During a rally on Saturday, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro surprised the crowd by breaking into song, choosing John Lennon’s iconic “Imagine” to convey a message of peace. This move comes amidst increased U.S. military presence near Venezuela’s coastline, intended to combat drug trafficking, according to the Trump administration.

As reported by The Associated Press, Maduro paid tribute to Lennon, hailing him as a poet and musician who bestowed a “gift to humanity.” He encouraged young individuals to explore the song’s lyrics, referring to it as a timeless anthem for all generations.

Captured on video, Maduro paused his speech to reminisce about Lennon’s song, singing a few lines before delving into its significance.

“What a beautiful song,” he remarked, as translated. “The lyrics—young people, look them up. It’s an inspiration for all times. John Lennon left this anthem for every era and generation as a gift to humanity. Long live the eternal memory of that great poet and musician, John Lennon.”

During a rally in Caracas on November 15, 2025, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro sang John Lennon’s “Imagine,” promoting peace amidst growing U.S. military pressure. (The Associated Press)

Maduro’s call for peace arrives at a time of heightened tension with Washington, as U.S. warships continue to patrol the Caribbean waters near Venezuela.

The Trump administration says the operation is part of a broader effort to fight drug trafficking, while Maduro has denounced it as aggression meant to weaken his government.

The USS Gerald R. Ford, the nation’s most advanced aircraft carrier, entered the Caribbean Sea on Sunday, the AP reported.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro spoke about peace during the event in Caracas on Nov. 15, 2025. (The Associated Press)

The Pentagon said last month the carrier’s arrival, with more than 4,000 sailors and dozens of tactical aircraft, would “bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities.” It added that the mission aims to “degrade and dismantle transnational criminal organizations.”

Venezuela has also deployed troops and begun amassing weapons and equipment in response to the Trump administration’s deployment of U.S. warships in the Caribbean.

The buildup, which the government calls “prolonged resistance,” involves small units at more than 280 sites carrying out sabotage and guerrilla tactics, according to sources and several-year-old planning documents reviewed by Reuters.

Sailors aboard the world’s largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford, launch a F/A-18E Super Hornet attached to Strike Fighter Squadron 31 from the flight deck, Sept. 26, 2025. (Mariano Lopez)

Maduro has accused the Trump administration of trying to oust him and pledged that Venezuelans will defend their country from what he calls U.S. aggression.

Meanwhile, the administration has ordered strikes targeting suspected drug-running vessels in the Caribbean to stem the flow of narcotics into the United States.

President Donald Trump has even floated the possibility of ground operations in Venezuela, saying “the land is going to be next.”