‘No War on Venezuela’ protest held in Pittsburgh hours after US military strike

AUTOMAKERS ARE HOPING TO GET US ALL BACK INTO THE DRIVER’S SEAT IN THE BRAND. IN A BRAND NEW CAR. IN THE BRAND NEW YEAR, 2026 IS BRINGING SOME NEW HIGH TECH OPTIONS, AS WELL AS BRINGING BACK SOME FEATURES OUR PARENTS ENJOYED. HERE’S ABC’S DANNY NEW. YOU HEAR THAT? IN THE ERA OF CARS WITH TOUCH SCREEN INTERFACES, DO YOU EVER MISS JUST WHEN YOU COULD HIT A PHYSICAL BUTTON AND TURN ON THE RADIO? WHEN YOU’RE DRIVING, YOU LIKE TO JUST KNOW, OH, THIS IS THE A C BUTTON. NOT LOOK AT A SCREEN, BUT YOU CAN’T REALLY FEEL. YOU SEE WITH YOUR FINGERS WHEN YOU’RE DRIVING IT. SURE. ABSOLUTELY. ED KIM HERE IS THE PRESIDENT OF AUTOPACIFIC, AN AUTOMOTIVE MARKET RESEARCH AND CONSULTING FIRM. AS WE PREVIEW BIG CHANGES IN AUTOMOBILES AND TECHNOLOGY IN 2026, HE SAYS COMPANIES WILL BE RESPONDING TO CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ABOUT CARS RELIANCE ON SCREENS. THEY’RE BRINGING BACK PHYSICAL CONTROLS, YOU KNOW, REAL BUTTONS, REAL KNOBS, REAL SWITCHES BACK INTO VEHICLES. AND WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE CONTINUING EFFORT TO MAKE ELECTRIC VEHICLES SOUND A LITTLE MORE LIKE VROOM VROOM. FOR EXAMPLE, PORSCHES NEW CAYENNE ELECTRIC WILL FEATURE SOUND TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE THE CAR SOUND LIKE IT HAS A ROARING ENGINE, AND IN FACT, SPORT MODE DELIVERS BY SHARPENING THE HANDLING, POWERTRAIN RESPONSIVENESS AND ENGINE SOUND. HYBRIDS WILL ALSO START TO INCORPORATE THIS CONCEPT. MORE TO LIKE THE NEW HONDA PRELUDE SIMULATES THE SOUND AND PERFORMANCE OF AN EIGHT SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WITH GEAR CHANGES AND ALL THAT SORT OF STUFF. EVEN THOUGH THE PRELUDE ACTUALLY DOESN’T EVEN HAVE A TRANSMISSION. MEANWHILE, WE KNEW AT SOME POINT AI WOULD BE MAKING A CAMEO IN HERE. IT SAYS AUTOMAKERS LIKE RIVIAN WILL BE USING AI TO POWER THEIR SEMI-AUTONOMOUS DRIVING FEATURES IN BIG WAYS. WHILE HE SAYS TESLA’S USES MOSTLY AI AND CAMERAS FOR DETECTION, RIVIAN’S WILL ALSO INCORPORATE RADAR. AND LATER IN 2026, LIDAR LEADER IS LIKE RADAR, BUT WITH LASERS. MEANWHILE, THE ROBOTAXI SERVICE WAYMO HAS BEEN WORKING ON EXPANDING BEYOND LARGELY CALIFORNIA AND ARIZONA IN CITIES SUCH AS MIAMI, DALLAS, HOUSTON AND ORLANDO. IN NEW YORK, FOR ABC NEWS, I’M DANNY NEW. JUST AFTER NINE ON THIS SATURDAY MORNING NEWS, WEATHER AND SPORTS. EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW. START YOUR DAY. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR CONTINUES RIGHT NOW. WE CONTINUE TO FOLLOW BREAKING NEWS. THE U.S. CARRYING OUT A STRIKE IN VENEZUELA OVERNIGHT, CAPTURING ITS LEADER. WE HAVE THE LATEST WORD FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP ON THIS MILITARY OPERATION, PLUS A SHOOTING OUTSIDE OF A FUNERAL HOME LEAVES ONE MAN INJURED. NOW, STATE POLICE IN BEAVER COUNTY ARE INVESTIGATING. COMING UP, WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE VICTIM’S CONDITION AND FLU CASES ARE ON THE RISE ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND IN ALLEGHENY COUNTY, WE HAVE THE IMPACT. ONE LOCAL DOCTOR SAYS THE FLU SHOT CAN HAVE. AND WHY? IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO GET THAT VACCINE. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR THIS MORNING STARTS NOW. GOOD SATURDAY MORNING. WE HAVE A LOT TO GET TO. WE’VE GOT A COUPLE OF BREAKING NEWS STORIES WE’LL BRING TO YOU IN JUST A MOMENT. BUT FIRST, WE WANT TO GET YOU A CHECK OF YOUR CERTIFIED MOST ACCURATE FORECAST WITH METEOROLOGIST JILL SZWED. IT’S A CHILLY START TO THE WEEKEND. IT IS VERY COLD AND IT’S GOING TO STAY COLD ALL WEEKEND LONG. TEMPERATURES WON’T MAKE IT TO FREEZING UNTIL MONDAY, BUT THERE IS A LITTLE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL AS WE GET GOING INTO THE FIRST FULL WEEK OF THE NEW YEAR, BUT TEMPERATURES THIS AFTERNOON VERY SIMILAR TO YESTERDAY AS WILL ONLY MANAGE THE 20S IN MOST NEIGHBORHOODS. CERTAINLY VERY COLD OUT THERE THIS MORNING. ALONG FOR THE RIDE. ALSO A FEW FLURRIES LATER ON THIS EVENING COULD PRODUCE SOME VERY LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS, PRIMARILY OVER INTO LAUREL HIGHLANDS, BUT STILL SOME SLIPPERY SPOTS COULD DEVELOP. DOESN’T TAKE MUCH, ESPECIALLY ON ELEVATED, UNTREATED SURFACES FOR THINGS TO GET A LITTLE TOUGH, ESPECIALLY IF YOU’RE GOING TO BE HEADING OUT LATER ON TONIGHT. NEXT WEEK, THOUGH, THAT’S WHERE THINGS START TO GET A LITTLE BIT BETTER AS THINGS WILL FALL OUT, AND WE’LL ALSO BRING IN SOME RAIN CHANCES ACROSS WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA RIGHT NOW. 16 THE WIND IS CALM. THAT’S CERTAINLY IS WORKING IN OUR FAVOR ON A VERY COLD, BITTERLY COLD MORNING ACROSS WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. THE CLOUDS ARE BACK. THEY’RE GOING TO BE STICKING WITH US AS WE GO THROUGHOUT THE DAY. JUST LIKE YESTERDAY, WE COULD SEE SOME OCCASIONAL FLURRIES FLYING BY, JUST GIVEN HOW COLD IT IS WITH THE CLOUDY CONDITIONS OVERHEAD. BUT MOST OF THE FLAKES HOLD OFF UNTIL AFTER 6:00. WE’RE JUST TALKING ABOUT A DUSTING IN MOST NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE PITTSBURGH AREA, BUT AS YOU CLIMB INTO THE LAUREL HIGHLANDS THROUGH EARLY TOMORROW MORNING, YOU COULD SEE UP TO A FRESH INCH OF SOME OF THAT SNOW TEMPERATURES TRENDING CLOSER TO 30 AS WE WRAP UP THE WEEKEND. THEN HERE COMES THE THAW NEXT WEEK IN YOUR 4-DAY PLUS 4 MORE FORECAST. WE’LL TALK ABOUT THAT FAST JUMP CLOSE TO 60 BY FRIDAY. ALSO THE RAIN CHANCES ALONG FOR THE RIDE. COMING UP, PITTSBURGH’S ACTION WEATHER IN A FEW MINUTES. ALL RIGHT JOE, THANK YOU. WE WANT TO GET RIGHT OUT TO SOME BREAKING NEWS. A ROLLOVER CRASH ON THE PARKWAY EAST. THIS IS NEAR MILE MARKER 74, IN THE EASTBOUND LANE. PENNDOT SAYS ALL LANES ARE CLOSED TO TRAFFIC BETWEEN THE ON RAMP FROM BATES STREET AND THE OAKLAND INTERCHANGE AND THE SQUIRREL HILL TUNNEL, ALTHOUGH IT DOES APPEAR AS IF TRAFFIC IS MOVING THIS MORNING, ALLEGHENY COUNTY DISPATCHERS SAY THAT ONE PERSON HAD TO BE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL FROM THE SCENE. WE ARE WORKING ON GETTING YOU MORE INFORMATION, BUT AGAIN, FOLKS ARE ASKED TO AVOID THE PARKWAY EAST AS THAT IS STILL ONGOING THIS MORNING. ALSO, JUST INTO OUR NEWSROOM THIS MORNING, AT LEAST 2000 CUSTOMERS IN NEW CASTLE ARE WITHOUT POWER. THAT’S ACCORDING TO FIRSTENERGY’S OUTAGE MAP. LAWRENCE COUNTY DISPATCH CONFIRMS THIS OUTAGE WAS CAUSED BY A VEHICLE ACCIDENT IN UNION TOWNSHIP AROUND 10 P.M. LAST NIGHT. ONE DISPATCHER TOLD US POWER SHOULD BE RESTORED AROUND 9 A.M., LOCAL FIRE AND PUBLIC SAFETY CREWS SAY FOR ANYONE WITH HEAT OR OXYGEN NEEDS. GEORGE WASHINGTON SCHOOL ON ULYSSES AVENUE IS OPEN AS A WARMING CENTER, AND OXYGEN WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR THOSE IN NEED. NEW CASTLE TRANSIT IS OPERATING ITS NORMAL ROUTES. IF ANYONE NEEDS TRANSPORTATION TO THE CENTER AT 904, WE TURN NOW TO WEST MIFFLIN. WE HAVE LEARNED THE NAME OF THE WOMAN FOUND DEAD INSIDE OF A VEHICLE ALONG KENNYWOOD BOULEVARD. THE MEDICAL EXAMINER IDENTIFYING HER AS 22 YEAR OLD JAMES WILLIAMS OF WHITEHALL. THE POLICE CHIEF SAYS THE VEHICLE HAD APPARENTLY BEEN THERE SINCE NEW YEAR’S EVE. THE CHIEF TELLS US FOUL PLAY IS NOT EXPECTED, BUT HOMICIDE DETECTIVES WERE CALLED IN JUST IN CASE. IN ALIQUIPPA, BEAVER COUNTY STATE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING AFTER A MAN WAS SHOT AND INJURED YESTERDAY AFTERNOON OUTSIDE OF A FUNERAL HOME. THIS HAPPENED NEARLY ONE HOUR AFTER THE START OF A SCHEDULED CELEBRATION OF LIFE. THERE. STATE POLICE SAY THE ALIQUIPPA POLICE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO THE INCIDENT ON FRANKLIN AVENUE JUST BEFORE 2 P.M. A 23 YEAR OLD MAN WAS SHOT IN THE ARM. HE WAS TAKEN TO AN AREA HOSPITAL, BUT IS EXPECTED TO MAKE A FULL RECOVERY. AN OBITUARY POSTED ON THE PITT’S FUNERAL HOME WEBSITE SHOWS THAT A CELEBRATION OF LIFE WAS PLANNED THERE AT 1 P.M., THE FUNERAL HOME DIRECTOR DECLINED TO COMMENT. WE ARE STILL WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM ALIQUIPPA POLICE. WE TURN NOW TO NATIONAL HEADLINES AND MAJOR BREAKING NEWS DEVELOPING OVERNIGHT. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SAYS THE UNITED STATES HAS CAPTURED VENEZUELA’S PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO AND HIS WIFE. HE MADE THAT ANNOUNCEMENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA EARLIER THIS MORNING, HOURS AFTER EXPLOSIONS WERE REPORTED OVER VENEZUELA’S CAPITAL. OUR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT JACKIE DEFUSCO HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THIS VERY CLOSELY. SHE JOINS US LIVE FROM THE WHITE HOUSE THIS MORNING. JACKIE, WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THIS OPERATION SO FAR? LILY A STUNNING DEVELOPMENT OVERNIGHT AS PRESIDENT TRUMP ANNOUNCED THAT THE UNITED STATES HAD CARRIED OUT A LARGE SCALE STRIKE ON VENEZUELA, CAPTURING THE COUNTRY’S PRESIDENT, NICOLAS MADURO, AND HIS WIFE. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THAT VIDEO. WE GOT A SERIES OF EXPLOSIONS REPORTED OVER VENEZUELA IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. VENEZUELA ACCUSED THE UNITED STATES IN THOSE EARLY HOURS OF CARRYING OUT ATTACKS ON MILITARY AND CIVILIAN TARGETS IN ITS CAPITAL, CARACAS, AND OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTRY, THE GOVERNMENT SAID. SUCH AGGRESSION THREATENS INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND STABILITY, AND SAID THAT MADURO, QUOTE, ORDERED ALL NATIONAL DEFENSE PLANS TO BE IMPLEMENTED AND CALLED ON PEOPLE TO TAKE TO THE STREETS. NOW THE STRIKE MARKS A MAJOR ESCALATION IN A MONTHS LONG PRESSURE CAMPAIGN AGAINST MADURO. THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS ALSO RECENTLY SEIZED SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS OFF VENEZUELA’S COAST, ORDERED DEADLY STRIKES ON ALLEGED DRUG BOATS IN THE CARIBBEAN SEA AND OVERSEEING GENERALLY A MAJOR BUILDUP OF AMERICAN FORCES IN THE REGION. THIS MORNING, WE’RE ALSO HEARING FROM ATTORNEY GENERAL PAM BONDI, WHO SAID THAT MADURO AND HIS WIFE ARE BEING FLOWN TO THE UNITED STATES. THEY’RE GOING TO BE INDICTED AND FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES, A SERIES OF THEM RELATED TO DRUG TRAFFICKING THAT HAVE BEEN FILED IN NEW YORK STATE. AND ACCORDING TO ONE REPUBLICAN SENATOR THIS MORNING, HE SAID THAT SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO TOLD HIM HE DOES NOT ANTICIPATE FURTHER ACTION IN VENEZUELA. NOW THE MADURO IS IN AMERICAN CUSTODY, BUT WE’LL WAIT TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP ON THAT QUESTION. AND OTHERS AT A NEWS CONFERENCE THAT IS EXPECTED LATER THIS MORNING. LILY AND JACKIE, CONGRESS, ESPECIALLY DEMOCRATS, HAVE BEEN CRITICAL OF THE ADMINISTRATION FOR TAKING INCREASING MILITARY ACTION WITHOUT NOTIFYING THEM FIRST. DO WE KNOW IF ANY LAWMAKERS WERE LOOPED IN ON THIS OPERATION AHEAD OF TIME? LILY. NO. IT’S ONE OF THE BIG UNANSWERED QUESTIONS THIS MORNING. TO WHAT EXTENT, IF ANY, WAS CONGRESS CONSULTED PRIOR TO THIS OPERATION, BEFORE THIS STRIKE? AT THIS POINT, WE ARE STILL WAITING TO HEAR FROM TOP LEADERSHIP IN CONGRESS. BUT SOME OF THE EARLY REACTION ON SOCIAL MEDIA SUGGESTS THAT IT’S REALLY SPLIT ALONG PARTY LINES IN TERMS OF THE VIEWPOINT OF OF THIS ACTION, REPUBLICANS ARE PRAISING THE PRESIDENT, SAYING THAT REMOVING MADURO WILL MAKE THE HEMISPHERE SAFER, THAT THIS IS LIKELY WITHIN HIS LEGAL AUTHORITY. WHILE ONE DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN, FOR EXAMPLE, REPRESENTATIVE JIM MCGOVERN, SAID THE STRIKE HAPPENED WITHOUT APPROVAL FROM CONGRESS, HE CALLED IT UNJUSTIFIED AND ILLEGAL, LIKELY JUST A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT WE’LL HEAR FROM CAPITOL HILL IN THE COMING DAYS. AND, JACKIE, ANOTHER QUESTION, IF I MAY, IF MADURO HAS BEEN CAPTURED, WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE COUNTRY? DO WE KNOW THAT? YEAH. SO BY LAW, THE SITTING VICE PRESIDENT WOULD BE NEXT IN LINE TO TAKE POWER. IT’S NOT CLEAR IF THAT HAS OFFICIALLY HAPPENED AT THIS POINT. VERY EARLY OVERNIGHT ON SATURDAY, WE DID HEAR FROM VENEZUELA’S VICE PRESIDENT, DELCY RODRIGUEZ, WHO SAID AT THE TIME SHE DIDN’T KNOW MADURO’S WHEREABOUTS AND DEMANDED PROOF OF LIFE FROM THE UNITED STATES. OF COURSE, IT HAS BEEN SOME TIME NOW, SO WE’LL SEE HOW THAT DEVELOPS. NOW. MADURO, FOR HIS PART, HAS LONG ACCUSED THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OF SEEKING REGIME CHANGE, TRYING TO FORCE HIM FROM POWER. AND CRITICS OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S STRATEGY HAVE WARNED THAT CHAOS COULD ENSUE IF HE WAS REMOVED AND HAVE QUESTIONED WHAT IS THE STRATEGY FOR THE DAY AFTER. SO THAT REALLY IS, AGAIN, AMONG THE QUESTIONS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WILL FACE TODAY. WHAT IS NEXT FOR NOW, A STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL POSTED TODAY THAT THE SEIZURE OF MADURO MARKS A NEW DAWN FOR VENEZUELA, ADDING, QUOTE, THE TYRANT IS GONE. BACK TO YOU, JACKIE DEFUSCO LIVE AT THE WHITE HOUSE THIS MORNING FOR US. WE APPRECIATE YOUR COVERAGE THIS MORNING. OF COURSE, THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY. BE SURE TO STICK WITH US ON AIR AND ONLINE. WE ARE CONTINUING TO FOLLOW FOR NEW UPDATES. WE WILL BRING YOU THAT NEW INFORMATION JUST AS SOON AS IT BECOMES AVAILABLE. A REMINDER THE PRESIDENT IS EXPECTED TO SPEAK AT 11:00 THIS MORNING, SO WE SHOULD LEARN MORE THEN AS WELL. TEN AFTER NINE IS OUR TIME. TURNING TO SOME FOR YOUR HEALTH COVERAGE NOW. A RISE IN FLU CASES ACROSS ALLEGHENY COUNTY. THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAYS THE WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS, THERE WERE 900 REPORTED CASES. TO PUT THAT INTO PERSPECTIVE, DURING THE SAME WEEK LAST YEAR, THERE WERE 341 CASES. A LOCAL DOCTOR IS NOW EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THE FLU SHOT, AS PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR REPORTER YASMIN RODRIGUEZ EXPLAINS, IT COULD PROTECT YOU FROM HOSPITALIZATION OR EVEN DEATH. JUST A REMINDER THAT PEOPLE DO DIE FROM FLU EVERY DAY. IN FACT, HERE IN PENNSYLVANIA, 22 FLU RELATED DEATHS HAVE BEEN REPORTED FOR THE 20 2526 SEASON. IN TOTAL, A LITTLE OVER 35,000 CASES HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED SINCE THE FLU SEASON BEGAN BACK IN SEPTEMBER. AND HOSPITALIZATIONS, ACCORDING TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, ARE VERY HIGH. 552 ADULTS AND 142 CHILDREN HAVE BEEN HOSPITALIZED, AND IT’S STILL NOT TOO LATE TO GET THAT VACCINE. FLU SEASON LASTS UNTIL MARCH. IT IS NOT. IT TAKES ABOUT TWO WEEKS FOR THE FLU SHOT TO FULLY KICK IN AND PROVIDE THE MAXIMUM BENEFIT. DOCTOR CRAWFORD FOX SAYS THIS SEASON SHE’S NOTICED NOT AS MANY PEOPLE ARE GETTING THEIR FLU VACCINE. I THINK THERE’S CONTINUING TO BE SOME SKEPTICISM, WHICH IS TOO BAD BECAUSE WE ARE SEEING THE RESULT OF THAT. PEOPLE SAY, WELL, I’VE NEVER GOTTEN A FLU SHOT AND I’VE NEVER GOTTEN THE FLU. AND I SAY, TERRIFIC, YOU’VE BEEN VERY LUCKY. THAT’S GREAT. WE STILL GET OUR BRAKES CHECKED, EVEN THOUGH MOST OF THE TIME WE DON’T GET IN A CAR ACCIDENT AND REMINDING PEOPLE OF THE SIMPLE YET FOOLPROOF WAYS TO KEEP YOURSELF PROTECTED FROM THE FLU. WASH YOUR HANDS. DON’T TOUCH YOUR FACE. SNEEZE INTO YOUR ELBOW, NOT INTO YOUR HANDS. AND IF YOU’RE IN A CROWDED PLACE, IF YOU’RE TRAVELING, YOU MIGHT WANT TO BRING OUT THOSE THOSE FACE MASKS.

‘No War on Venezuela’ protest held in Pittsburgh hours after US military strike

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Updated: 4:46 PM EST Jan 3, 2026

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Participants gathered in Pittsburgh’s East Liberty neighborhood Saturday afternoon to voice opposition against the United States’ strike on Venezuela. VIDEO: Top stories on Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 Over 100 people participated in the “No War on Venezuela” protest, which was held at the corner of South Highland Avenue and Penn Avenue — outside the East Liberty Presbyterian Church — at 3 p.m. Answer Coalition, organizer of the demonstrations held nationwide, said on its website that U.S. citizens do not want to go into another war, saying, “This war is not about drug trafficking, it is not about democracy — it is about stealing Venezuela’s oil and dominating Latin America. It is an outrageous escalation in a campaign of murder in international waters and piracy targeting civilian ships trading with Venezuela.”In a release sent before the protest, the organization said, “The U.S. government has no right to kidnap the president of another country. This is another criminal act by Trump. He has murdered fishermen, stolen tankers full of oil, and has now invaded Venezuela and kidnapped the country’s head of state. We demand that these acts of war end immediately.”The nationwide protests come hours after the United States captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and flew him out of the country in a military operation early Saturday that plucked a sitting leader from office.During a news conference held Saturday afternoon, President Trump said the U.S. government would run the country, at least temporarily, and would tap Venezuela’s vast oil reserves to sell “large amounts” to other countries. VIEW OUR PREVIOUS COVERAGE: The Associated Press contributed to this article.

PITTSBURGH —

Participants gathered in Pittsburgh’s East Liberty neighborhood Saturday afternoon to voice opposition against the United States’ strike on Venezuela.

VIDEO: Top stories on Pittsburgh’s Action News 4

Over 100 people participated in the “No War on Venezuela” protest, which was held at the corner of South Highland Avenue and Penn Avenue — outside the East Liberty Presbyterian Church — at 3 p.m.

Answer Coalition, organizer of the demonstrations held nationwide, said on its website that U.S. citizens do not want to go into another war, saying, “This war is not about drug trafficking, it is not about democracy — it is about stealing Venezuela’s oil and dominating Latin America. It is an outrageous escalation in a campaign of murder in international waters and piracy targeting civilian ships trading with Venezuela.”

In a release sent before the protest, the organization said, “The U.S. government has no right to kidnap the president of another country. This is another criminal act by Trump. He has murdered fishermen, stolen tankers full of oil, and has now invaded Venezuela and kidnapped the country’s head of state. We demand that these acts of war end immediately.”

The nationwide protests come hours after the United States captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and flew him out of the country in a military operation early Saturday that plucked a sitting leader from office.

During a news conference held Saturday afternoon, President Trump said the U.S. government would run the country, at least temporarily, and would tap Venezuela’s vast oil reserves to sell “large amounts” to other countries.

VIEW OUR PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

The Associated Press contributed to this article.