Minister Villegas to the People: From our trenches we must guarantee the future of the Homeland

Published at: 22/01/2026 10:56 AM

The Minister of Popular Power for Culture, Ernesto Villegas, reaffirmed that this historic moment that Venezuela is going through is important the unity of the People so that everyone from their trenches can guarantee the future of the Homeland.

“Our historic hour today requires of us what it has always required of us, but with a special demand, the future of our country depends on what we do or don't do; everyone in their space, with their poetry, with their brush, with their gun, with their brick, the teachers with their disciples, the doctors with their apostolate for health, each one in their trench guaranteeing the future of our country”, he said during the conference “The kidnapping of Nicholas and Cilia, the ignominy”, held from the Red Room of the Andrés Bello National House of Letters, in Caracas.

Referring to the military aggression of January 3, he acknowledged the collective pain that the country is going through, but warned that succumbing to sadness favors the interests of the enemy. At the same time, he called for maintaining firmness and dignity as pillars of national defense, regardless of political differences.

In this context, he evoked the historical background of Commander Hugo Chávez in April 2002 and drew a parallel with the attitude of President Maduro. “They wanted to see him diminished and he was upright (...) he said 'good night, happy new year', if he who is going ahead has that attitude, those of us behind us have no right to be reduced,” he said.

He also stressed that every person who stands firm in defense of national sovereignty is part of the same moral body: “Everyone who today has remained dignified and firm in defense of national sovereignty is our brother, sister, friend, compatriot. It doesn't matter that we differ in a thousand ways.”

In addition, he added that Venezuela is experiencing an exceptional situation as a result of the kidnapping of the president, but with full institutional clarity. “There is no absolute vacancy or temporary vacancy. What we have is an afterthought: the violent kidnapping of the President of the Republic Nicolás Maduro. We have a prisoner president and a president in charge. And that is the only institutionality,” he said.

Mazo News Team