The original title of yesterday's article in the Mexican newspaper La Jornada was "Chavista movements protest in Caracas against the presence of the US and Israel in Venezuela," but we have retitled it "Breaking ranks: Protests in Caracas against the presence of the US and Israel in Venezuela" because this better reflects the content, from which we highlight the following:
1. The gatherings in downtown Caracas broke with the usual internal discipline of the Chavista movement. Spokespersons for the *colectivos* (grassroots groups) denounced the arrival and continued presence of US and Israeli personnel as a violation of the country's sovereignty; they also criticized the use of the humanitarian emergency caused by the June 24 earthquake to justify the deployment of foreign delegations linked to Washington's imperialism.
Protesters also trampled on photos of President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—who is a fugitive from the International Criminal Court—while chanting "Gringos, go home" and "This isn't aid, it's an occupation."
2. Following the disaster, the administration led by Interim President Delcy Rodríguez accepted the deployment of international search, medical assistance, and logistics brigades. Against this backdrop, Washington sent military relief contingents and specialized rescue teams, while Tel Aviv facilitated the arrival of medical aid and engineering delegations for reconstruction efforts.
The presence of Israeli officials and rescue workers on the ground marks an unprecedented event in nearly two decades, given that diplomatic relations between Caracas and Israel had been severed since 2009.
3. This marks the first significant demonstration within the Chavista movement to defy the official line. Since the US military aggression on January 3, that official stance has shifted from confronting US hegemony to one of cooperation and dialogue, in accordance with the policy adopted by the government of Interim President Delcy Rodríguez.
However, we recommend reading the article in its entirety, as it confirms the position the MPP maintains and defends regarding the situation in Venezuela—all the more so given that it comes from a Mexican source aligned with the bureaucratic faction of Mexico's big bourgeoisie.
AND EDITORIAL STAFF
LA JORNADA (July 25, 2026)
WORLD
Chavista movements protest in Caracas against the presence of the US and Israel in Venezuela
A protester holds a sign reading in Spanish: "Yankee, go home! Murderer of Venezuela!" during a protest in Caracas against the presence and influence of the United States and Israel in the country, one month after the earthquakes of June 24. Photo: AFP
Ángel González, special for La Jornada
July 25, 2026, 19:38
Caracas. Community organizations, urban collectives, and Chavista popular movements demonstrated this Saturday—for the second consecutive day—in Caracas's Plaza Bolívar to express their rejection of the growing presence of the United States and Israel in the country; the event culminated in the burning of those nations' flags as an act of symbolic protest.
The gatherings in Caracas's city center broke with the usual internal discipline of the Chavista movement. Spokespersons for the collectives denounced the arrival and continued presence of US and Israeli personnel as a violation of the country's sovereignty, while criticizing the use of the humanitarian emergency caused by the June 24 earthquake to justify the establishment of foreign delegations linked to Washington's imperialism.
Protesters also trampled on photos of President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister—and International Criminal Court fugitive—Benjamin Netanyahu, while chanting "Gringos, go home" or "This isn't aid, it's an occupation."
The call to action circulated widely on social media in the days leading up to the event, aiming to hold the demonstration exactly one month after the tragedy caused by the earthquakes. “The homeland must be defended. Against the Yankee and Zionist presence in the Homeland of Bolívar and Chávez,” read the digital flyers.
The deployment of foreign personnel to the capital and other coastal regions followed two devastating earthquakes—measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude—that struck on June 24. The seismic event, considered the most severe in over a century, caused extensive infrastructure damage and resulted in more than 5,500 deaths, necessitating a complex relief and damage-assessment operation.
Image/Photo: AFP
In the wake of the disaster, the administration led by Interim President Delcy Rodríguez accepted the deployment of international search, medical assistance, and logistics brigades. Against this backdrop, Washington dispatched military relief contingents and specialized rescue teams, while Tel Aviv coordinated the arrival of medical aid and engineering delegations for reconstruction efforts.
The presence of Israeli officials and rescue workers on the ground marks an unprecedented development in nearly two decades, given that diplomatic relations between Caracas and Israel had been severed since 2009.
This represents the first significant instance of dissent within the *Chavista* movement against the official line. Since the US military aggression of January 3, that stance has shifted from confronting US hegemony to one of cooperation and dialogue, in accordance with the policy adopted by the government of Interim President Delcy Rodríguez.
Shift in diplomatic framework
A change in the Venezuelan government's diplomatic structure took place this weekend, reflecting the shift the "Chavista" movement has undergone since the events of January.
President Delcy Rodríguez created the position of First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and appointed Oliver Blanco—currently the Deputy Foreign Minister for North America and Europe—to the role. Blanco will retain both responsibilities; analysts say this underscores the growing importance of relations with the United States within the Bolivarian nation's current strategic interests.
Photo: AFP
The growing prominence of Oliver Blanco within the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry has drawn attention, as he is the first member of the Chavista government to come from the ranks of the opposition.
In addition to serving as deputy foreign minister—or second-in-command of the country's diplomatic corps—this new role will entail responsibility for promoting international investment and foreign trade.