During a rally on Saturday, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro unexpectedly serenaded the crowd with John Lennon’s iconic anthem “Imagine,” using the moment to advocate for peace. This comes as the U.S. intensifies its military presence near Venezuela, citing efforts to combat drug trafficking.

Maduro, drawing inspiration from Lennon, described the legendary Beatle as both a poet and a musician who bestowed a timeless “gift to humanity.” He encouraged the younger generation to explore the song’s lyrics, highlighting its enduring significance as a universal anthem.

In a video from the event, Maduro interrupted his speech to sing a few verses of “Imagine,” subsequently pondering its profound message.

“What a beautiful song,” Maduro remarked, urging young people to delve into the lyrics. “It’s an inspiration for all times. An anthem spanning all eras and generations that John Lennon has left as a gift to humanity. Long live the eternal memory of that great poet and musician, John Lennon.”

At the rally in Caracas on November 15, 2025, President Nicolás Maduro’s rendition of “Imagine” served as a poignant call for peace amidst escalating U.S. military pressures, as reported by The Associated Press.

Maduro’s appeal for peace came as tensions with Washington escalate, with U.S. warships patrolling 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.”