NAPM asks Govt of India to revive non-aligned stand on Venezuela crisis

By A Representative 

The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) has condemned the United States’ military intervention in Venezuela and called on the Indian government to take a firmer public position against what it described as a “brazen violation of sovereignty”. In a statement, the organisation accused the US administration of carrying out an illegal assault that resulted in civilian deaths and the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, asserting that governance of the South American nation “must lie only with its people”.

NAPM argued that the attack marked a serious breach of international law, citing Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, and claimed the move reflected Washington’s historical pursuit of regime change and resource control. The alliance said the US announcement that American corporations would manage Venezuela’s oil sector confirmed imperial intent, rather than any security concern. It rejected allegations that Venezuela was involved in narco-terrorism or theft of resources, pointing to US government assessments that did not identify the country as a major player in the drug trade.

While several nations, including members of BRICS, have spoken out against the intervention, NAPM criticised New Delhi’s restrained reaction, saying India’s response fell short of its diplomatic legacy. The statement argued that a country that once led the Non-Aligned Movement should reaffirm its commitment to sovereignty, oppose unilateral military action and stand with nations in the Global South resisting external interference. It also noted that opposition parties in India had taken clearer positions on the issue and questioned why the Union government remained muted despite increasing trade tensions and tariff burdens imposed by Washington.

NAPM called for Maduro and Flores to be returned immediately, urged prosecution of those responsible for the attack, and appealed to citizens, political parties and social movements in India to express solidarity with Venezuela. The group argued that only democratic choice within Venezuela should shape the country’s future, including responses to its economic and political challenges, and warned that continued silence from major countries would embolden further unilateral actions by powerful states.