Venezuela’s Maduro performs dance amid US military tensions and sanctions

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro danced to a remix of his own peace slogans at a student rally in Caracas; this was the final act of defiance after John Lennon’s performance of “Imagine” while US warships patrolled near the coast.

In the video from the National College Student Day celebration, Maduro is seen swaying to the beat, seemingly imitating President Donald Trump’s trademark dance moves and swaying noticeably looser.

The electronic piece featured Maduro’s own words, taken from speeches advocating peace and rejecting war, as tensions with the United States continue to rise.

Reuters described the remix as “Peace, yes. War, no.” At one point, the Venezuelan leader punctuated the shooting with finger guns, a playful “line, line” gesture that was captured on camera.

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The clip appeared about a week after Maduro sang “Imagine” at a rally, calling for peace; Meanwhile, the Trump administration has strengthened its military presence near Venezuela to stop drug trafficking.

Maduro referenced Lennon when talking about peace, calling the former member of The Beatles a poet and musician who left a “gift to humanity.”

Stating that the song is an anthem for every generation, he called on young people to read its lyrics.

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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores parade in a military vehicle during Independence Day celebrations in Caracas on July 5, 2025. (JUAN BARRETO/AFP via Getty Images)

In the video, Maduro paused mid-speech to recall Lennon’s song and said a few words before pondering its meaning.

“What a beautiful song. Lyrics – young people, look at the lyrics,” he said, according to one translation. “This is an inspiration for all times. This is an anthem for all eras and generations, which John Lennon left as a gift to humanity. Long live the eternal memory of that great poet and musician John Lennon.”

As Maduro preaches peace, the United States has significantly increased its military presence in the Caribbean, deploying bombers, warships and Marines as part of a campaign targeting drug smuggling operations in the region, including air strikes on suspected smuggling vessels.

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A U.S. military drone strike ordered by President Trump destroyed a ship and killed three suspected narco-terrorists in the Eastern Pacific on October 22, 2025, according to the War Department. (Ministry of War)

On Monday, the State Department officially announced that the Cartel de los Soles would be designated as a foreign terrorist organization.

Cartel de los Soles, or “Sun Cartel”, refers to a network of government and military officials involved in drug trafficking in Venezuela.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week that the Cartel de los Soles and other cartels in Venezuela “are responsible for terrorist violence in our hemisphere, as well as drug trafficking into the United States and Europe.”

Fox News Digital’s Emma Bussey contributed to this report.