Thousands of Venezuelans took to the streets of the capital Caracas on Thursday for a rally marking the country's National Youth Day, with protesters continuing to voice their anger over last month's U.S. attacks and calling for the release of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
U.S. military forces carried out a series of bombings in Caracas and other parts of Venezuela in the early hours of Jan. 3, forcibly seizing President Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, before putting them into custody in New York.
Venezuela's interior ministry reported that at least 100 people were killed and dozens injured in the U.S. attacks which shocked the international community and raised serious concerns worldwide.
More than 20,000 people headed out for the Youth Day march in Caracas on Thursday, with many scathing about the U.S. operation and the motives behind it.
"No imperialists have the right to invade our territory and kidnap our president. What happened in Venezuela could happen anywhere in the world. People are in danger and they must wake up," said Sol Cabrera, one of the protesters.
"We are demonstrating against the attack of this greatest killer in human history. The U.S. wants to occupy Venezuela to plunder its oil and natural resources. We must prevent it, " said Humberto Berrocal, another protester.
Demonstrators also expressed their strong opposition to the long-running U.S. blockade on Cuba. The U.S. first imposed unilateral coercive measures against Cuba in 1962, including an economic and financial blockade and a trade embargo, which has greatly hindered the development of Cuban society.
The situation intensified on Jan. 29, when the U.S. threatened to impose tariffs on countries that sell oil to Cuba, piling more pressure on the island country that is already seeing dwindling oil supplies. The United Nations has warned the U.S. move risks a potential humanitarian "collapse" in Cuba.
"The Cuban people will eventually win through dialogue and political means, just as the Venezuelan people will eventually win. We firmly oppose all threats against the Cuban people. Cuba is our brother and a part of Latin America," said Erik Yegres, a protester.
The U.S. military attacks on Venezuela also resulted in the deaths of 32 Cuban soldiers who had been deployed at the request of Venezuelan authorities and were carrying out missions on behalf of Cuba's Revolutionary Armed Forces.
Thousands of Venezuelans join march condemning US attacks, calling for release of Maduro
