Written by: La Tabla/Data Journalism Platform 20 FEB 2026
The first vice president of the National Assembly, Deputy Pedro Infante (PSUV/Miranda), stated yesterday that the meeting held between high-ranking Venezuelan officials and the head of U.S. Southern Command marks a milestone for Bolivarian diplomacy. This assertion comes in a context marked by an unprecedented military escalation over the last five months, which included a massive naval deployment in the Caribbean, attacks on vessels, and an oil blockade, peaking on January 3 with the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, by U.S. special forces.
In a statement shared on his social media, Deputy Pedro Infante described the recent meeting between the Chavista leadership and Southern Command representatives as a “clear recognition of the strength” of the revolution. “Those who put a price on the heads of the main leaders of the people now sit at a table of respect and common interests,” expressed the parliamentarian.
The deputy’s assertion aims to frame the meeting as a triumph of the Venezuelan government’s resistance, but this takes place after the realization of military aggression threats and the “extraction” of President Nicolás Maduro, as occurred on January 3.
The previous escalation: from blockade to bombings
The context of the past five months has been dominated by unilateral military actions from Washington. In December 2025, President Donald Trump ordered a “total and complete blockade” against sanctioned oil vessels traveling to or from Venezuela, deploying what he called “the largest Armada ever assembled in South America’s history.” This deployment included the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, destroyers with Tomahawk missiles, strategic bombers, and electronic warfare units stationed in Puerto Rico, which Caracas at the time described as a “grotesque threat.”
Prior to this, from September onward, the Trump administration intensified attacks against speedboats in the Caribbean accused of drug trafficking. In one video-recorded operation, U.S. forces attacked a boat, and a subsequent attack on survivors in the water sparked international controversy and accusations of “execution” from Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello. In total, there were reports of attacks against 21 vessels with at least 82 fatalities.
The breaking point: the President’s capture
The peak of the offensive occurred on the morning of January 3, 2026, when a U.S. special forces operation, supported by over 150 aircraft, including stealth F-35s, bombers, and RQ-170 drones, bombed targets in Caracas and captured President Nicolás Maduro and first lady, Cilia Flores. Executive Vice President Delcy Rodríguez denounced the “kidnapping” of the leader and activated the National Defense Council.
The operation, dubbed “Absolute Resolve” by the Pentagon, utilized CIA intelligence gathered on the ground for months to locate the Venezuelan leader. According to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, Maduro and Flores were transported to New York to face charges of narcoterrorism.
The visit of Southern Command and the parliamentary reinterpretation
In this context of factual occupation and the detention of the Head of State, the visit from the Southern Command chief fits into the picture. According to Infante, the meeting with interim President Delcy Rodríguez; Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López; and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello demonstrated the “need to recognize the country as an international member with respect and common interests.”
The deputy omitted any direct mention of President Maduro’s situation in his message but emphasized that among the leadership’s goals is “the protection and defense of the integrity of President Nicolás Maduro and First Combatant Cilia Flores.” Furthermore, he dismissed other interpretations of the event as products of “labs of lies” and claimed that the meeting represents a turn towards a “pragmatic dialogue” against drug trafficking, following the failures of the attempts to overthrow the government.