Maduro taunts Trump as U.S.-Venezuela war looms; ‘I’m more famous in America than Taylor Swift…’

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro reacted with humor and defiance to intense US media coverage and fresh threats from Washington, joking that he’s “more famous than Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny” in the United States as outlets like Fox News and CNN highlight his leadership amid the Venezuela-US standoff. Amidst mounting US military buildup in the Caribbean and President Trump’s authorization of CIA covert actions and maritime strikes, Maduro mocked his status as an “imperial villain,” riffed about recording an album to fund social projects, and poked fun at pop culture, referencing Shakira. Maduro reaffirmed the resilience of Venezuela’s Bolivarian movement and vowed to withstand all attempts at regime change as his government still faces heavy external pressure and internal economic hardship.