International Conference on Colonialism and Territorial Dispossession Begins in Caracas

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil has called for regional unity in warning against the “new forms of neocolonialism” that threaten the sovereignty, particularly in the Caribbean, during his speech at the International Conference “Colonialism, Neocolonialism, and the Territorial Dispossession of Western Imperialism,” held at the Casa Amarilla in Caracas.

At the conference, held at the Casa Amarilla in Caracas this Thursday, October 2, the top Venezuelan diplomat framed these threats as the continuation of imperialism’s aftermath, declaring that the consequences of colonialism “persist in the 21st century, now reinforced by neoliberal mechanisms that seek to consolidate new forms of oppression.”

Minister Gil urged the unity of all progressive and revolutionary forces to “definitively overcome the traces of imperialism,” highlighting the fact that Venezuela is rising up in defense of self-determination and peace under the leadership of President Nicolás Maduro. In a gesture of solidarity, Gil sent a message of support to the Puerto Rican delegation, affirming that “an independent Puerto Rico, a sovereign Puerto Rico, will sooner or later consolidate its path toward freedom and cease to be a colony.”

Along the same lines, Gil reiterated Venezuela’s support for the Argentinian people in their historic struggle for the Malvinas Islands, but did not hesitate to criticize the current government of that country, stating that “today we see a government that kneels before colonial power and surrenders what it fought so hard to defend.” The foreign minister recalled that the essence of the struggle dates back to Simón Bolívar, who “taught us that the only alternative for our peoples is independence, sovereignty, and the construction of our own cultural identity as a way to free ourselves from imperial pressure.”

The conference brings together 137 international delegates and representatives from 57 countries to discuss these global issues, while the US empire’s government under Trump rule executes a “Gray Zone War” strategy against Venezuela, relying on military threats, cyberattacks, and disinformation to try to break the will of the Venezuelan people.

This US imperial military escalation includes systematic propaganda campaigns that portray President Nicolás Maduro as the alleged leader of not one, but several real and imaginary drug cartels. These narratives seek to justify a possible military incursion without congressional approval. These are compounded by fictional provocations such as those against ExxonMobil and Guyana, the dismantling of domestic terrorist groups, and public demonstrations of strikes on alleged “narco-boats.”

It’s Not a Conflict Between Palestinians and Jews, but Between Native Palestinians and Western Colonialism

Ambassador Moncada
Venezuela’s UN Ambassador Samuel Moncada called for unity in the region to confront imperialist threats and prevent Venezuela from becoming the next Palestine during his participation in the panel “Territorial Problems Arising from Colonialism.”

Venezuela’s permanent representative to the United Nations reviewed the history of threats that Latin America has experienced from the great empires. The executive director of the General Union of Palestinian Writers and Poets, Juma Alrefai, also explained that the empire enters countries through large corporations to destroy the identity and culture of peoples.

According to the Venezuelan foreign minister, the conference aims to open a debate on the historical consequences of colonialism and contemporary forms of neocolonial domination, to establish lines of action on historical justice, sovereignty, reparations, and the transformation of the international system.

(Telesur) with Orinoco Tribune content

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

OT/JRE/AU