DSA allies of Mayor Mamdani demand Trump free Maduro, hail ‘Bolivarian Revolution’

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: The Democratic Socialists of America, an organization that newly elected New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani belongs to, sparked controversy after demanding that President Donald Trump release Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro following reported US military action in Venezuela.

Framing the intervention as imperialism, the left-wing group called for solidarity with what it described as the Bolivarian Revolution and demanded that Maduro and his wife, First Lady Cilia Flores, be returned to Venezuela.

Democratic Socialists of America condemn US action in Venezuela

The Democratic Socialists of America shared a lengthy statement on social media condemning what it called Trump’s “illegal war” on Venezuela.

“We condemn Trump’s illegal war on Venezuela,” the organization wrote, linking to its full statement. The group explicitly demanded “the return of President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores to Venezuela.”

Alongside the statement, the DSA promoted its “Hands Off Venezuela” campaign, urging the United States to halt what it described as imperialist intervention in the oil-rich socialist nation.

“Solidarity with the people of Venezuela! Solidarity with the Bolivarian Revolution!” a separate policy statement from the DSA International Committee declared.

According to the group, the Trump administration had launched an “illegal war” aimed at installing a US-backed government to control Venezuela’s oil resources and extend American dominance across Latin America.

“This is a nakedly imperialist war to install a US puppet government that will give Venezuela’s oil resources over to US corporations and enforce US hegemony over Latin America — the new ‘Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine,’” the statement said.

The DSA further argued that the military action violated both international law and US laws governing the declaration of war.

Democratic Socialists reject claims linking Maduro to drug trafficking

The group also pushed back against Trump administration claims that the intervention was tied to drug trafficking.

“Trump’s war has nothing to do with drug trafficking,” the statement said. “There is no substantiated evidence that high-level members of the Venezuela government are ‘narco-terrorists.’”

The organization accused the administration of using those allegations as a pretext for military action, comparing the intervention to the US-led war in Iraq, which it described as a failure that impoverished the region.

DSA demands US withdrawal and end to sanctions

In its demands, the Democratic Socialists of America called for a full withdrawal of US forces and an end to military operations involving Venezuela.

The group called for “the return of Maduro to Venezuela and restoration of diplomatic relations with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela — the Maduro-led regime.”

Additional demands included an immediate end to what it described as “military violence,” the lifting of US sanctions on Venezuela, and the suspension of the “failed war on drugs.”

The DSA also urged a broader shift in US foreign policy toward “peace, multilateralism, and respect for national sovereignty and self-determination.”

Zohran Mamdani criticizes US action against Nicolas Maduro

Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, publicly condemned the US action and said he personally contacted the president to express his opposition.

Mamdani, just days into his term, said he had been briefed on the military operation and on plans for Maduro’s detention in New York.

“Unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and international law,” Mamdani said in a statement.

He added that the situation had direct implications for New York City, home to tens of thousands of Venezuelan immigrants.

“This blatant pursuit of regime change doesn’t just affect those abroad; it directly impacts New Yorkers,” Mamdani said.

The mayor emphasized that public safety remained his administration’s priority, saying city officials would continue to monitor developments and issue guidance as needed.