The U.S. Peace Council denounces the continuing aggression by the Trump administration against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. We call on the Trump administration to immediately stop the illegal sanctions, to dismiss the false charges brought against Venezuela’s leaders, and to withdraw the U.S. war ships from the coast of Venezuela. We call on Congress to strongly oppose this latest attack by the Trump administration on Venezuela.
With the election of Hugo Chavez in 1999 Venezuela began to take an independent course. Since this time, the United States has acted to undermine and to overthrow the Bolivarian government with the use of coups and sanctions, and now with a dubious indictment of the democratically elected President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro Moros. This represents an outrageous abuse of the U.S. criminal justice system.
The indictment, which was published on March 27, 2020 in the Federal Court of the Southern District of New York, accuses President Maduro, and other members of his government, of trafficking drugs into the U.S. along with members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The reality is, that since the Venezuelan government discontinued allowing the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to operate in its territory in 2005, the rate of drug trafficking has dropped dramatically. An estimated that 90 percent of cocaine that enters the U.S. comes from Colombia. Venezuela used its influence, and a great deal of resources, promoting a peace agreement between the FARC and the Colombian government that included measures to end drug trafficking in the region and has shown time and again Venezuela’s commitment to eradicating drug trafficking.
This indictment represents a brazen attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of sovereign Venezuela at a time when the Bolivarian government is making great efforts to combat the COVID-19 virus. The U.S. has a sordid history of “lawfare,” using criminal justice system as a method of hybrid war against governments and movements that it opposes. The U.S. has used its criminal justice systems to attack, either directly or in concert with forces in other countries, the former presidents of Brazil Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff, former President Rafael Correa of Ecuador, and against senior members of the FARC. The indictment against President Maduro is a cynical political ploy designed to undermine Venezuela’s independent course.
On April 1st, it was announced that the United States is sending warships to the coast of Venezuela, purportedly for “drug interdiction.” Warship sent near another country only increases tension and is an attempt to intimidate the people and the legitimate government of Venezuela. This aggressive act of the United States comes a little over a week after the General Secretary of the United Nations called on governments around the world to cease military actions in order to coordinate the fight against the pandemic of COVID-19. This humanitarian call fell on deaf ears in the Trump Administration which continues its campaign against sovereign Venezuela.
The U.S. Peace Council stands with the people of Venezuela who suffer from sanctions and other provocations designed to undermine the sovereignty of their country. We call on the Trump administration to end all aggressive actions against the government and people of Venezuela; to repeal all sanctions; to dismiss the indictment against President Maduro; and withdraw all of the warships from the coast of Venezuela.
Hands off Venezuela!
The Executive Committee
of the U.S. Peace Council
Source URL: US Peace Council
