Hugo Chávez’s legacy fuels Venezuelan resistance amid US intervention and disaster

Venezuelan youth, community leaders and activists say the ideas of former president Hugo Chávez continue to guide their resistance to what they describe as U.S. imperialist intervention. They point to a January 3, 2026 U.S. military strike that seized President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, National Assembly deputy Cilia Flores, as a new “Plan Condor.”

Less than six months later a double earthquake of magnitude 7+ struck the country’s central‑north region, killing thousands and leaving many homeless. Protesters and scholars argue that Chávez’s emphasis on patriotism and solidarity provides the ideological tools to endure the crisis, citing statements from figures such as activist Mariela Machado. An academic forum titled “From Bolívar to Chávez, the art of winning in adversity” was convened to examine his legacy in the context of the current external pressure and natural disaster.

The narrative underscores the continued political weight of Chávez’s legacy within Venezuela’s opposition to foreign interference and its role in shaping the country’s response to the humanitarian emergency.