On the Assassination of Feminist Leader Yanar Mohammed
Yanar Mohammed – one of the most formidable feminist leaders of her generation – was assassinated in her home in Baghdad in what appears to have been a targeted militia attack.
January 5, 2026
The Trump Administration’s military attack on Venezuela, kidnapping of Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, and announced plans to “run” that country are all stark violations of international and US law.
We assert that the path to holding Maduro – or any head of state – accountable to human rights and democratic principles lies through rule of law and organized popular pressure, not through military attacks and illegal regime change.
The underlying motivations for US foreign policy actions have been laid bare: Trump seeks to extract resources and propel US regional control through violence. Reports indicate that, even as he kept Congress in the dark about his plans to attack Venezuela, Trump alerted oil executives in advance, to prepare them for their role in a new era of resource extraction.
In recent days, Trump has also continued his threats against other countries in the region, including Colombia, Cuba and Mexico – suggesting his intention to build on this precedent of illegal regime change. The US has a long, ugly history of military and imperial intervention in Latin America and beyond, thwarting people’s human rights and agency in order to advance the political and economic interests of US elites.
MADRE has long partnered with local organizations grappling with the consequences of such US actions, which often unfold for generations. The overthrow of Guatemala’s president led to decades of civil war, and billions of dollars of military aid to Colombia fueled violence without stemming the drug trade. More recently, in Iraq and Afghanistan, regime change led by the US military unleashed decades of turmoil and human rights crises. In each case, as communities are threatened, local women’s organizations rally to meet urgent needs and demand justice.
Local people’s organizing will be essential in Venezuela as well, as the country navigates this uncertain moment. What is certain is that the US has no right to decide Venezuela’s leadership and future, as that right belongs exclusively to its people. We stand with our partners across the region – grassroots feminists committed to genuine democracy in Venezuela and freedom from US domination.
On the Assassination of Feminist Leader Yanar Mohammed
Yanar Mohammed – one of the most formidable feminist leaders of her generation – was assassinated in her home in Baghdad in what appears to have been a targeted militia attack.