Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela rejects, denounces, and condemns before the international community the extremely serious military aggression perpetrated by the current Government of the United States of America against Venezuelan territory and people in the civilian and military areas of the city of Caracas, the capital of the Republic, and the states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira. This act constitutes a flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter, especially its Articles 1 and 2, which enshrine respect for sovereignty, the legal equality of states, and the prohibition of the use of force. Such aggression threatens international peace and stability, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean, and puts the lives of millions of people at grave risk.
 
The aim of this attack is none other than to seize Venezuela's strategic resources, particularly its oil and minerals, attempting to forcibly undermine the Nation's political independence. They will not succeed. After more than two hundred years of independence, the people and their legitimate government remain steadfast in defending sovereignty and the inalienable right to determine their own destiny. The attempt to impose a colonial war to destroy the republican form of government and force a "regime change", in alliance with the fascist oligarchy, will fail just like all previous attempts.
 
Since 1811, Venezuela has faced and defeated empires. When in 1902 foreign powers bombed our coasts, President Cipriano Castro proclaimed: "The insolent plant of the foreigner has profaned the sacred soil of the Homeland." Today, with the morals of Bolívar, Miranda, and our liberators, the Venezuelan people rise again to defend their independence against imperial aggression.
People to the streets
 
The Bolivarian Government calls on all social and political forces of the country to activate the mobilization plans and denounce this imperialist attack. The people of Venezuela and their Bolivarian National Armed Forces, in perfect popular-military-police fusion, are deployed to guarantee sovereignty and peace. Simultaneously, the Bolivarian Peace Diplomacy will file the corresponding complaints before the UN Security Council, the Secretary-General of that organization, CELAC, and the NAM, demanding the condemnation and accountability of the US Government.
 
President Nicolás Maduro has ordered all national defense plans to be implemented at the appropriate time and circumstances, in strict compliance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the Organic Law on States of Exception, and the Organic Law on National Security.
 
In this regard, President Nicolás Maduro has signed and ordered the implementation of the Decree declaring a State of Foreign Conmotion throughout the national territory, to protect the rights of the population, the full functioning of republican institutions, and to immediately proceed to armed struggle. The entire country must mobilize to defeat this imperialist aggression
 
Likewise, he has ordered the immediate deployment of the Command for the Integral Defense of the Nation and the Governing Bodies for Integral Defense in all states and municipalities of the country.
 
In strict compliance with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, Venezuela reserves the right to exercise legitimate defense to protect its people, its territory, and its independence. We call on the peoples and governments of Latin America, the Caribbean, and the world to mobilize in active solidarity against this imperial aggression.
 
As Commander-in-Chief Hugo Chávez Frías stated, "in any circumstance of new difficulties, no matter how great they may be, the response of all patriots... is unity, struggle, battle, and victory."