Ouagadougou: The Burkina Faso Solidarity Group demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, denouncing what it calls an illegal military operation and a serious attack on the sovereignty of Venezuela.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the group's coordinator, Imhotep Serge Bayala, spoke at a demonstration supporting the Venezuelan people at the Thomas Sankara memorial in Ouagadougou. Bayala emphasized that "international solidarity is a weapon" against the aggressions faced by people in struggle. He condemned the assassination of more than 100 Venezuelan military and civilians, as well as the kidnapping of President Maduro and his wife.

Bayala criticized the US offensive, described as a fight against narco-terrorism, alleging it aims to dismantle the sovereign will of the Venezuelan people to seize their oil resources. The Burkina Faso Solidarity Group strongly condemned the attack on the integrity of President Maduro, his wife, and Venezuela's legitimate institutions. The group demanded their immediate release and the lifting of illegal economic sanctions against Venezuela.

Bayala highlighted the right of the Venezuelan people and others globally to choose their future without external interference. He affirmed the group's unwavering support for the Bolivarian Revolution, stressing the shared history of struggle among Africa, Latin America, and the Black diaspora for a multipolar world based on respect and self-determination.

Daniel Gomis, the charge d'affaires of the Venezuelan embassy in Burkina Faso, expressed gratitude to the Burkina Faso Solidarity Group for their support against what he termed an illegal military operation and the kidnapping of the Venezuelan presidential couple. He called for unity against imperialism and aggression, advocating for respect for international law.

The abduction of Nicolas Maduro and Cilia Flores occurred on January 3, 2026, during a US military operation in Venezuela, after which they were transferred to New York to face charges related to drug trafficking and alleged terrorism. The action prompted international condemnation, with some entities labeling it a breach of international law and the sovereignty of a UN member state.