríguez Adam
42. Henry Arrollo Clemente
43. Ramón Yánez
44. Diógenes Andrade
45. Thaís Rodríguez Gómez
46. Miguel Mora
47. Carlos Carles
48. Heddy Ramírez
49. Juan Carlos Rodríguez
50. Carlos Hernández
51. Vladimira Moreno
52. Carlos Lazo García