«After Oil»: Allende’s Grandson Draws Parallels Between U.S. Aggression in Venezuela and the 1973 Coup

In an interview with Prensa Latina, Pablo Sepúlveda Allende, a doctor and grandson of President Salvador Allende, drew a direct line between the historical U.S. intervention in Latin America and the recent military attacks on Venezuela, highlighting the control of natural resources as the common thread.

The Citizen

05/01/2026 1:49pm

Original article: “Van por el petróleo”: nieto de Allende compara la agresión a Venezuela con el golpe del 73

Pablo Sepúlveda Allende, grandson of former President Salvador Allende, condemned the recent military aggression against Venezuela, which included the kidnapping of its president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife Cilia Flores, stating it signifies «a continuation of U.S. policies to destabilize governments, similar to what happened in 1973 in Chile.»

In an interview with Prensa Latina, the medical doctor warned that Washington’s intentions are not rooted in democracy or combating drug trafficking, but rather in seizing the world’s largest oil reserves.

He based his analysis on the recent National Security Strategy from the White House, which, he believes, aims to revive the Monroe Doctrine of «America for Americans,» envisioning the region as Washington’s backyard.

«Latin America is rich in natural resources. The United States aims to remove investments from China and other powers because they want everything for themselves,» he asserted.

Historical Parallel: From Chilean Copper to Venezuelan Oil

Allende, who is also a physician, drew parallels between the economic measures against Venezuela and those that preceded the coup in Chile against his grandfather, which led to Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship.

He recalled, «The fundamental cause of the 1973 coup against Salvador Allende’s government was the nationalization of copper, which was a strategic mineral and the primary reserve.»

He warned that a similar pattern is emerging, noting that Washington has blocked the Caribbean country’s energy sector, stripped it of its assets, including Citgo, and recently confiscated oil tankers.

For Sepúlveda, these sanctions aimed at collapsing Venezuela echo the sinister policies declared against Chile five decades ago, reminiscent of President Richard Nixon’s declaration to «make the Chilean economy scream» to create a situation that would lead to the coup and the assassination of President Allende.

A Warning for the Present and Future

The doctor, who spent eleven years in Venezuela, issued a warning to the entire region, including Chile, noting that the country, with its significant lithium and gold reserves, could be vulnerable to similar intervention from Washington.

In the interview with Prensa Latina, he highlighted the achievements of the Bolivarian Revolution since Hugo Chávez’s rise to power and the subsequent continuity with Nicolás Maduro, which include the redistribution of natural wealth among the people as well as the creation of ALBA, UNASUR, and CELAC, bodies that fostered a process of integration so that Latin America could speak with a unified voice, which angered the United States.

Sepúlveda Allende called for regional unity to counter what he views as an impending escalation.

He stated that if countries in the area do not halt American aggression against Venezuela, they will continue to be targeted, including Colombia and any nations that do not comply with U.S. directives.

In closing, he quoted the prophetic words of Liberator Simón Bolívar: «The United States appears destined by Providence to plague America with misery in the name of freedom.»