By Alejandra Garcia on June 24, 2025
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro
On Monday, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro issued a public letter to world leaders, calling for the convening of a “Summit for Peace and Against War” to address the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. In light of the growing violence in the Middle East, the Bolivarian leader proposed that the summit focus on finding immediate, yet lasting, solutions to the conflict while also emphasizing the need for nuclear disarmament and the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region.
In his letter, Maduro expressed deep concern over the heightened aggression by Israel toward Iran, exacerbated by the U.S.’s military actions in the región that included bombing 3 of Iran’s nuclear sites. Despite the ceasefire reached earlier, the Venezuelan president warned that Israel’s continued disregard for the agreement could lead to catastrophic consequences, particularly if the conflict were to escalate to a nuclear crisis.
“We send a fraternal greeting from the People and Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, along with our firm commitment to peace, disarmament, and respect for international law as essential foundations for coexistence among nations,” the letter begins.
President Maduro described the situation in West Asia as one of “maximum tension and violence,” citing the intensifying aggression by Israel against Iran and the U.S.’s role in furthering the conflict. He condemned Israel’s refusal to dismantle its undeclared nuclear arsenal and its rejection of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) inspection regime, as well as its failure to comply with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). According to the Venezuelan leader, Israel’s impunity in this regard “poses a serious threat to collective security and undermines the principles of multilateralism.”
In response to the crisis, Maduro called on key organizations of the Global South, including the Non-Aligned Movement, the League of Arab States, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Gulf Cooperation Council, the African Union, BRICS, CELAC, and other regional bodies, to come together and urgently promote a complete and immediate ceasefire in the region.
“This call for a cessation of hostilities must be seen as the first step toward a comprehensive political solution based on dialogue, legality, and sovereign respect among States,”.
Maduro proposed that the “Summit for Peace and Against War” be held as soon as possible in a country in the region to ensure the direct involvement of the most affected parties. The summit’s goal would be to send a clear and unified message of peace from Latin America and to avoid the potential escalation of the conflict into a nuclear disaster.
The Venezuelan president further suggested that the summit should be collectively led by regional organizations such as the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Gulf Cooperation Council, and BRICS, with the participation of global powers committed to peace, such as China and Russia. Venezuela also called for the full involvement of countries in the Global South that are committed to multilateralism.
“The voices of all of Latin America have united to reaffirm that this cessation of hostilities must serve as the foundation for a structural and lasting solution,” Maduro declared. He underscored that the defense of nations struggling against what they perceive as Western hegemony is a top priority for the region.
Drawing inspiration from the words of Simón Bolívar, the Venezuelan president concluded the letter with a powerful call for peace: “Today, Latin America echoes the words of the Liberator Simón Bolívar: ‘Peace shall be my harbor, my glory, my reward, my hope, my joy, and all that is precious in the world.”
Alejandra Garcia is a correspondent for Resumen Latinoamericano in Cuba and news anchor for Telesur in English.
Source: Resumen Latinoamericano in English