By Daniela Ortiz, Gisela Cernadas   Current developments in Venezuela may appear to be unfathomable—until one recalls the long history of imperialist interference in Latin America and the Caribbean. The events of the first week of January constitute an escalation of a long-standing campaign to overthrow the Bolivarian Revolution and resume control on the country with the largest known oil reserves in the world. The emerging world order and the strengthening of international organisations non-aligned with the interests of the United States (US) rush the US to increase the pressure on the Latin American region.

By Nazifa Jannat*   On January 3, 2026, the international community was stunned by the announcement that the United States, under President Donald Trump, had carried out a military operation leading to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The intervention, which included air strikes in and around Caracas, has triggered serious concerns about the legality of the action, the motives behind it, and the implications for global sovereignty. It also raises difficult questions for smaller states, including Bangladesh, about how to safeguard their independence amid rapidly shifting geopolitical power.

By Raqif Makhdoomi*  There was a time when the United States claimed to “attack” countries to ensure democracy. Many believed it, until it became clear that democracy was never the real concern—oil was. In pursuit of oil, the United States has intervened militarily across the globe, yet no one calls it a terrorist nation.

By Harsh Thakor*  Vasily Ivanovich Chuikov, senior Soviet military commander whose career spanned the Russian Civil War, the interwar period, and the Second World War, played a significant role in the Soviet Union’s military history during the Second World War, particularly during the Battle of Stalingrad. When he assumed command of the 62nd Army in September 1942, the city was largely destroyed and the Soviet position was precarious. Under his leadership, the army maintained its defence against sustained German assaults, contributing to a turning point in the conflict on the Eastern Front.

By Rajiv Shah  A few days ago, I received an email alert from a veteran human rights leader who has fought many battles in Gujarat for the Dalit cause — both through ground-level campaigns and courtroom struggles. The alert, sent in Gujarati by Valjibhai Patel, who heads the Council for Social Justice, stated: “In 1935, Babasaheb Ambedkar burnt the Manusmriti . In 1972, we broke the idol of Krishna , whom we regarded as the creator of the varna (caste) system.”

By Ram Puniyani*  The Indian Constitution emerged from the values nurtured during the freedom struggle. Drafted by a broadly representative Constituent Assembly, it lays down the guiding principles of national life—Liberty, Equality, Fraternity and Social Justice.

By Vijay Prashad, Carlos Ron  On the early morning of January 3, the United States government launched a massive attack on Caracas, Venezuela, and three of the country’s states. Roughly 150 aircraft swarmed the skies, bombing with exceptional ferocity.

By A Representative   The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) has condemned the United States’ military intervention in Venezuela and called on the Indian government to take a firmer public position against what it described as a “brazen violation of sovereignty”. In a statement, the organisation accused the US administration of carrying out an illegal assault that resulted in civilian deaths and the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, asserting that governance of the South American nation “must lie only with its people”.

By Neha Desai*  In a development that carries implications for India’s global human rights reputation, the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) has recommended lowering the accreditation status of the National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRCI) from “A” to “B.”