During February 2017, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited five right-wing governments in Latin America, including Colombia and Brazil, which border Venezuela. Tillerson's only objective was to promote the imperialist campaign of “regime change” in Venezuela. The U.S. government wants nothing less than the overthrow of the democratically elected President of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, and the reversal of every gain made by the Bolivarian Revolution.
This gross disrespect for the right of the people of Venezuela to determine their own government is further expressed by the fact that the governments of the United States and Canada have declared that they will not recognize the results of the upcoming Presidential elections in Venezuela, which are scheduled to take place on April 22, 2018. This is unbelievably hypocritical, given the fact that Presidential elections are what the U.S. government and their imperialist allies have been demanding of Venezuela all along!
As the governments of the U.S. and Canada ramp up their campaign of threats, sanctions and intervention in Venezuela, here in Vancouver, Canada the Fire This Time Movement for Social Justice Venezuela Solidarity Campaign is organizing monthly actions demanding U.S./Canada hands off Venezuela!
On February 9, the FTT Venezuela Solidarity Campaign organized a picket action in front of the U.S. Consulate in downtown Vancouver. The monthly action heard from local speakers in between rounds of picketing, with energetic chanting and picket signs demanding “No Regime Change in Venezuela” and “USA Hands Off Venezuela!” Following the picket action, the protest moved up to the busy Vancouver Art Gallery plaza in downtown Vancouver, where activists set up an information table which attracted people passing by to come and get more information and talk to organizers about what is happening in Venezuela. Activists also set out in teams to ask passersby to sign on to a petition against Canada’s threats and sanctions against Venezuela. The parliamentary petition is being circulated across Canada, and after it reaches 500 signatures will be discussed within Canada’s parliament.
The Fire This Time Movement for Social Justice Venezuela Solidarity Campaign will continue organizing these actions in defense of the sovereignty and self-determination of the people of Venezuela every month. To find out about the next action visit www.firethistime.netor follow Fire This Time on Facebook or Twitter @FTT_np
Follow Janine Solanki on Twitter: @janinesolanki
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