Resist U.S. war moves on Venezuela

The latest massive escalation of U.S. warships in the Caribbean threatens a war of aggression against the people of Venezuela and other peoples of the Caribbean region. Venezuelans have reacted by rallying behind their government, which has in turn mobilized the regular armed forces and coordinated training with the popular militia, 8.2 million strong.

Other peoples around the region have pledged solidarity with Venezuela and demanded the U.S. stop its attacks. People from other continents, including North America, have called coordinated protests of U.S. aggression in solidarity with the Venezuelan people and their government for Nov. 15–23. (See page 7)

On Nov. 16, the Pentagon announced that its newest and most technologically advanced aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, and its strike group had reached the rest of the U.S. Southern Command in the Caribbean. This adds at least 75 fighter jets and 4,000 troops to the 10,000 troops and fleet of dozens of warships that have threatened Venezuela since August. 

This is now the biggest U.S. naval deployment since the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

U.S. warships and planes have already demolished 21 small boats and killed over 80 civilians. Trump has lied, claiming without evidence that these boats were bringing fentanyl to the United States. On Nov. 16, without evidence, Trump accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro with heading a “terrorist gang of drug dealers.” 

This is a Big Lie, a pretext for Trump’s targeting Venezuela. Even in the U.S. corporate media, few analysts defend Trump’s pretext for war. They admit the real target is seizing Venezuela’s vast oil resources and wrecking its progressive government.

On Nov. 13, top Pentagon ‘pushup fanatic’ and spokesperson Pete Hegseth called the Caribbean deployment “Operation Southern Spear.” 

Trump announced later in the week that he had decided whether or not to strike Venezuela but refused to make that decision public. 

Hegseth has been purging the Pentagon’s top officers of anyone who might disagree with Trump. Admiral Alvin Holsey, who was heading the Southern Command, resigned rather than continue to follow illegal orders to blow up civilian boats. 

Also pushing the U.S. toward war is the material interest of profit-making war industries that build ships, planes, drones, rockets and bombs that the Pentagon must buy as they are used. 

Facing this danger of U.S. aggression, the antiwar movement in the U.S. and worldwide has no choice but to prepare to resist. Venezuela is already resisting.

Venezuela has more than double Iraq’s area, and its population of 28 million equals Iraq’s 2003 population when the U.S. invaded. Maduro’s government has been preparing his country’s defense. Venezuela has received military assistance from China, Russia and Iran and has asked for more. 

Venezuela’s regular armed forces of 200,000 troops have held constant military exercises, including two days of training coordinated with the Bolivarian Militia. This voluntary corps includes militias of peasants, fishers, students and Indigenous populations. 

The landless movement in Brazil and people in other countries have mobilized to send fighters to Venezuela, should it be invaded. Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro has accused the U.S. of murdering his country’s citizens, despite threats and insults from Trump. 

An aggressive Washington could awaken a continent-wide resistance. 

Let’s expand that resistance to North America.