Statement from the Network of Afro-Venezuelan Organizations (ROA)

Reaffirming Our Sovereignty with President Nicolás Maduro

Today, January 10, 2025, President Nicolás Maduro Moros is sworn in as the leader of all Venezuelans.

We denounce the climate of tension deliberately created by racist, Zionist, and fascist elements within the national and international opposition. These forces, acting against the will of the Venezuelan people, have sought to destabilize our nation since July 28, 2024, when President Maduro was democratically reelected in accordance with the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. His victory was legally reaffirmed by the Supreme Court of Justice, the same institution tasked with resolving electoral disputes in Venezuela and elsewhere, as recently demonstrated in Mexico.

Since its founding in June 2000, the Network of Afro-Venezuelan Organizations (ROA) has stood in steadfast support of the Bolivarian Process initiated by Commander Hugo Chávez Frías and continued by President Maduro. We remain unwavering in our commitment to defending Venezuela’s sovereignty.

Today, we confront the geopolitical ambitions of American imperialism, its complicit governments in Latin America and the Caribbean, and certain sectors of Europe. These entities seek to seize our nation’s resources and undermine the most sacred principles of any nation: sovereignty and dignity.

Our Call to Action:

We urge the Afro-Venezuelan people and our sister organizations to resist any attempt to delegitimize our sovereignty. At the same time, we encourage active participation in the Constitutional Reform process, as announced by President Maduro. This reform aims to ensure the inclusion of Afro-descendants for reparative justice, a historic step toward recognizing and addressing centuries of oppression.

We also raise awareness about Zionism, which we identify as a form of 21st-century colonialism, and call for vigilance against its influence.

Our Commitment:

ROA will continue its work across the regions of Caracas, Miranda, Yaracuy, Carabobo, Sucre, Vargas, Zulia, Guárico, Falcón, and Aragua, while maintaining strong ties with Afro-descendant organizations across Latin America and the Caribbean, including in the Dominican Republic, Curaçao, Colombia, the United States, Bolivia, Ecuador, Haiti, Argentina, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Cuba.

Together, we stand firm in defense of our sovereignty, justice, and dignity.

ROA - Network of Afro-Venezuelan Organizations

Articulation of Afro-descendants of Latin America and the Caribbean