Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has repeated calls for peace and pledged “absolute loyalty” to his people at a rally attended by thousands in Caracas, as tensions escalate over potential military action by the United States.The rally on Monday came as US President Donald Trump met with his national security team at the White House to discuss the “next steps” on Venezuela, according to media reports.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listMaduro, addressing a crowd waving Venezuelan flags outside the presidential palace in Caracas, said his country wanted peace, but only a peace “with sovereignty, equality and freedom”.“We do not want a slave’s peace, nor the peace of colonies! Colony, never! Slaves, never!” he said.The Trump administration has been piling pressure on Venezuela with a military buildup in the Caribbean, in what it calls an anti-drug trafficking campaign. Caracas says the actions are aimed at toppling Maduro’s government.The US has amassed 15,000 troops in the region and deployed the world’s largest aircraft carrier there, while also designating the Cartel de los Soles, which it describes as a drug trafficking cartel led by Maduro, as a “terrorist” organisation.It has also carried out at least 21 strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific since September, killing at least 83 people.Experts say the assembled US firepower far outweighs what is necessary for a drug-trafficking operation, while Caracas says the US is seeking regime change to take control of Venezuela’s vast natural resources, including oil. Supporters of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro attend a ceremony in Caracas, Venezuela, December 1, 2025 [Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/ Reuters]Maduro on Monday accused the US of waging a campaign of “psychological terro …
