Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello poses with the leaders of law enforcement agencies in Caracas, on Dec. 19, 2025. Photo: Miguel Gutiérrez/EFE.
On Friday, Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello stated that, thanks to the popular-military-police fusion, Venezuela is a territory of peace and will continue to be so, despite the external threats facing the country. Hours earlier, the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) announced its 28th strike near the Venezuelan coast since September 2, elevating the number of assassinated civilians to 104.
“This year, 2025, we can tell the country that we have fulfilled our commitment to our people and to the Revolution. We have followed the instruction given to us by President Nicolás Maduro to lead these institutions to guarantee the peace and tranquility of Venezuelans,” Minister Cabello said at a ceremony for the delivery of new vehicles to different security forces.
“Today, Venezuela is a territory of peace and it must remain so,” Cabello added, noting that “police officers are ready and willing to defend the homeland from any threat: internal or external, whatever it may be called, be it the most powerful empire in the world, our police officers are present to defend the homeland like never before in a perfect popular-military-police fusion.”
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Fight against gangs and internal enemies
Minister Cabello reported that Venezuela guarantees the comprehensive provision of security agencies to maintain the effectiveness of the work they carry out in the fight against drugs, gangs, and internal enemies of the homeland. He noted that gangs disguise themselves in many ways: “Criminal gangs, drug traffickers, terrorists, and conspiracy groups as well.”
To these, the most far-right political sector of Venezuela has joined “to generate unrest, doubt, and fear in our people.” However, the people have been able to overcome and, despite the threats that currently loom over the nation, “the people are happy in the street, at peace.”
Lowest crime rate
He highlighted that thanks to the coordinated, systemic, and comprehensive work among all the security forces, the homicide rate has been significantly reduced.
“Crime rates in Venezuela are now among the lowest in the world. Countries that constantly attack Venezuela cannot withstand comparison,” he said, citing the relevant statistics.
Compared to 2024, the homicide rate has decreased, with 340 fewer murders recorded to date.
Regarding drug trafficking, Venezuela has achieved “the largest drug seizure in its history, except for the year following its break with the DEA. Almost 70 tons of drugs seized.”
“This year, 2025, we can say: Mission accomplished,” he added.
US extrajudicial killings
Meanwhile, on Thursday night, US SOUTHCOM announced a new “kinetic strike,” a euphemism for what US and United Nations experts have labeled as extrajudicial executions.
In two strikes against two different small boats sailing in Eastern Pacific waters, five new assassinations were confirmed, making the kill list surpass the 100 mark and reach 104 civilians killed.
The current level of strikes and assassinated civilians in the Eastern Pacific, since September 2, now surpasses the Caribbean Sea death toll. Fifty-six civilians executed in the Eastern Pacific represent 54% of the total, with 17 reported strikes in that area.
With recent statements coming from the White House claiming ownership of Venezuelan oil, the accusations of Venezuela being a narco-terrorist state seem distant. According to experts, the shift in the US killing spree to the Pacific Ocean also supports Venezuelan claims of the operation being a regime change operation masked with the “war on drugs” narrative.
(Últimas Noticias) by María Milagros Sánchez with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
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