WATCH: AOC lampooned for claiming Venezuela is below equator

February 16, 2026

From the New York Post: Far-left New York City Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is being widely mocked for erroneously claiming that Venezuela is “below the equator” while trying to show off her foreign-policy chops in Germany.

Venezuela sits just above the equator, but that didn’t stop the Democratic socialist — who majored in international relations at Boston University — from making the embarrassing gaffe while speaking at a Technical University of Berlin panel Sunday.

“[Nicolas] Maduro canceled elections. He was an anti-democratic leader,” Ocasio-Cortez said, describing the Venezuela elections that took place under the Maduro regime and which many international organizations have said were rigged.

“That doesn’t mean that we can kidnap a head of state and engage in acts of war just because the nation is below the equator,” AOC said, referring to the Trump administration’s capture of the ruthless dictator last month and its attacks on suspected drug boats in the region.

The Democrat Socialist is being blasted on social media for her embarrassing flop on the world stage, and not even knowing where Venezuela is located on the map.

AOC pontificates that we can’t just capture the leaders of nations like Venezuela because they are below the equator.

Venezuela is not below the equator. pic.twitter.com/qadcI93rrP

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) February 16, 2026

Hey Dummy, Venezuela is, in fact, NOT below the equator.

The more you know, @AOC. pic.twitter.com/xBXMSb18fC

— Steven Crowder (@scrowder) February 16, 2026

Venezuela is fully North of the Equator @AOC https://t.co/bKqYQT1o8t pic.twitter.com/HllxQfHIOP

— Daniel Di Martino 🇺🇸🇻🇪 (@DanielDiMartino) February 16, 2026