WILPF US calls on our WILPF members and all peace-loving people to demand that the US stop intervention in Venezuela and the region and respect the sovereign rights of the Venezuelan people to determine their own future.
The US intervention in Venezuela is about oil and US control. US National Security Advisor, John Bolton, has made no secret about the economic benefits to US oil companies if these companies could invest in and produce Venezuelan oil. US sanctions on Venezuela -- initially imposed in 2011, after the election of Hugo Chávez, and recently expanded -- have created a humanitarian crisis for the Venezuelan people, in part by blocking the Venezuelan government from collecting billions of dollars owed for oil.
On February 18, in honor of President's Day, President Donald Trump beat the war drums in Florida to garner support for his strategy for regime change in Venezuela. Joining Trump was Florida Senator Marco Rubio, key strategist for Cuba and Latin America policy. Rubio just returned from Columbia, where the US prepares to invoke a violent clash at the border of Venezuela and Columbia by politicizing humanitarian aid. With opposition forces along side, the US is threatening to bring aid into Venezuela, but the United Nations has rejected this US politicization of humanitarian aid.
The February 18 speech is reminiscent of the decades-old unsuccessful Cold War strategy that was used against China and Russia. This speech linked Venezuela with Cuba and Nicaragua, stating that Venezuelan President Maduro is "a man controlled by the Cuban military and protected by a private army of Cuban soldiers....He is a Cuban puppet." Trump went on to state that, "The days of socialism are numbered not only in Venezuela, but in Nicaragua and Cuba, as well."
Reiterating US government support for Juan
Guaid
ó
, the Venezuelan National Assembly President who in January proclaimed himself President of Venezuela, Trump also called on the Venezuelan military to withdraw their support of President Nicolas Maduro, elected in 2018. Trump threatened that, should they continue their support, "you will find no safe harbor, no easy exit, and no way out. You will lose everything."
However, the Venezuelan military, the Venezuelan people, and people all over the world have stood up and said, "Hands off of Venezuela!"
We call on our WILPF members to join in this call and to demand that the US seek peaceful means to resolve the economic and political crisis in Venezuela. We urge WILPF US member to call on the US government to accept the offers of the governments of Bolivia, Mexico, Uruguay and of the Pope for assistance in seeking a peaceful solution.
We also call for an end to all sanctions against Venezuela; these sanctions are a key factor creating the economic and humanitarian crisis in the country.
WILPF US encourages you to participate in and mobilize your branches to attend the local and national actions taking place in the next month (see below). Additionally, contact your congressional representative to let them know that you do not support the Trump administration's policy towards Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba.
February 23, 2019 - Global solidarity actions with Venezuela against US military interventions in Venezuela in 70+ cities on the one-month anniversary of the attempted US right-wing coup. Go to
www.nowaronvenezuela.org
for information on individual cities participating in the national day of action
March 16, 2019 at 12:00 pm at the White House, Washington, D.C. -
National March on Washington: Hands off Venezuela! No coup, no sanctions, no new US War!
For more resources please go to:
