Princeton rally planned for Jan. 7 to protest against Trump’s intervention in Venezuela

Peace activists and progressive groups will gather in downtown Princeton on Wednesday, January 7, for an evening rally opposing President Donald Trump’s military intervention in Venezuela and calling on Congress to assert its authority over declaring war.

The “Rally vs. War with Venezuela” is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Hinds Plaza, which is located next to the Princeton Public Library. The Princeton-based Coalition for Peace Action is co-sponsoring the event with Indivisible Cranbury. Members of the public wanting to attend can get more information and register at www.peacecoalition.org.

Confirmed speakers include the Reverend Robert Moore, the Coalition for Peace Action’s executive director; Laura Zurfluh, leader of Indivisible Cranbury; and Jeffrey Laurenti, the Coalition for Peace Action’s board chair. Organizers say ample battery-powered candles and pre-printed posters will be available, though participants are welcome to bring their own signs.

“We encourage all to rally against this lawless president and his war for oil in Venezuela. Without Congressional advice or consent, without a coherent reason, Trump has kidnapped a foreign leader in clear violation of international law. And he has deemed that the United States will “run” Venezuela. Now is the time to let our leaders know we need them to stand up for the Constitution and its mandate that only Congress can declare war!” said Moore in a written statement.

The rally comes days after United States forces deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and Trump announced plans for the United States to “run” Venezuela. Maduro now faces drug-related charges in United States court, even as key figures in his regime remain in power in Caracas. Critics say the administration has offered few details about how long United States control would last or what the endgame looks like.

U.S. Sen. Andy Kim, who has sharply criticized the intervention, argues that Congress and the public deserve answers about the operation’s true goals. In a statement, he said that while Trump has effectively declared “mission accomplished,” “regime change is more complicated than that. Maduro was a brutal/illegitimate leader, but his regime is still in power and there are many questions about what comes next. Congress is back today; here’s what we should be asking.”

Kim raised questions about whether the intervention is driven by oil profits, noting that Trump has talked about “taking out a tremendous amount of wealth out of the ground” in Venezuela and has met with oil executives even as he refused to consult Congress. He also questioned the administration’s claim that the move is primarily about illegal drugs, pointing to Trump’s recent pardon of the former Honduran president, whom prosecutors accused of leading one of the world’s largest drug-trafficking conspiracies.

“This is a moment for careful coordination with our allies and partners, and work with the opposition in Venezuela – not glib assertions about running the country and using oil revenues to pay for it,” Kim said, warning that past U.S. attempts at regime change have led to costly quagmires. “We’ve got millions of American families wondering why their dollars are going to attacks in Venezuela instead of healthcare at home. You deserve answers, not premature victory celebrations.”

Coalition for Peace Action organizers say they hope Wednesday’s rally will send a visible message to federal lawmakers to press those questions, insist on congressional approval for any extended military action, and push for diplomacy over war.