BY NICHOLAS AYALA

In the face of imperialist aggression against Venezuela and the Bolivarian Revolution, there is a responsibility to resist this violence.

The United States, under Donald Trump, threatens to destroy the country with sanctions and military violence with aid from their imperialist lackeys. We as anti-imperialists cannot stand for such aggression and need to work in solidarity with the Venezuelan people. We also need to expose the leaders who preach anti-war philosophy yet support imperialist efforts to destroy the Venezuelan government through their votes. Legitimizing and financing an opposition which exists only in the National Assembly, an Assembly that was declared illegal and illegitimate in 2017, is an act of regime change and imperialism. The Western politicians on both the “left” and the right who contribute to this injustice are directly responsible for the suffering of the Venezuelan people. These “progressive” liberals are winning over many anti-war activists in the First World, but they are just as dangerous as those who are explicit about their desire for violence in Venezuela.

Recently, the U.S. Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act. This bill (proposed and supported by the Democrats) provides financing to domestic and foreign organizations, institutions and countries. The bill sets aside $20 million to “promote democracy” in Venezuela and over $300 million to Colombia in aid. Of course, we know “promoting democracy” is really a euphemism for intervention. Examples of the U.S. “promoting democracy” in Latin America involves funding counter-revolutionary murderers in Cuba, the brutal Contras in Nicaragua, the fascist Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet and countless other infamous criminals throughout the world.

But, don’t take my word on the failure of U.S. foreign policy in regards to “promoting democracy,” even U.S. mouthpieces like Foreign Policy magazine published a piece stating that a quarter of the world’s democracies collapsed in the past 30 years after decades of the U.S. spreading “democracy.” One only has to look at how the U.S. made “democracies” out of our brothers and sisters in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya, who now have modern-day slave auctions. With self-proclaimed “president” Juan Guaidó at the helm of the illegal opposition in Venezuela, it is certain most of these funds will end up in Guaidó’s hands. A terrorist opposition filled with people who are extremely anti-democratic, cruel, racist and actively defy the will of Venezuelan majority.

A cartoon depicting U.S. President Donald Trump and Venezuelan opposition protesters. | Source: MintPress News / Carlos Latuff

As for Colombia, it has an unfortunate history of being a puppet of U.S. imperialism. In fact, most “aid” going to the country has served to embolden the repressive neoliberal state and harm the poor masses of the country. Currently, a third of Colombians live in poverty; there is a 10-percent unemployment rate; six million have been displaced from internal conflict; and government repression has led to the murders of hundreds of social activists every year. Let us be clear no “aid” from the United States to Colombia will be used to alleviate the marginalization and poverty of millions of Colombians. Its sole purpose is to build a proxy state from which the U.S. can execute the facade of a “multilateral” military intervention against Venezuela.

This bill, which provides money to Colombia and the Venezuelan opposition, was one proposed by the Democrats. What’s most interesting is that every Democrat supported it, including the ones being attacked in mainstream U.S. media for being “anti-war.” Well-known liberal darlings like Rashida Tlaib, Tulsi Gabbard, Ro Khanna, Ilhan Omar and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez didn’t bat an eye. Ocasio-Cortez, who presents herself as a leader in the Latinx community, remains silent on U.S. meddling in Venezuela and supported this bill to fund the coup plotters. It’s business as usual in the White House.

Venezuelan opposition protest held on Feb. 2, 2019, features the U.S. flag. | Source: Rodbexa Mercedes Poleo Vidoza

In the lead up to the vote, the remaining social democratic politicians received praise from the anti-war camp in the U.S. as well as plenty of criticisms. Both mainstream media and established politicians from across the aisles bashed them for saying the U.S. was sponsoring a right-wing coup for corporate greed. Omar stated she was opposed to the U.S. installing a right-wing coup and instead supported “dialogue between the opposition and government,” a common trend among many progressives who want an end to the crisis in Venezuela without using direct intervention. They showed no such concern when voting to fund violent opposition groups connected to Guaidó in the millions.

Vladimir Lenin defined reformism as “abandoning Marxism and replacing it by bourgeois “social policy.” This is exactly what we see in social democratic politicians who use socialist language, but pass reformist policies that fail to abolish private ownership and challenge their countries imperialist aggression. All supporters of anti-imperialist and revolutionary movements should recognize this.

Venezuelan opposition protest held on Feb. 2, 2019, features the U.S. Statue of Liberty. | Source: Rodbexa Mercedes Poleo Vidoza

The social democrats who claim to be anti-war, care about human life and stand against intervention are in support of providing financial assistance to the illegal opposition in an effort to “promote democracy.” If they really wanted to “promote democracy,” they should ask themselves: Why do I refuse to accept the Venezuelan government’s stance on the illegality of the opposition? Why do I refuse to show support for democratically-elected President Nicolás Maduro? Will the $20 million go to the already-established democratic institutions in Venezuela that have legitimized Maduro’s presidency? What “dialogue” is there to promote between a popularly-elected president who won the last elections with over 60 percent of the vote and an opposition leader who few Venezuelans have heard of before his self-anointment?

The fact is, there is no dialogue to be had with imperialists and their comprador thugs who murder innocent civilians with no interest in promoting democracy or helping the Venezuelan people. There is no need for dialogue when the opposition has repeatedly demonstrated that they could care less about the safety and well-being of the Venezuelan people. An opposition that continues to commit illegal acts to sow chaos and violence, including attacks against state-run oil plants, assassination attempts against Maduro and the burning alive of Chavistas. These are only some of the atrocities the opposition commits. These vicious war crimes won’t stop some in the U.S. from calling these terrorists “patriots.” Nor will it placate liberal calls for Maduro’s government to “compromise” and “dialogue” with racist murderers.

A Venezuelan opposition protester wearing a U.S. bandana during a 2014 demonstration. | Source: Reuters

We must collectively resist imperialist aggression across the world, especially now. Let us resist the brazen lies of mainstream imperialist media that openly admit their owners’ true desire is Venezuelan oil. Open yourself up to alternative perspectives that highlight the struggles in Venezuela from the people’s experience. Refuse to accept genocidal economic sanctions that restrict medical supplies, food, toiletries and other necessities of life for the Venezuelan people — the very same people who the imperialists claim to be “defending.”

Don’t fall for the two-faced liberals who preach peace while financially arming the coup. Actions speak louder than words and they have decided to ally themselves with the enemies of the people. We have to continue fighting the disinformation campaign against Venezuela and expose the world to the Venezuelan people’s reality. During such a turbulent time, we as anti-imperialists are obligated to fight every and all forms of imperialist aggression against a sovereign Third World nation that is improving the lives of its citizens.

No to the conservative warmongers threatening to destroy Venezuela and no to their liberal allies working to undermine legitimate democratic processes.

¡Viva Venezuela Bolivariana!

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