15 January 2026

DAWN (Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era) stands in feminist solidarity with the people of Venezuela and condemns the violent military intervention carried out by the United States of America on Venezuelan territory.

This attack is a serious violation of the principles of sovereignty, self-determination and territorial integrity, as enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and core principles of international law. This use of force undermines the international legal order and sets a dangerous precedent with far-reaching consequences. Its repercussions – whether local, regional, or global – impact all Venezuelans and disproportionately impact women and marginalised communities as consistently documented in conflict and crisis settings.

Venezuelans are currently experiencing compounded patriarchal violences: that of an ongoing authoritarian regime, now exacerbated by imperial violence. Condemning the US actions under Donald Trump’s government does not imply silence or agreement with the political violence carried out by the government of Nicolas Maduro or with its disregard for the electoral results of 2024. Similarly, condemning those actions does not equal support for US intervention or its control over the Venezuelan government and the country’s resources.

As feminist scholars and activists from the global South, we know that no path to liberation can be forged through imperial aggression, militarised “solutions” or patriarchal logics of force. Too often, international debates focus on governments or economies as separate issues, erasing how they affect people’s lived realities and the risks posed to everyday safety and dignity.

Our solidarity is with the Venezuelan people, who have been enduring years of crisis, political violence, forced displacement and drastic deterioration of living conditions; and with those who have been fighting to build feminist alternatives and visions of justice, even in the face of violence and repression.

This moment calls for an immediate and principled response from the United Nations: one that condemns militarisation, activates dialogue and mediation, and places justice, peace, and protection of the Venezuelan people at its centre. It also demands global mobilisation by all actors committed to human rights and critical analysis, grounded in an integrated understanding of how imperialism, authoritarianism, militarisation, patriarchal violence, the global political economy, and internal dynamics are deeply interconnected.

We call on the United States to uphold international law, ensure the protection of civilians, and respect the fundamental rights of all those in detention. We also urge Venezuelan authorities to end further repression and to comply with their obligations under international law to guarantee the human rights of all people in Venezuela.

Above all, this moment requires listening to Venezuelan voices and standing in solidarity with their demands for self-determination, democracy, accountability and social justice.

DAWN
Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era