On April 6, 2019, Venezuelans poured on to the streets of Caracas and other cities throughout the country for the fifth consecutive week of mass mobilizations. Dressed in red, carrying Venezuelan flags, banners and homemade signs, they marched in defense of their democratically elected President Nicolás Maduro, and against the U.S. imperialist actions against their country and their Bolivarian revolution. However these images are not reflected on the nightly news, and these voices are not broadcast on radio stations in Canada and the U.S. Instead, mainstream corporate news networks are working hand in hand with the governments of the U.S. and Canada to spread misinformation, lies and manipulations about the reality in Venezuela, and to promote the imperialist goal of regime change.
,The U.S. and their imperialist allies have been trying to turn back the tide on these great advances. The last few years have seen an escalation of the economic war on Venezuela with sanctions by the U.S., Canada and the European Union against Venezuela. On April 25, 2019, the Washington DC-based Center for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) published a report on the effects of U.S. sanctions against Venezuela. The report estimates that sanctions were responsible for 40,000 deaths in 2017-2018 and that there are a further 300,000 people at risk due to lack of access to medicines.
In Vancouver, the Fire This Time Venezuela Solidarity Campaign has been protesting monthly against the sanctions and intervention by the governments of the U.S. and Canada against Venezuela. On April 19, this action was part of international “Say No to Media Lies on Venezuela!” days of action. The protest started out with a picket action in front of the U.S. Consulate in downtown Vancouver. Activists raised their picket signs and voices, and chanted “U.S./Canada, Hands Off Venezuela!” and “No Sanctions, No Coup!”
Following the picket, activists continued the protest in front of the CBC Vancouver news offices, holding a banner reading “CBC Stop Lying about Venezuela!” The well-attended and energetic protest, representing youths and elders from many different backgrounds, was in full view of the CBC offices.
The FTT Venezuela Solidarity Campaign and defenders of Venezuela’s Bolivarian Revolution are up against the mainstream media acting as a mouthpiece for the imperialist campaign of regime change in Venezuela. However the truth is on the side of the Venezuelan people, and supporters around the world are using their voices and actions to make that truth known.
Find out about upcoming actions in defense of Venezuela at www.firethistime.net or follow on Facebook and Twitter @FTT_np
Follow Janine on Twitter: @janinesolanki
Back to Article Listing
