Resist imperialist intervention: Workers, communards, people march in Venezuela

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People from different occupations in Venezuela held demonstration and solidarity marches to oppose imperialist intervention in their country. The people organizing and participating in these marches included oil workers, dairy workers, transport workers, Afro groups, communards – members of communes, teachers and students from universities. Members of trade unions, grassroots level organizations, social movements, Popular Defence Brigades and the National Bolivarian Militia also organized huge demonstration marches. These marches were held in all the states of Venezuela, and in the capital city – Caracas.

However, news of these people’s marches are not reported in the mainstream world media. It is impossible to find out news of these anti-imperialist marches in the MSM although the MSM propagate its credibility and neutrality.

People joining these marches raised voices opposing and denouncing imperialism-led coup to overthrow the democratic elected government in the country.

Chavistas marched in all the states of Venezuela including Barinas state, Carabobo state, Cojedes state, Lara state, Miranda state, Vargas state, Yaracuy state.

Communist Party

Venezuela’s Communist Party (PCV) held a number of press conferences since January 23, rejecting US meddling.

The Communist Party said:

“PCV condemns the coup d’état from imperialism and the right wing.”

“We want to salute the international solidarity of all of the communist and worker parties who have deployed themselves in actions and messages for the Venezuelan people.”

Tupamaro Party

The Tupamaro party expressed its stand in defense of national sovereignty. The party also expressed its stand against the threats of direct military action in Venezuela.

The party said:

“US interventionism is itself a reference point for arbitrary invasions by the US across the world.”

“Colonialism and imperialism are a consequence of large capital, denominated as imperialism and as an active expansion of the potential which a capitalist economy develops. This expansion looks to dominate our territory both politically and militarily.”

Tupamaro leader Jose Pinto also tweeted:

“The gringos want to take over our Nation State, we can’t allow this and we must make the defense of our nation a common cause. We, as Tupamaro, will demonstrate our irreverence in the streets and alongside the people, together we will be victorious.”

Other parties allied to government

Other political parties allied to the government also expressed the opposition to the imperialist intervention. The Homeland for All party (PPT) said in opposition to the intervention:

“In response to the imperialist colonialist aggression, PPT will not give in.”

“We reject the violent acts of the Venezuelan right which have been seen in Barinas. We are a peaceful people. We will not allow our sovereignty and independence to be compromised. Yankee go home.”

Bolivar-Zamora Revolutionary Current

The Bolivar-Zamora Revolutionary Current (CRBZ) in a statement denounced right wing attempts to overthrow the government by force.

The CRBZ is organizing groups of people all across the country, especially in rural sectors, in defense of the country’s right to self-determination.

The CRBZ statement said:

“One of the keys to defeating the coup d’état and US interventionism is organization and preparation of the people for our national defense.”

“People from the #2 political front of San Fernando [Apure State] organize themselves for the march […] in Santa Ines with [First Vice-President of the ruling United Socialist Party] Diosdado Cabello.”

The Hugo Chavez Popular Defense Brigades and the National Bolivarian Militia mobilized themselves against the coup d’état and in defense of the only president of Venezuela.

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court (TSJ) of Venezuela made a call for constitutionality and legality to those looking to overturn the votes of the people.

The TSJ said:

“We will not recognize any unconstitutional efforts to usurp a position of popular election through actions, which have the serious objective of undermining the democratic will of the Venezuelan people and provoking a rupture in the constitutional order.”

Electoral Council

The National Electoral Council (CNE) of Venezuela opposed the imperialist anti-constitutional move. It said: The CNE “rejects and condemns the plain failure to recognize and the manifested violation of the constitutional text and institutional order” by those perpetrating the coup.

The constitutional body said:

Juan Guaido, who has led the coup in Venezuela, “was elected and proclaimed [Deputy of the National Assembly] by votes and in full compliance with the laws which order the Venezuelan electoral system, and has now opted to not recognize these same laws and system.”

“In our country public offices are elected by the people… it is not a foreign government which can come and take over the sovereignty of our people which is expressed through suffrage.”

International Solidarity Groups

Regional groups of the Committee of International Solidarity and Struggle for Peace (COSI) are holding events in rejection to the actions of the imperialists.

COSI said:

“Internationalist denouncement: Coup d’état in Venezuela. The only constitutional president is he or she whom the Venezuelan people elect. Yankee Go Home.”

In a statement headlined “The Threat of War in Venezuela”, the COSI said:

“In the name of the Committee of International Solidarity and Struggle for Peace (COSI-Venezuela), we wish to alert the democratic, progressive, and peace loving forces of the world to the most recent political events in Venezuela, which have peaked with the self-proclamation by Deputy of the National Assembly Juan Guaido as Interim President of Venezuela. Today, Guaido fills the role of the executing puppet of the policies of the USA and the EU.

“We must, firstly, point out that the current political situation in the country is an expression of the deep contradictions between the interests which look to rebuild the makeup of imperialist domination in our region versus the interests of the nation. As such, all of the actions which have come to be in the previous few days have as their principal objective the creation of a coup d’état in the country, destroying the social gains achieved by our people during the past 20 years and handing over our national sovereignty and resources to North American and European imperialism.”

The statement cited Guaido’s self-proclamation as president of the republic, the US government’s instant declaration of the “illegality” of President Nicolas Maduro, who was elected by a direct, secret, and universal vote, and the US recognition of Guaido as “President”. The statement said: “Successively, a series of servile governments who follow the interests of North American imperialism did alike.”

The statement said:

“Self-proclamation is neither a figure which exists in our Constitution nor in any internal legislation of the country. Deputy Guaido is the president of the AN, which by decision of the Supreme Court is currently in a state of contempt and as such barred since July 28 2016. As such, all of its decisions are null.

“In this way, and setting a negative precedent, the aggressions against Venezuela have intensified in recent days, and North American imperialism has openly declared that all of the options against Venezuela are on the table. Threats of war against our country have been frequent, and we denounce and alert the world to the different maneuvers which the US and EU are using to create favorable conditions, which may make a military intervention possible.

“Today, we confront a new coup d’état in Venezuela which, like that of 2002, is promoted, financed, and advised by the USA. This country has put itself at the front of plans and has added in different countries from the EU who have accompanied them. Their objectives are to take over the largest oil reserves in the world and launch a strong blow against the collectivity of the peoples, who continue to raise the banners of anti-imperialism today.

“Today, all of the peace loving forces in the world have historically called for the defense of sovereignty, independence, self-determination and non-interference in the affairs of other countries as the only way to guarantee a world based on peace and cooperation, in plain accordance with the treaties of the UN.

“When confronted by the real possibilities of a military aggression against our country, from the COSI we call on the highest levels of mobilization of the patriotic and anti-imperialist forces as well as thanking all shows of solidarity which have arrived. We also express that the only guarantee of the victory of peace is popular unity and international solidarity.

“We salute the stoic resistance of our people against imperialist aggression and we will continue to march alongside the popular forces in defense of peace, sovereignty, and independence.”

The statement concluded with the slogans:

“Enough of the Imperialist aggression against Venezuela!

“No to war in Venezuela!

“We must defend peace!”

Afro Groups

The Jose Leonardo Chirinos Anti Imperialist Afro Youth Front (FAAJLCH), representing Afro-Venezuelans, said in a statement:

“We ‘MILITANTS’ on the frontline of struggle […] inform that […] Venezuela [is] in the CROSSROADS OF WAR DETERMINED BY TRANSNATIONAL INTERESTS, brought on by the resurgence of ‘IMPERIALISM’ based on a rebirth of the Monroe doctrine, neocolonialism and neo-slavery in the region, closely linked to terrorism – racism – multiple forms of discrimination.”

Communes

The communard movement in the country has reiterated its backing of the elected President Maduro and opposed imperialism.

The Adrian Moncada Commune, which brings together 22 Communal Councils in Lara state, expressed the same position. The Commune said:

“Time and again we show that the streets, as well as the countryside and all truly patriotic areas, belong to Chavismo. We back Nicolas Maduro and the peace of our country.”

El Maizal commune in Lara state held a large mobilization. It said:

“This was the march and Anti-imperialist Court held today #27 January, showing that the streets belong to Chavismo and ratifying our commitment to the defense of our sovereignty and the backing of Nicolas Maduro. We are the combative people of Bolivar and Chavez.”

A commune tweeted:

“We are forced to be permanently mobilized, and to show that we are fully in support of Nicolas Maduro and reject the Yankee intervention which is threatening our sovereignty.”

Collective

The influential Voces Urgentes collective, from Lara State, reiterated the constitutionality of President Maduro.

“This is how the march in defense of the homeland and sovereignty by the Simon Planas commune movement in Sarare goes! We are those of the ‘Commune of nothing’ of Chavez. Yankee go home! Nicolas Maduro is the legitimate president!”

La Via Campesina

Peasant organization La Via Campesina, through their regional organizer bloc “CLOC”, is helping campesinos organize against the coup.

In a statement it said:

“The CLOC-Via Campesina denounces and rejects the imperialist intervention and demands respect for the sovereignty of Venezuela.”

Social movements

A number of grassroots social movements or pressure groups have also made statements, including the following statement by the Arana Feminista, feminist and LGBTIQ grouping:

“We are facing an attempted coup d’état which, like those carried out in Brazil, Paraguay, and Honduras, responds to the infamous retaliation of international capital against the Latin American countries.

“We invoke our inalienable right to self-determination and we demand that the countries of the world let us solve our conflicts in peace and within the reach of our laws and institutions.”

The Sexual-Gender Diverse Revolutionary Front Alliance also reaffirmed its position as it said:

“We reject the colonial discourse which paints us as savages, incapable of solving our own problems, by those who wish to bring solutions on ships and with bombs.”

Universities

The Bolivarian University has started organizing people to defend national sovereignty. Its statement said:

“To fully defend our Homeland, the university community at UBV- Caracas starts signing up people to form part of the Combative Group.”

Workers and trade unions

Organized workers and trade unions have mobilized themselves to defend the legitimate rule of President Maduro.

CBST

The Bolivarian Socialist Confederation of Workers (CBST), the largest trade union confederation, said:

“We don’t want violence, war or tragedy, but we won’t let ourselves be humiliated either. […] We will teach those who promote an invasion of our country a lesson, which they will never forget. Neither fascism nor imperialism will pass!”

Dairy workers

Workers from the state-run diary firm Lacteos Los Andes tweeted the following message:

“Venezuela is a free and independent people; we ratify our commitment to the revolution and to peace in Venezuela.”

Transport workers

The trade union of Caracas Metro workers (SITRAMECA) issued the following statement at an Anti-Imperialist Court held in Caracas:

“The working class of SITRAMECA is supporting the anti-imperialist court in defense of the right of Venezuela to its sovereignty and self-determination as an independent people, and reaffirming its complete respect for our constitutional president Nicolas Maduro.”

PDVSA

PDVSA, the key oil company of Venezuela, was one of the organizations that rejected US sanctions against the industry in the earliest hours of imperialist intervention. PDVSA president Manual Quevedo described the measures in the following statement:

“The unscrupulous robbery by the US government of the Venezuelan people is shameless. They have been trying to take over CITGO [PDVSA’s US subsidiary which was taken over by the US as part of the measures by the US] for many years and through many ways. […] [T]oday they try with the betrayal of the Venezuelan opposition. They are paying the devil with Venezuelan oil!”

PSUV
The ruling United Socialist Party (PSUV) is also holding rallies across the country to foster support for the government.

Public Institutions

Public institutions have reaffirmed their positions with a large number of government ministries and bodies reinforcing their recognition for the mandate of Maduro

Ministers

Prisons Minister Iris Varela firmed up her support for Maduro.

“Every Venezuelan who loves their homeland should close ranks in defense of it, rejecting the coup d’état which is led by the USA.”

Culture Minister Ernesto Villegas focused on the hard-right’s attacks on cultural symbols of the country.

“Fascist attacks against symbols and cultural monuments in Venezuela.”

These solidarity and protest marches are increasing everyday in Venezuela.

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