Canada Must End Sanctions and Aggression Towards Venezuela
While one would hope global cooperation, assistance and solidarity would be the order of the day during a pandemic, the United States government has proven to the world what we already know - they do not have a humanitarian bone in their crooked body. Instead, sanctions have been ramped up against Venezuela, along with other countries, including Cuba and Iran, in a “maximum pressure” campaign. December 2020.
It is not only the U.S. government but also the government of Canada meddling in the affairs of other countries. At the end of 2018, the Trudeau government supported the U.S.-backed puppet Juan Guiadó, recognizing him as so-call “interim president” and supporting an attempted and failed coup against the democratically elected government of Nicolas Maduro. Canada has also spearheaded the Lima Group, a coalition of right-wing governments with the nefarious goal of forcing “regime change” in Venezuela. If the U.S. and Canadian governments really cared about Venezuelans, they would end their brutal sanctions that have killed an estimated 40,000 Venezuelans between 2017 and 2018, as documented by the Centre for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR).
August 20
An online event took on Canada's interference in Venezuela, featuring Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza and Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters. Canadian Foreign Policy Institute organized the event, and endorsers included the Fire This Time Movement for Social Justice – Venezuela Solidarity Campaign. Roger Waters gave a poignant introduction, reflecting on the critical question of “what really is Canada's interest in Venezuela?” Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza gave a highly informative and engaging speech, which explained how “Canada was in the vanguard of this aggression against Venezuela” and asserted that Venezuela has “our right to establish our own political system, and it's enshrined here in the Charter of the United Nations which Canada is violating since at least 2016 when it comes to Venezuela.”
November 9
In another great collaboration with Venezuelan social justice activists, Fire This Time representatives Azza Rojbi and Mike Larson were interviewed on an Instagram live seminar on November 9. The interview was held by SOMOS MEVEN, the youth-run Ecology Movement of Venezuela. Azza and Mike spoke and answered questions from MEVEN activists and those tuned in to the live stream.
November 12-13
Fire This Time also participated in the International Conference of the Anti-Imperialist Working Class Platform (PCOA), which was held on November 12 and 13 and organized by PSUV (United Socialist Party of Venezuela) and chaired by Venezuelan President Maduro. Azza Rojbi, an editorial board member of Fire This Time newspaper, spoke at the online conference to the over 200 participants who joined from 61 countries. The result of this important conference was a final declaration and plan of action, defending Venezuela's sovereignty and the self-determination and struggle of other oppressed nations. In part, the resolution demands that “the new US government eliminate the illegal unilateral coercive measures, as they are criminal policies that harm our peoples. In addition, we request the return of all assets stolen by the Trump administration. We also condemn the genocidal policy of economic blockade that is applied against the nations of the world as punishment for exercising their sovereignty.”
Solidarity knows no borders, and with online tools, this social media event allowed for greater dialogue and collaboration between various organizations in defence of Venezuela's sovereignty.
U.S. and Canada Hands Off Venezuela!
While Trudeau pursues interference in Venezuela, activists and Venezuela supporters are pursuing solidarity and defence of Venezuela and the Bolivarian Revolution. For upcoming Venezuela events and initiatives stay tuned to www.firethistime.net or on Twitter @FTT_np, Facebook @FireThisTimeMovement or Instagram @FTT.Venezuela
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