2019 started with a U.S.-backed attempted coup in Venezuela, with the U.S. puppet Juan Guaidó declaring himself interim president of Venezuela. For the entirety of 2019 this failed coup dragged on and desperately tried to assert itself while it became more and more clear that the Venezuelan people were standing behind their democratically elected government of President Nicolás Maduro and defending their Bolivarian revolution.
The message to the U.S. is clear – Venezuelans will not bow to imperialist pressure and will not hand over their sovereignty to the U.S. government. However, the U.S. government is still not leaving Venezuela in peace. Beyond sanctions, the U.S. has imposed a blockade which prevents Venezuela from being able to trade on the world market, blocks imports of essential goods including medicines, and prevents exports including of oil, damaging Venezuela’s economy. This economic warfare has cost the lives of over 40,000 people in Venezuela between 2017 and 2018, as documented in a report by the Center for Economic and Policy Research.
While the U.S. government is financially strangling Venezuela, they are funneling huge sums of money to right-wing opposition groups in Venezuela. Since 2017 the U.S. government has spent over $654 million dollars which have been funneled to these violent groups.
On December 6, supporters of Venezuela and the Bolivarian Revolution came together for a monthly action, organized by the Fire This Time Venezuela Solidarity Campaign. The action started with a picket in front of the U.S. Consulate, where protesters demanded “U.S./Canada Hands Off Venezuela!” with their voices and picket signs, and heard from speakers over the megaphone. To wrap up, everyone gathered for a customary group photo with signs, banners and flags in front of the U.S. Consulate doors, which was shared on social media around the world.
After the picket, the protest moved on to the busy downtown square in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery, where an information table was setup. Passersby couldn’t miss the protest banners and signs, and many stopped to talk to organizers, pickup information, and sign on to a petition demanding both the U.S. and Canada end its sanctions against Venezuela.
The FTT Venezuela Solidarity Campaign is committed to continuing to organize these monthly actions and other events in defense of Venezuela and the Bolivarian Revolution. To find out about the next event visit www.firethistime.net or follow on Facebook, on Twitter @FTT_np and on Instagram @ftt.venezuela.
Follow Janine on Twitter: @janinesolanki
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