Venezuela calls for 'symbolic' social media action after Trump post

Tensions flared on Tuesday after President Donald Trump shared an AI-altered image of himself in the Oval Office, featuring a map where Venezuela, Canada, and Greenland were covered by the American flag. In response to what it called a violation of its "territorial integrity," Caracas called on all Venezuelans to post the nation's full map online.

World
Reuters
Published Date: 12:09 | 21 January 2026

Venezuela's government on Tuesday called on citizens to post its official map on social media as a "symbolic action" ⁠after U.S. President Donald Trump posted an altered image showing U.S. flags over Venezuela, as well as Canada and Greenland.

The image, ‍posted on Trump's Truth Social just before 1 a.m. Eastern Time (0600 GMT), shows an altered version of an ‌August 2025 photo of European leaders in ‍the Oval Office with Trump, with the original map replaced with one showing U.S. flags over Venezuela and much of North America.

The photo includes images of Britain's Keir Starmer, Italy's Giorgia Meloni, France's Emmanuel Macron and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen - even as Trump himself and other world leaders traveled to Davos for the World Economic Forum.

"In light of this situation, the Venezuelan State calls on all citizens to take symbolic action in unity, ⁠with the aim of defending territorial integrity and countering misinformation," Venezuela's government said in a statement.

It urged its population to post on social media its official map of Venezuela, which includes Esequibo - some two-thirds of neighboring Guyana that is claimed by Venezuela, though this is not recognized by any major country or by the U.N.

Since the U.S. attack on Caracas on ‌January 3, when it captured President Nicolas Maduro, the Trump administration has said it plans to "run" Venezuela and that it is cooperating with Maduro's vice-president and interim successor, Delcy Rodriguez. While decrying the attack at home, which Venezuelan ‍authorities say killed 100 people, Rodriguez has said she plans to pursue diplomatic channels with the U.S. She also ‍agreed to a ‍deal under which Venezuelan oil revenues are channeled ⁠to U.S.-controlled bank accounts.

Canada's prime minister's office ‍did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Speaking in Copenhagen on Tuesday, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she would not abandon Greenland and as Trump has not ruled out use of the military, ⁠she would not ‌rule it out either.

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