Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro danced to a remix of his own peace slogans at a student rally in Caracas, marking his latest public display of defiance amid rising tensions with the United States.
Footage from the National University Student Day celebration shows Maduro swaying to the electronic track, which incorporates his speeches promoting peace and rejecting war. Observers noted that his movements echoed President Donald Trump’s signature dance style, though with a looser rhythm.
The remix, identified by Reuters as “Peace, yes. War, no.,” featured the Venezuelan leader punctuating the beat with playful finger pistols, a “pew, pew” gesture captured on camera.
This appearance comes roughly a week after Maduro performed John Lennon’s “Imagine” at another rally, urging peace while U.S. warships patrolled near Venezuelan waters. During that event, Maduro praised Lennon as a poet and musician who left “a gift to humanity,” encouraging young people to study the song’s lyrics.
“What a beautiful song. The lyrics – young people, look up the lyrics,” Maduro said, according to translations. “It’s an inspiration for all time. An anthem for all eras and generations that John Lennon left as a gift to humanity. Long live the eternal memory of that great poet and musician, John Lennon.”
Meanwhile, the U.S. has stepped up its military presence in the Caribbean, deploying bombers, warships, and Marines to combat drug trafficking in the region, including airstrikes on suspected smuggling vessels. On Monday, the State Department formally announced that the Cartel de los Soles, a network of Venezuelan government and military officials involved in drug trafficking, would be designated as a foreign terrorist organization.