Venezuela

On Venezuela

Thursday 28 February 2019, by PSol

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1. The self-proclamation of the right-wing Juan Guaidó as president of Venezuela, in a coup d’état led by Trump, to pave the way for direct intervention in the neighboring country, placed Latin America as a center of tension in the global situation. By directly operating this policy, U.S. imperialism once again acts in its supposed "backyard. This change in U.S. policy was made possible by the success of Bolsonaro in Brazil and Duque in Colombia. Without these fundamental supports, the situation would be different.

2- After countless failed attempts at imperialist interventions in Venezuela last year, the Trump government strengthened a criminal economic boycott, which only further penalizes the Venezuelan people who have been living through an economic, political and social crisis for some years. The growth of the migratory movement, the violent street demonstrations (“guarimbas”) like those that took place in 2016-2017 and the election of extreme right-wing governments in South America, have put the United States in a new offensive against the country.

3- The inauguration of Nicolás Maduro on January 10, 2019, a few days after Bolsonaro came to power in Brasilia, strengthened the U.S. plan to support Venezuelan right-wing groups, such as the Mesa de Unidad Democrática (MUD), without recognizing the president-elect. In this context, the president of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Juan Guaidó (Popular Will), proclaimed himself president of Venezuela on January 23. He was immediately recognized by the governments of Donald Trump (USA), Ivan Duque (Colombia) and Jair Bolsonaro (Brazil), as well as by the governments of Paraguay, Peru, Canada, Ecuador, Chile, Argentina and the European Union.

4- The threat of military intervention makes it clear that what is underway is neither an operation in “defense of democracy” nor a “humanitarian” military action with the approval of the UN Security Council, as the government of the United States and the “Lima Group” would have us believe. The “defense of democracy” is contradictory to the imposition of an unelected president and the call for “military rebellion,” as well as the economic sanctions imposed on Venezuela are contradictory to “humanitarian aid”0. As a puppet of the U.S. government, the Colombian and Brazilian troops are heading to the Venezuelan border this Saturday, February 23, to bring supposed “humanitarian aid,” but with the clear objective of provoking a conflict, what is really underway is the attempt for an external military intervention combined with a coup d’état from within, with the objective of regaining control of the country.

5- The real objective of the United States, in line with the right-wing opposition, is to appropriate the wealth of Venezuela and restore neoliberalism in the country, imposing a harsh defeat, bloody if necessary, on the struggle of the Venezuelan people who insist on deciding their own destiny. One cannot forget that Venezuela has the largest oil deposits on the planet, even surpassing Saudi Arabia. While Saudi Arabia has 267,000 million barrels of oil reserves (15.7% of the world total), Venezuela has 298,300 million barrels (17.5% participation). Undoubtedly, a victorious intervention in Venezuela will pave the way for new setbacks throughout Latin America, directly and definitively subordinating our continent to the interests of the United States. At the same time, it will mean the strengthening of reactionary and authoritarian governments that are committed to attacking the social movements and the most exploited and oppressed sectors of society.

6- Faced with this, the PSOL opposes any foreign interference in Venezuelan affairs. We are absolutely against the interference of the Bolsonaro government in Venezuelan affairs and any political or military aggression against the sovereignty of Venezuela. At the same time, we reject the economic sanctions imposed by the United States and its partners on the brother country, as well as a possible foreign military intervention or even a military coup.

7- Faced with the very serious situation in Venezuela, it is urgent that the Latin American peoples unite in solidarity with the Venezuelan people and demand that the governments of the region reject any agreement with Donald Trump, whether it be rejecting the farce of the “humanitarian aid” campaign, the rhetoric of “defense of democracy,” or any assignment of military territories, bases or operations that imply war measures against Venezuela. We reject any solution or overcoming of the crisis that poses a threat to peace or that is outside the democratic and constitutional framework of Venezuela.

8- Finally, we call upon all democratic and left-wing organizations and social movements in the region to form committees in defense of Venezuelan sovereignty and solidarity with the people of Simón Bolívar, the “Liberator”.

P.S.

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