Senator Imee Marcos drew a personal comparison between the United States’ recent capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and her family’s experience after the martial law era.

In a press briefing on Wednesday, Marcos said the US has a history of intervening in the internal affairs of other countries.

“It is personal to me because it reminds me of what happened to us in 1986. My father believed we were really kidnapped when we were taken to Anderson Air Base in Guam and to Hickam Air Base in Honolulu. So I’m really scared because this feels personal to me,” she said.

She was quick to clarify her stance on Maduro, however, saying, “I will be the last person to defend Maduro.”

Marcos was recalling the aftermath of the EDSA People Power Revolution in February 1986 when the Marcos family — including herself, her brother, now President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and her late father, then President Ferdinand E. Marcos — were evacuated to Hawaii on US Air Force planes.

Strengthening Phl alliances

As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Imee emphasized the need to strengthen the country’s defense and broaden its foreign policy.

“This is a very, very dangerous time. We have to be agile and open to discussion, debate, and dialogue with our defense partners as well as our allies and neighbors in Asia,” she said.

“I think we have to broaden and expand our foreign policy to include what has occurred,” she added.

The senator’s remarks came after Maduro appeared in a New York court on Monday and pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking and other charges, two days after US forces captured him in a raid on his Caracas home.

Over the weekend, President Donald Trump said the US would now “run” Venezuela until it transitions to a new government.