Belarus joins the international campaign “We Want You Back”

Published at: 03/02/2026 11:27 PM

This Tuesday, February 3rd, the National Library of Belarus became a space for encounter and reflection, where different voices from the political, parliamentary, diplomatic and social spheres came together to express their solidarity with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

The event, held within the framework of the international campaign “Bring Them Back” (We Want Them Back), reaffirmed the collective commitment to the liberation and return to their homeland of President Nicolás Maduro and Deputy Cilia Flores, who were kidnapped after the military aggression of last January 3, according to a report from the Venezuelan Embassy in Belarus.

The day began with the words of Vadim Gigin, director of the National Library, who is also a member of the Belarusian Parliament and highlighted the importance of space as a symbol of memory and sovereignty, stressing that the defense of Venezuela is also the defense of the principles that sustain peaceful coexistence between nations.

Then, a group of Belarusian children recited a poem dedicated to Venezuela, a gesture full of emotion that recalled that solidarity is also built on the basis of the culture and sensitivity of the new generations.

Ambassador Franklin Ramírez, representative of Venezuela in Belarus, presented a detailed presentation on the events of January 3, the violations of international law and the human impact of the aggression.

In his speech, he stated that the cause for the release of President Maduro and his wife, “no longer belongs only to Venezuela; it is a global cause for peace, sovereignty and respect between nations.”

Belarusian institutional support was evident with the intervention of Sergei Mikhailovich Klishevich, a member of the House of Representatives, who condemned the military aggression and reaffirmed the Parliament's commitment to the defense of international law.

International solidarity was also present through the ambassadors of Cuba, Santiago Benítez, and Iran, Alireza Sanei, who expressed their countries' firm support for Venezuela and denounced the illegality of the military operation that led to the kidnapping of the presidential couple.

Various Belarusian social organizations, youth movements and political parties joined the event with messages of support. Speakers included Andrei Vasilievich Basak (NGO Belaya Rus), Aleksandr Valerievich Davydovsky (BRSM), Nikolai Nikolaevich Zarubitsky (NGO Patriots of Belarus), Oleg Yuryevich Chesalov (Liberal Democratic Party) and Nikita Rashilovsky (Forward Organization). Everyone agreed that the January 3 aggression constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and a dangerous precedent for any sovereign nation.

The communication sector played a prominent role in the activity. Andrei Evgenievich Krivosheyev, president of the Board of Directors of the Society of Journalists of Belarus and director general of the Minsk-Novosti Agency, emphasized the responsibility of journalism in times of media war and reaffirmed the commitment of Belarusian journalists to the dissemination of the truth about Venezuela.

The event culminated in a joint declaration of rejection and condemnation of aggression, kidnapping and violation of international law; loud and clear in the auditorium: “We want them back. We want them free. We want them at home.”

Ambassador Ramírez closed the day with a message that summarized the spirit of the meeting: “The defense of Venezuela today is the defense of international law, the sovereignty of peoples and world peace. And in that defense, we know that we are not alone.”

Mazo News Team