New York, January 16, 2026

From Venezuelans and Immigrants Aid (VIA), we state that the recent events related to Venezuela do not constitute an attack against the country, but rather actions directed at structures responsible for serious human rights violations and for the institutional collapse that has forced more than nine million Venezuelans into exile.

Reducing the situation to a simple political debate ignores the fact that it is, above all, a humanitarian and human rights emergency, widely documented by international organizations, with more than 10,000 testimonies of crimes against humanity currently under investigation.

The Venezuelan humanitarian crisis did not remain within the country’s borders. Today, it is also visible in the schools, shelters, hospitals, and communities of the countries that have received Venezuelans forced to flee due to persecution and the nation’s political, economic, and social collapse. Empathizing with, understanding, and supporting Venezuelans in the United States and in other countries is also a concrete way to help alleviate the crisis that continues to affect Venezuela.

While we acknowledge that the removal of Nicolás Maduro is a significant development, we affirm that it does not by itself dismantle the system of repression and impunity that remains active and is still controlled by those who retain power in Venezuela. For this reason, we call on the international community to maintain its focus on protecting civilians, ensuring access to humanitarian aid, and supporting international justice mechanisms.

We also demand the immediate release of all individuals imprisoned for political reasons in Venezuela, and we reaffirm that no citizen should ever again be threatened with imprisonment, persecution, or violence for thinking differently, dissenting, or freely expressing an opinion. As ordinary citizens, what we demand is legitimate and straightforward: a State that guarantees rights and does not take them away. This requires an end to repression, that torturers and those responsible for killings be brought before justice, the dismantling of armed groups that systematically threaten civil society, and the construction of a legal framework that ensures legal certainty for all, grounded in respect for private property and fundamental freedoms.

We firmly believe that accountability is essential for the reconstruction of Venezuela and for guaranteeing non-repetition. Regimes like the one Venezuela has endured must never exist again, in any country and at any time in history. Silence and normalization only prolong the suffering of victims.

VIA reiterates its commitment to victims inside and outside Venezuela and to the defense of solutions grounded in human dignity and justice.

Niurka Meléndez and Héctor Arguinzones
Co-Founders and Directors
Venezuelans and Immigrants Aid (VIA)