We note with grave concern the announcement of the discovery of a plot to overthrow President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela in a coup on 12 February (Venezuelan general arrested over plot to topple president, officials say, 13 February). Officials have said the plans included violent attacks on the presidential palace and other government buildings. The thwarting of this latest coup attempt comes as leaders of Latin American countries have warned of a similar situation developing in Venezuela to that which preceded the coup against Salvador Allende in Chile in 1973, which led to the horrendous dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet.

Sections of Venezuela’s rightwing opposition have previously used violent and anti-democratic means to destabilise and seek to overthrow the country’s elected government, most notably the temporarily successful coup against Hugo Chavez in 2002, and many rightwing opposition groups in Venezuela committed to overthrowing the elected, constitutional government continue to receive funding from the US. We call on all governments internationally to respect Venezuela’s elected, constitutional government and condemn this latest coup attempt.

John Pilger, Tariq Ali, Linton Kwesi-Johnson, Victoria Brittain, Andy De La Tour, Ian Davidson MP (Lab), Dave Anderson MP (Lab), George Galloway MP (Respect), Neil Findlay MSP (Lab), Bethan Jenkins AM (Plaid Cyrmu), Lord Nic Rea, Kate Hudson CND, Derek Wall Green party, John Hendy QC, Manuel Cortes TSSA, Steve Turner Unite the Union, Kevin Courtney NUT, Dr Francisco Dominguez Venezuela Solidarity Campaign, Richard Gott, John Smith Musicians Union, Jeff Cuthbert AM





