Dictator Nicolás Maduro Claims Venezuela and Brazil Will ‘Liberate’ Puerto Rico

Nicolás Maduro’s latest tirade has sent ripples far beyond Venezuela. During the so-called “International Anti-Fascist World Festival,” the dictator issued a startling declaration aimed directly at Puerto Rico.

Maduro, speaking to a crowd gathered in Caracas, claimed that Venezuela, alongside Brazil, Cuba, and Nicaragua, stands ready to “liberate” Puerto Rico. He invoked the legacy of Simón Bolívar and José Ignacio Abreu e Lima, key figures in Latin American independence movements. “It is pending — the freedom of Puerto Rico,” Maduro declared. “We will achieve it, with the troops of Brazil, and Abreu e Lima will lead the charge.” (Meanwhile, in typical Maburro nature, he doesn’t seem to be aware that the Bolivarian rule is being actively used against him.)

Puerto Rican Gov. González Has No Tolerance for the Threats of Nicolás Maduro

The response from Puerto Rico was swift. Jenniffer González, the newly sworn-in governor of the island, addressed Maduro’s threats directly. Her message, issued through the local outlet El Nuevo Día, was clear — the Venezuelan dictator’s words would not be dismissed. “I will not take his statements lightly,” González said. “It’s not the first time he talks about this, but it is the first time he speaks of an army invading Puerto Rico. I will take action with federal authorities.”

González also reminded the public of Maduro’s precarious status on the world stage. “There’s a federal warrant out for this narco-dictator. He’s a fugitive from the U.S. government.” Her reference points to the $25 million reward the United States has offered for information leading to Maduro’s capture. The charges against him — drug trafficking and money laundering — paint a picture of a man cornered by international sanctions and indictments.

Puerto Rico’s History Is Complex and Maduro Needs to Stay Out of It

The notion of Puerto Rico as a target for so-called “liberation” efforts showcases Maduro’s ongoing battle against the West. His rhetoric casts the island as a victim of colonialism, a narrative that aligns with his broader anti-U.S. stance. Yet, for Puerto Ricans, his words evoke memories of foreign domination and a history of geopolitical tug-of-war.

Since 1898, Puerto Rico has “belonged” to the U.S., a consequence of the Spanish-American War. For generations, the island has grappled with its complex identity, caught between its cultural ties to Latin America and its political bond with the United States. Maduro’s speech taps into that tension, framing his threats as a continuation of Bolívar’s vision of a liberated Latin America.

But there’s little appetite in Puerto Rico for Maduro’s version of liberation. His words land in a context where the island is still navigating its relationship with the United States, balancing calls for greater autonomy with the realities of federal oversight. His threats, punctuated by promises of military intervention, sound more like bluster from a leader desperate to distract from his own crumbling regime. (Queue long yawn here.)