Maduro: Far-right Zionists want to hand Venezuela over to the devils

In a speech laced with biblical metaphors, Nicolas Maduro claimed that Venezuela was fighting a divine battle against "far-right Zionists" and "American Goliath."

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, in a new speech that once again showed off his religious and controversial tone, warned of escalating regional tensions and claimed that forces he calls "far-right Zionists" intend to hand his country over to the devil.

Maduro, who attended the "United Bolivarian Committees" on Saturday, November 22, criticized the policies of the United States in a heated atmosphere and described himself as the commander of a battle in which, according to him, Venezuela is playing the role of "David" against the "American Goliath."

In part of his speech, Maduro emphasized that a conspiracy was underway against his country, saying: “There are those who want to hand this country over to the devils; you know very well who they are. The extremist Zionists intend to hand this land over to the devils.” He continued by asking: “Who will win? The people of David, the people of God and the followers of Bolívar, or the imperialist devils?”

Using biblical imagery, the Venezuelan president once again placed his country in the position of King David, a symbol of a small nation supported by God. “We are the people of David, facing the Goliaths that we have defeated before in history and that, God willing, we will face again,” he stressed.

He went on to claim that Venezuela is a deeply Christian country and described the increased US military activity in the Caribbean, including its actions against suspected drug-smuggling ships, as “an act against Christians.” “I place our Lord Jesus Christ at the forefront of this battle; the one to whom our homeland has been entrusted. I consider Jesus of Nazareth, that young child and Palestinian martyr, as the commander-in-chief in the battle for peace and sovereignty for the Venezuelan people,” Maduro said.

In another part of the ceremony, he addressed the American people (this time in English) and asked them to say no to war. The rendition of John Lennon's "Imagine" and Maduro dancing on stage transformed the atmosphere of the ceremony into a mixed scene of political messages, religious symbols, and media spectacle.

Concurrent with Maduro's remarks, some student groups in the United States have also taken anti-Israel positions, analyzing recent developments in the Caribbean in connection with the "influence of Zionism." The National Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) named Friday a "National Day of Action to Overthrow Imperialism and Zionism."

The student group called the US operation against the drug cartels a form of “imperialist expansionism,” and wrote in their statement: “As students involved in the struggle for the liberation of Palestine, we consider these attacks to be part of the same mechanism that arms the Zionist regime for the genocide of the Palestinian people.” They added that their struggle is part of a global battle against imperialism, and that striking at the institutions in the belly of this monster can weaken the chain that, they claim, strengthens the “occupation of Palestine.”