On 3 January, under cover of darkness, the US launched ground strikes on Caracas, seizing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, National Assembly deputy, Cilia Flores. It followed months of criminal airstrikes on Venezuelan and Colombian fishing boats, the imposition of a naval blockade, and the seizure of several oil tankers. The assault was an act of war. For any country to kidnap and imprison the democratically elected President of another state is a flagrant abuse of international law. This is a war for oil – in December, on his ‘Truth social’ Trump demanded Venezuela return ‘all of the oil, land and other assets’ he alleged were ‘stolen’ from the US under nationalisations in the early 2000s. This is the Monroe doctrine on steroids, a crisis, not only for the Venezuelan people, but for the peoples of Colombia, Cuba, Nicaragua and any nation that dares defy US imperialism – ‘You could be next!’
The British Labour government is complicit, backing sanctions and supporting the US regime change narrative. Instead of condemning this illegal incursion, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has legitimised it stating ‘The UK has long supported a transition of power in Venezuela. We regarded Maduro as an illegitimate President and we shed no tears about the end of his regime.’ In December, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed that US-British ‘intelligence and law enforcement frameworks’ would continue, logistically supporting the extra-judicial air strikes on fishing boats which have killed over 100 people under the phoney guise of fighting ‘narco-terrorism’. Meanwhile the Bank of England continues to illegally withhold 31 tonnes of Venezuelan gold it seized in 2019.
Contrary to all the gutter press claims of an ‘authoritarian dictator’, huge protests have erupted across Venezuela, demanding the return of their democratically elected President Maduro. The Bolivarian Revolution is committed to building socialism and independence. The Maduro government has invested oil revenues into social programmes: building five million social homes, providing free healthcare, eradicating illiteracy and creating new universities despite crippling US-led economic sanctions. Venezuela stands with Palestine, and is building real participatory democracy through the communal movement, holding four nationwide mass consultations last year. No wonder there is mass support for Maduro and the PSUV government. Over eight million are active in the people’s defence militias, ready to defend their Bolivarian revolution and defy imperialism.
With Stop the War and CND delaying any practical response till 5 January, independent forces in Britain have taken to the streets, organising a protest within hours outside the US embassy in London and around the country over the weekend. The RCG has been in the forefront, calling protests, organising open mics, coordinating with others in the British Chapter of the Anti Fascist International, forcing the topic of Venezuela in every space available to us. We need you to get involved and mobilise with us! We must demand an end to British support for the war on Venezuela, an end to British arms manufacturers profiting from this war and the lifting of all unilateral coercive measures (sanctions) against Venezuela, and the immediate return of the stolen gold. Anything less is a complete failure to fulfil our basic duties as anti-imperialists and socialists. Contact us to get involved!
Release President Maduro – No support for Machado!
No war for oil – Victory to the Bolivarian Revolution!
