Opposition to Trump Regime’s Sanctions War on Venezuela
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org – Home – Stephen Lendman)
Activists for peace, equity and justice everywhere oppose the Trump regime’s war on Venezuela by other means — flagrantly violating international and US constitutional law.
In a letter to Congress last month, dozens of organizations denounced what’s going on, saying in part:
“We, the undersigned groups, wish to express our grave concern regarding the Trump administration’s dangerous and destructive regime change strategy targeting Venezuela,” adding:
“We call on you to take a strong, public stand against these immoral, reckless, and illegal policies and to support efforts to advance peaceful dialogue, before it is too late.”
“We urge you to (o)ppose economic sanctions…threats of military intervention…support(ing) dialogue” instead.” Signatories include the following groups:
Just Foreign Policy, Demand Progress, Peace Action, American Friends Service Committee, VoteVets, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas – Institute Justice Team, United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries, Global Ministries of the United Church of Christ and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Presbyterian Church (USA), Alianza Americas, CASA de Maryland, Franciscan Action Network, Maryknoll Office on Global Concerns, Presbyterian Peace Fellowship, National Day Laborers Organizing Network, Chicago Religious Leadership Network, Historians for Peace and Democracy, Center for International Policy – Americas Program, Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) – New Internationalism Project, Code Pink, Roots Action, Fellowship of Reconciliation, Environmentalists against War, Arise for Social Justice, Just Associates (JASS), Council on Hemispheric Affairs (COHA), Guatemala Human Rights Commission, Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES), World Beyond War, Vermont Workers’ Center, ONE DC, Out Now, Bay Area Labor Committee for Peace and Justice, Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists Social Justice Committee, Traprock Center for Peace and Justice, Brooklyn for Peace, The Resistance Center for Peace and Justice, One Corea Now, Center for the Study of the Americas (CENSA), Nation Time Judicial Research, Western Massachusetts Code Pink, Peace Action Montgomery, Veterans for Peace, Chapter 23, Rochester, NY, Peace Action New York State, Massachusetts Peace Action, Western Massachusetts Venezuela Solidarity Coalition, New Jersey Peace Action, Action Corps NYC.
In March, 16 Dems demanded an end to (illegally imposed) US sanctions on Venezuela, opposing the Trump regime’s military threats as well — in a letter to Mike Pompeo, signed by the following congressional members:
Reps. Pramila Jayapal, Mark Pocan, Raul Grijalva, Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Adriano Espaillat, Ilhan Omar (more on her below), Rashida Tlaib, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley, Nydia M. Velazquez, Jose E. Serrano, Tulsi Gabbard, Karen Bass, Danny K. Davis, and Jan Schakowsky.
Their remarks were similar to concerns raised by the above groups. Separately on May 1, Rep. Ihlan Omar said the following:
“(A) lot of the policies (the Trump regime) put in place (caused) devastation in Venezuela.”
“This…bullying and the use of sanctions to eventually intervene and make regime change really does not help the people of countries like Venezuela, and it certainly does not help and is not in the interest of the United States.”
She denounced “neocons and warmongers…like Elliott Abrams (for) push(ing) policies (causing mass slaughter and destruction) for decades.”
In response to her remarks, Mike Pence slammed her with Big Lies, saying: “As Venezuelans take to the streets to stand for their freedom against an oppressive dictator (sic), Democrat Congresswoman @IlhanMN chooses socialism over freedom (sic),” adding:
"The Trump Administration stands with the freedom-loving people of Venezuela (sic).”
Pence is an unindicted war criminal multiple times over, and and whole lot more, a deplorable figure to be reviled, not supported.
Pompeo turned truth on its head, slamming Omar’s truth-telling remarks, saying:
“(F)or a member of Congress, who, frankly — one who sits on an important national-security committee — to make a statement blaming America first in this way, it’s not only ignorant, it’s disgusting.”
Pompeo, Bolton, Abrams, their thuggish subordinates and proxies in Venezuela are guilty of high crimes of war and against humanity.
They represent what the scourge of imperialism is all about, menacing everyone everywhere.
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My newest book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."
