Opinion

We, the undersigned peoples’ organizations of Lansing, unequivocally condemn the Jan. 3rd attack on Venezuela, the illegal abduction of the president and first lady of Venezuela, and the subsequent threats made by the Trump administration against the sovereignty of independent nations around the world.

 This open act of war has taken the lives of 80 Venezuelans and Cubans, destroyed critical civilian infrastructure in a city of 3 million people and threatens to revoke the Venezuelan people’s right to self-determination.

 This is part of a long history of materially-motivated U.S. intervention in Latin America, the Caribbean and the Global South. At the behest of Big Oil and Big Tech, the Trump administration has seized control of the largest reserve of oil on the planet and vast supplies of rare earth minerals, undermining Venezuela’s self-sufficiency and perpetuating the preeminence of fossil fuels.

The financial interests that seek to dominate the natural resources of nations like Venezuela are the same interests that deny working people in the United States housing, healthcare and a healthy climate; and they are driving a wave of anti-immigrant violence sweeping the United States. It is our duty to stand in solidarity with the people of Venezuela, Cuba, Mexico, Greenland and all nations threatened by U.S aggression, as well as to oppose the U.S.-backed genocides being perpetrated in Palestine, Congo and Sudan.

 The Trump administration’s actions are a flagrant violation of international and constitutional law, and we call upon Congress to reassert constitutional law over the president and the international community to reassert the principles of the U.N. charter.

 We call on the people of Lansing and Michigan to rally at the Michigan Capitol Building on Sunday, Jan. 18th at 12 p.m., to demonstrate to the Federal Government and the Trump Administration that the people of the United States want Venezuela for the Venezuelans and peace, not imperialism.

 

Signed,

Lansing Area Peace Education Center

CODEPINK Lansing

Sunrise Movement MSU

Greater Lansing Democratic Socialists of America

Greater Lansing Communist Party USA