Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has pledged to resist escalating U.S. sanctions and pressure, promoting a self-sufficient "Made in Venezuela" model.

Speaking at the opening of the General Eleazar López Contreras Cultural Center in Caracas, Maduro told supporters his government will stand firm against "imperialist threats."

“We’ve built our own economic, social, and political system here. We don’t rely on anyone,” he said, touting the Venezuelan people’s unprecedented strength and organization. He warned of destabilization attempts, vowing to secure “social well-being, independence, sovereignty, democracy, and freedom.”

The remarks follow rising U.S.-Venezuela tensions. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello accused ExxonMobil of eyeing Venezuela’s resources, days after President Donald Trump ended a Biden-era oil export deal that lapsed March 1. Trump’s reversal—after briefly engaging Maduro with envoys—has deepened the rift, with Washington refusing to recognize Maduro’s disputed re-election and pushing for the return of deported Venezuelan migrants.

As U.S. pressure mounts, Maduro’s focus on sovereignty and self-reliance signals a defiant stance amid economic and diplomatic challenges. (ILKHA)