Puerto Rico Governor Seeks Trump’s Intervention After Maduro’s Invasion Threat “`
Following Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s threat to invade Puerto Rico, the island’s governor, Jenniffer González-Colón, urged President Trump to intervene.
In a letter to Trump, Governor González-Colón stated that shortly after Maduro’s internationally condemned, illegitimate inauguration, he publicly threatened an invasion of Puerto Rico.
Maduro made the threat at Caracas’s “International Anti-Fascist Festival,” seemingly referencing Trump’s interest in buying Greenland and Denmark. He claimed that, mirroring the North’s colonial ambitions, Venezuela seeks liberation, vowing to free Puerto Rico with Brazilian troops, according to Latin America Reports.
González-Colón described this as a direct threat to U.S. national security and regional stability, assuring Trump that she trusts his administration will protect American lives and sovereignty against Maduro’s threats.
Governor González-Colón highlighted Puerto Rico’s integral role in the United States since 1898, emphasizing the island’s American citizenship (granted in 1917) and its citizens’ military service since World War I.
“Contrary to Maduro’s and other adversaries’ calls for independence, the people of Puerto Rico have repeatedly rejected this option. Instead, we have voted to strengthen our union with the United States through statehood – most recently in the November 5, 2024, plebiscite held alongside our general elections,” González-Colón wrote, referring to the latest nonbinding referendum regarding statehood.
The referendum results showed 56.87% support for U.S. statehood, 12.29% for free association, and 30.84% for independence. The option to maintain the current territorial status was not included.
González-Colón, a Republican and member of the pro-statehood New Progressive Party, also pointed out Puerto Rico’s strategic military importance, housing Fort Buchanan (the only U.S. Army installation in the Caribbean), along with National Guard facilities like Camp Santiago, Fort Allen, and Muniz Air National Guard Base. She also noted the presence of critical U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection assets, which combat drug trafficking networks that fund Maduro’s regime.
She noted the shared maritime boundary between the United States and Venezuela near Puerto Rico.
“Maduro’s calls for an invasion are a clear attempt to eliminate the United States’ presence and expand his influence,” González-Colón wrote, offering to collaborate with Trump’s administration to counter threats from Maduro’s regime and support Venezuelan aspirations for freedom.
González-Colón expressed her eagerness to engage in discussions to enhance Puerto Rico’s security and counter the growing regional presence of adversaries.
Representative Mario Rafael Díaz-Balart (R-Fla.) praised González-Colón’s condemnation of Maduro’s threats, contrasting Maduro’s actions with the courage of the Venezuelan people. He criticized the Biden administration’s lenient approach towards Venezuela, predicting a change under the incoming administration.
“Maduro’s days are numbered,” Díaz-Balart added, warning Maduro to leave Venezuela to avoid the fate of dictators like Mussolini and Gaddafi.
Following Maduro’s recent inauguration, Biden defended his decision against tightening sanctions on Venezuela’s energy sector, expressing concern that it might benefit Iran.
Despite sanctioning various Maduro officials, the Biden administration maintained a license allowing Chevron to export Venezuelan oil to the U.S., a move that significantly boosted Venezuelan oil production and state revenue.