Maduro has emerged as a leading figure in global anti-imperialist camp- Jeewantha Jayatissa, Secretary, Bolivarian Solidarity of Sri Lanka

Aug 14, 2025 at 11:19 AM

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Lanka Leader

Recently, Mr. Jeewantha Jayatissa, Secretary of the Bolivarian Solidarity of Sri Lanka, visited Venezuela. The news website Lanka Leader interviewed him about his experiences in Venezuela. Below is the full transcript of the interview.

Question : You recently visited Venezuela. Was it by invitation, and what was the purpose of your visit?

Jeewantha Jayatissa: I visited at the invitation of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to attend programs marking the first anniversary of President Nicolás Maduro’s second term, the Venezuelan municipal elections, the 242nd birthday of The Liberator Simón Bolívar, and the 71st birthday of Hugo Chávez. Representatives from nearly 80 countries took part in these events.

Question: Western media report that Maduro’s government is increasingly unpopular and accused of electoral corruption. What is your observation?

Jeewantha Jayatissa:  This is a deliberate misinformation campaign to discredit Maduro’s government. The National Electoral Council states he won the July 2024 presidential election by over one million votes.

Question: But isn’t the global view that the election was corrupt?

Jeewantha Jayatissa: Yes! The coalition led by Edmundo González Urrutia, alleging electoral fraud, engaged in violent actions to destabilize Venezuela. Western media portrayed these acts as heroic, just as they did during uprisings in Ukraine, Libya, Sri Lanka, and elsewhere. In each case, such protests ended in destructive violence, benefiting pro-imperialist forces and costing the people their natural resources, leaving a legacy of tragedy.

Question: Are you saying Maduro’s government suppressed a violent, imperialist-led political movement?

Jeewantha Jayatissa: Yes! Maduro’s government contained the violence and stabilized the country after opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, now a political refugee in Spain, lost the 2024 presidential election. In 2025, declared an election year by the National Electoral Council, Maduro’s ruling coalition won a landslide in parliamentary and local polls—securing 253 of 285 National Assembly seats, 285 of 335 municipal councils, and 23 of 24 governorships, including the first ever in Venezuela’s claimed territory of Guyana Esequiba. The United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), led by Dr Jorge Rodríguez, is a coalition of political and social forces supporting the Bolivarian Revolution initiated by former President Hugo Chávez.

Question: Are you saying the Venezuelan opposition is now weakened?

Jeewantha Jayatissa: Yes. During this period, parts of the Venezuelan opposition called for an election boycott, but others disagreed and chose to participate.

Question: You seem to be overstating Maduro’s victories. With only 44% voter turnout in the July 27 municipal elections, doesn’t the boycotting opposition coalition actually have public support?

 Jeewantha Jayatissa: Your question may seem valid at first glance but is based on faulty reasoning often echoed by Western media. A fair analysis should compare the 2025 municipal elections with those of 2021. In 2021, turnout was 42.26%, and the PSUV-led coalition won 212 municipal councils and 19 governorships. In 2025, turnout rose to 44%, with the PSUV-led coalition winning 285 municipal councils and all 24 governorships—showing a clear increase in public support for the PSUV lead coalition.

Question: So, you believe Venezuelan politics is stabilizing and even a color revolution has been defeated. Do you think this rallying is solely due to President Nicolás Maduro’s political leadership?

Jeewantha Jayatissa : No. At this moment, President Nicolás Maduro plays an extraordinary role in Venezuelan politics, comparable to leaders like Russia’s Vladimir Putin, China’s Xi Jinping, North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, and Iran’s Ali Khamenei. He inspires revolutionary and national movements in countries like ours, yet operates within the arena opened by Hugo Chávez. Maduro can be seen as a tree that has flourished under the groundwork laid by Chávez—though he is not merely a copy of his predecessor. Maduro is a vibrant addition to the arena Chávez created. But Chávez himself was shaped by the legacy of South America’s great liberator, Simón Bolívar—without Bolívar, neither Chávez nor Maduro would be the figures they are today. Likewise, without revolutionaries like Fidel Castro, who proved that even the smallest nation can challenge a great empire, and humanitarian fighters like Che Guevara, Venezuela might not stand as the force against imperialist America that we see today.During my time in Venezuela, I witnessed Cuba’s profound influence—built by revolutionaries like Fidel Castro and Che Guevara—on liberation movements across South America. At workshops from July 24 to 28, participants from around the world sang “Comandante Ché Guevara” in tribute. I conclude that Maduro is a world leader shaped by the spirit of these figures, driven by his deep love for the Venezuelan people and homeland.

Question: So, is Venezuela really the happiest country on earth? International media report that its people face extreme economic hardship—can you deny that?

Jeewantha Jayatissa: I wouldn’t call Venezuela the happiest country on earth, but it stands out as a nation resisting the imperialist siege without yielding. It’s true the people face economic hardship, yet the United Socialist Government under President Maduro is working hard to meet their aspirations. In my conversations with ordinary Venezuelans, I saw clear evidence of the government’s tireless efforts to serve its people.

Question: But Venezuelan sources report a severe shortage of essential medicines. If these basic needs aren’t met, how can the people feel positively about the government?

Jeewantha Jayatissa: Yes, Venezuela faces a serious shortage of essential medicines. U.S. sanctions caused a 50% shortfall in 2016, severely affecting the population. However, Venezuela has since developed the capacity to produce 80% of its essential medicines. In March this year, pharmaceutical production grew 14.6% compared to March 2024, with over 28 million medicines distributed nationwide. By the end of 2025, growth is expected to reach 15–20%. This progress reflects the Maduro government’s push to diversify the economy beyond oil. As part of its 13-point plan to counter sanctions, the government aims to produce 100% of needed medicines domestically, reopening 22 of 23 old pharmaceutical factories with support from the state, private sector, workers, and scientists. However, all raw materials must be imported, and U.S. sanctions continue to make this a major challenge.

Question :If the Maduro government is truly working for the people, why are so many Venezuelans fleeing to the U.S. and other Western countries—where media reports say most are suffering? If the government is as popular as you claim, why are people leaving?

Jeewantha Jayatissa: That’s a complex question. I’ll respond with an example shared by Che Guevara’s daughter during my visit to Venezuela, at a conference marking the release of 252 Venezuelan youths held in a U.S. prison camp in El Salvador. She recalled how, under Fidel Castro’s government in Cuba, a smear campaign spread against a program sending Cuban children to the Soviet Union for education. Many parents were persuaded to send their children to the U.S., where those children were ultimately abused. By the time Cuban parents realized, the damage had been done. Similarly, young Venezuelans have fled to Western countries as refugees. The 252 who fled to United States caught at El Salvador suffered severe mistreatment in a U.S.-run camp, but Maduro’s government, with active intervention by the President of the Return to the Homeland Mission (Presidenta de la Misión Vuelta a la Patria) Ms. Camila Fabri, brought them home and ensured their reintegration. Since March this year, the “Gran Misión Vuelta a la Patria” operation has returned 7,170 Venezuelans, including 990 children. These are significant welfare initiatives the Western media ignores.

Question: Venezuela is rich in oil, yet remains poor. Why is that? Isn’t it still struggling to use its oil resources to achieve economic prosperity?

Jeewantha Jayatissa: Venezuela is one of the five founding members of OPEC, established in Baghdad on September 14, 1960, alongside Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. Of these, only Saudi Arabia has avoided U.S. military action—largely because it is pro-American. Iraq was invaded and devastated, Iran was attacked by Israel, and Kuwait’s sovereignty is heavily influenced by the U.S.Venezuela holds the largest proven oil reserves in OPEC—about 303 billion barrels—and has long sought to use them for national interests. Hugo Chávez reclaimed control of the country’s oil from Western powers, especially the U.S., which triggered ongoing U.S. hostility. Since then, Venezuela has faced relentless sanctions that severely hinder its oil industry.Despite this, Maduro’s government has struck a notable deal with U.S. company Chevron and continues to operate its state-owned oil firm, PDVSA, to manage resources. The full story of how Venezuela uses its oil for national benefit is complex and cannot be fully explained in a short interview.

Question: Some countries, like Libya and Iraq, collapsed after the loss of their leaders, while others, like Cuba and Iran, base their anti-imperialist struggle on more than one individual. From your presentation, Venezuela’s anti-imperialist stance seems centered on Maduro’s leadership. If Maduro were removed, would anti-imperialist Venezuela disappear from the world political map?

Jeewantha Jayatissa: That will not happen—you are completely wrong. Maduro is not a contingent political figure; he grew under the influence of Cuba’s Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, and Venezuela’s own Hugo Chávez, shaped by the philosophy of liberator Simón Bolívar. As leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela—now more than a party, but the very social spirit of the nation—his role is deeply rooted in Venezuela’s political culture.American imperialists cannot end the anti-imperialist struggle by removing Maduro. They tried to crush it by taking Hugo Chávez’s life, and many believe his death was caused by an artificially induced cancer, yet the struggle endured. In my short time in Venezuela, I saw Maduro actively carrying forward this legacy with remarkable dedication. Maduro actively engages young political leaders in large-scale socio-political initiatives, and I witnessed them successfully advancing the goals he assigns. One such figure I met was Rander Peña, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Latin American Region, who had meticulously organized the entire program we attended—beautifully executed and designed to contribute deep political insights to the world. The ideas shared by international political activists at that conference were translated into Sinhala and even praised by anti-imperialist groups in Sri Lanka. Another key figure was Camila Fabri, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for International Communication, who worked tirelessly to free 252 Venezuelan youths from U.S. detention camps in El Salvador, earning immense respect from the Venezuelan public. In this way, Maduro provides the “fertilizer and water” for the United Socialist Party of Venezuela—the tree planted by Chávez—to thrive. The party’s strength is reflected in Fidel Castro’s advice to former Bolivian President Evo Morales: “You should learn from Hugo Chávez, not from me.” This shows that the United Socialist Party of Venezuela has grown beyond a political party into a global movement.

Question: What other challenges do you believe Venezuela faces, and what suggestions would you offer to address them?

Jeewantha Jayatissa: I will not frame my thoughts as suggestions, but as observations. I am an internationalist revolutionary shaped by the Sinhala Buddhist cultural identity of Sri Lanka, and I believe it is inappropriate to judge one cultural identity through another. Once I had a chance to meet  Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez, who made an insightful remark about Sri Lanka: “Sri Lanka is a lucky country! Even Cuba suffers from urbanization, but Sri Lanka’s urban population is only about 7%. Rural people enjoy clean water, fresh air, and organic vegetables for free, while the government must provide everything for city dwellers. Ultimately, the rural people bear the burden of urban life.” Viewed through this lens, Venezuela’s urban population reached 88.44% in 2023, compared to  61.61% in 1960—a dramatic rate of urbanization (a steady upward trend, the share rose by 26.83 percentage points from 1960). The Venezuelan government appears to respect citizens’ right to live in cities, but I observed a weak public transport system between urban and rural areas. In times of crisis, city life becomes fragile: disruptions to water or electricity cause immediate chaos, and urban food stocks are limited. Resources in cities are not as abundant as in the countryside, making urban life vulnerable to disruption by imperialist forces. As Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez suggested, it would be wise for Maduro’s government to help rural people remain and rebuild their lives in the country side. Venezuela also has valuable medicinal plants like Azadirachta indica and has forests. Caracas is surrounded by mountains lush with creepers, creating an environment deeply tied to a historic people who even have representation in the legislature. However, I couldn’t find clear evidence that their traditional knowledge is being effectively integrated into modern Venezuelan progress. For example, China successfully combines traditional medicine with modern science. If Venezuela’s rural population can similarly blend ancient wisdom with scientific knowledge, it could strengthen their resilience and help safeguard the country against imperialist interference.

Interview transcript Awantha Kumaranayake