US imperialism, taking a particularly aggressive approach under Donald Trump’s rule, culminated its months-long war campaign against Venezuela with an act of open aggression on January 3rd. An extensive attack by the US forces killed dozens of Venezuelans, as well as 32 Cubans domiciled there to provide social services for the poor of the country, bombing various targets across the country and abducting the president, Nicolas Maduro, along with his spouse. This is nothing but an act of war and a perfect example of imperialist thuggery. Notwithstanding any prior criticisms one might have against Maduro and his rule, our task right now – that of the revolutionary forces worldwide – is to defend Venezuela against imperialist terror. We consider any act of resistance by Venezuela, military or otherwise, entirely legitimate and to be supported in the face of imperialist aggression and violation of the country’s sovereignty.
This act of imperialist thuggery not only tries to subdue Venezuela to US imperialism, but also paves the way for further attacks to impose US imperialism’s will over that of the Latin American peoples through the use of arms. Donald Trump’s threats against Cuba and Colombia, combined with prior ones against Mexico and Panama, leave no doubt that Venezuela would be nothing but the beginning of a series of imperialist aggressions. This orientation is also entirely in keeping with the reinvigoration of the 19th-century Monroe Doctrine, which asserts Latin America as an exclusive US zone of influence. Donald Trump repeatedly stated his intention to apply this doctrine, even shamelessly invoking a “Donroe Doctrine.” The newfound confidence of this imperialist thug was also at full display when he reiterated his intention to take over Greenland in the wake of Maduro’s abduction, overtly humiliating his European allies. Those who are still gullible enough to expect anything from the euphemistically-named “international order” would be well-advised to look at the meek and hardly audible statements of a range of European leaders and of the Foreign Ministry of Turkey, Trump’s close ally, scared stiff of offending their US overlords. In Venezuela and elsewhere, the people’s will and national sovereignty could only be defended by people in arms, fighting any act of imperialist aggression blow by blow. Not a single imperialist soldier should be able to desecrate our cities, whether in (so-called) Latin America, West Asia (the so-called Middle East), or Africa, without the certainty of facing the people’s anti-imperialist wrath.
In this era-defining task, as revolutionary Marxists, we stand ready to cooperate with other forces willing to fight back against imperialism and, most immediately, defend Venezuela. Unfortunately, but perhaps expectedly, cracks seem to be appearing within the Chavista leadership precisely on this issue. Clearly, the information coming from Venezuela is at times contradictory and often opaque. However, the initial signs indicate a worrisome situation. The interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez, after paying lip service to the country’s abducted president and her mentor, Maduro, appears intent on getting back to business as usual without any countermoves besides toothless statements. More telling is Donald Trump’s suspicious willingness to work with Rodríguez, all the while being explicit that the US will call the shots. These signs suggest that a faction within the Chavista bureaucracy might have already struck a deal with imperialist invaders, or might be in the process of doing so. If this is indeed the case, as the emerging evidence seems to indicate, anti-imperialist forces within the Chavista movement should outright reject this humiliating treason and rally their forces to resist imperialist aggression and its local allies. The only way to successfully wage this resistance would be to arm the people’s militias, open them to volunteers to make the working people of Venezuela the bulwark against imperialism. Revolutionary movements’ tasks across the world would be to mobilize to ensure the victory of this sacrosanct resistance.
Whatever direction things take in the coming days, we stand resolutely with the people of Venezuela, starting with the working class in its struggle against imperialist onslaught and any possible band of collaborators from the ruling establishment of the Chavista regime.
Hasta la victoria siempre!