February 23: Global Day of Action to Stop U.S. War, Mobilize Solidarity with Venezuela
In just a week’s time, more than 1100 people from more than 15 countries, and over 110 organizations across the world have added their name to a statement and global call to action for protests on the weekend of February 23 to say: No sanctions, no coup, no U.S. war on Venezuela!
Additionally, the statement and call to action have been translated into a dozen languages.
The statement is posted in full below. Add your name and see the full list of signers, translations, and more info by heading to the NoWaronVenezuela.org website.
Actions are being planned for that day, and the days immediately before and after. An initial listing of actions can be found on the website. www.NoWarOnVenezuela.org/
As the U.S. government, Democrats and Republicans, the corporate media, and their international allies ramp up the campaign to intervene in Venezuela – economically, politically, and even militarily – now is a critical time to redouble our efforts to mobilize the broadest possible solidarity in the streets on February 23.
Now is an urgent time to mobilize as much solidarity with the people of Venezuela as they come under greater threat by Wall Street, the Pentagon, the U.S. and its allies. Actions of all kinds are needed on February 23 to send a strong message of solidarity and oppose the U.S. drive to war against Venezuela. Please strongly consider how you can participate in this critical global day of action on February 23.
No U.S. War on Venezuela!
Support international actions on the weekend of Saturday, February 23 – the one month anniversary of U.S. attempted coup.
We cannot be silent in the face of the latest U.S. aggression against the Venezuelan people. Nicolás Maduro is the president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, chosen twice by the people as part of an internationally observed electoral process. Since the 1998 election of Hugo Chávez, the United States has been relentless in its pursuit of regime change in Venezuela. With Donald Trump in the White House, these efforts have escalated to threats of all-out military violence, the plundering of billions of dollars in wealth from the Venezuelan people and pushing a multitude of outrageous lies in the global media.
For hundreds of years, the U.S. has waged war against the people of the world through coups, invasions, and economic warfare. Juan Guaidó is a U.S. puppet. He is not a representative of the Venezuelan masses. The idea that a person can swear themselves in as president at a rally in the interest of “defending democracy” is laughable. The right-wing in Venezuela claim the Bolivarian elections are rigged because they refuse to participate in them. Instead, they engage in voter intimidation using violence reminiscent of Jim Crow terrorism against African-Americans in the Deep U.S. South.
U.S.-led sanctions and currency manipulation are responsible for the suffering in Venezuela. Marco Rubio and right-wing media guide the Venezuelan opposition from Miami. The U.S. cannot stand for any country on the planet to enjoy its natural wealth or the fruits of its labor independent of Wall Street and the Pentagon. Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves in the world and is rich in gold and other mineral wealth. Iraq war architect John Bolton said that regime change in Venezuela would be a tremendous opportunity to gain more profits for Wall Street. We believe him.
Since the Bolivarian Revolution in 1998, massive strides have been taken to uplift the working class, Afro-Venezuelans and Indigenous populations in Venezuela. The working poor have made tremendous gains because the government implemented policies and passed laws to fight racism, sexism, homophobia and economic inequality. Despite sanctions and sabotage, Venezuela has maintained a transparent and democratic system through many elections. Venezuela provides aid to struggling people worldwide through subsidized fuel and by leading the way with progressive labor laws. Their gains are part of the global struggle waged by workers and the oppressed against the wealthiest and most powerful capitalists on the planet.
Therefore, we demand:
-
The U.S. immediately cease all hostile actions against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela — lift all sanctions, stop backing a coup, cease efforts to destroy the Venezuelan economy and respect the right of the Venezuelan people to self-determination.
-
All countries involved in the plunder of Venezuelan wealth immediately return what they have stolen to the democratically elected government of Venezuela and its people.
-
Wall Street must immediately pay reparations to the Venezuelan people for their suffering under genocidal sanctions and currency manipulation.
In the internationalist and liberatory spirit of Simón Bolívar, we pledge to mobilize and fight on the side of Venezuela’s right to sovereignty, understanding that the gains won under the Bolivarian Revolution are gains for all the world’s workers and oppressed.