International humanitarian lawyer Njahira Gitahi says Venezuela’s political system is built on a people-led democracy that prioritizes peace, collective responsibility, and engagement with the international community rather than retaliation, even in the face of what she describes as prolonged US aggression.
Speaking in an interview on Radio Generation, Gitahi explained that the country practices what it calls a “people-led protagonist democracy,” where citizens take personal responsibility for safeguarding democratic values.
“Everybody takes personal responsibility for the democracy,” she said, adding that Venezuela, like many socialist countries, is “not trying to fight with anyone” and is “actually a very peaceful people.”
She pointed to Venezuela’s humanitarian actions as evidence of this stance, noting that despite decades of strained relations with Washington, the country still assisted the United States during Hurricane Katrina.
“Even after being absolutely targeted by America for decades, Venezuela still went ahead and helped Americans during Hurricane Katrina,” Gitahi said. “So you would be able to understand why they would say something like, ‘we’re willing to work with America to promote peace.’”
According to Gitahi, Venezuelans want positive outcomes and stability, not war. “They do not want to go to war with anyone, if anything. They want America to behave and to leave them alone,” she said, adding that the public understands why leaders avoid an aggressive response. “You do not fight aggression with aggression… because then it becomes all-out war.”
Gitahi argued that Venezuela’s primary option remains international legal mechanisms, even though their impact is limited.
She cited Nicaragua’s case against the United States at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), where the court ruled against U.S. actions but could not enforce compliance.
“That’s the most that you can do in a situation like this,” she said, noting that powerful states often evade accountability.
She also referenced South Africa’s recent case against Israel at the ICJ over Gaza. While the court ruled that the actions “could be defined as a genocide” and the International Criminal Court later issued an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Gitahi said events on the ground showed the limits of enforcement.
“That’s the extent of what can be done,” she said, highlighting what she described as structural weaknesses in global justice systems.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores had on Monday pleaded not guilty to charges of narco-terrorism following their capture by United States on Saturday in a "large-scale" strike against Venezuela.
Maduro, 63, pleaded not guilty in New York federal court to four criminal counts that include narco-terrorism, cocaine importation conspiracy, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices.
"I am innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man. I am still president of my country," Maduro said through an interpreter, before being cut off by U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein. The next court date was set for March 17.
