Below is my speech at a recent rally protesting against US threats to Venezuela, Colombia and Latin America generally. It includes a brief discussion of US motives.
Chris Slee Protest calls for end to US aggression towards Latin America<https://www.greenleft.org.au/2025/1443/news/protest-calls-end-us-aggression-towards-latin-america> Venezuela faces US aggression Over the past 2 or 3 months, the US navy has sunk 22 small boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific, near the coasts of Venezuela and Colombia. These attacks have killed at least 83 people. Trump claims the victims were drug smugglers. There is no evidence of this. If the US suspected the boats were carrying drugs, it could have stopped the boats and searched them. Instead, it sank the boats and murdered the crews. The US has sent warships, planes and soldiers to the Caribbean, ready to attack Venezuela or Colombia. It has sent the world's biggest aircraft carrier. This implies they want to bomb Venezuela or Colombia. We need to be ready to protest if they do. Rally at Flinders St at 5 pm on the day after the bombing. For more than 20 years, the US has been trying to overthrow the government of Venezuela, which was led by President Hugo Chavez from 1999 until his death in 2013, and is now led by Nicolas Maduro. The US has supported attempted coups. It has imposed an economic blockade, trying to prevent the Venezuelan government from participating in international trade. It not only bans US companies from dealing with the Venezuelan government (unless granted an exemption). It also tries to intimidate non-US companies into complying with the embargo, threatening to punish them if they defy US orders. By sinking small boats off the coast of Venezuela and Colombia, the US may be trying to provoke a response that would give a pretext for more attacks. These might include bombing Venezuela or Colombia. Why is the US doing this? One motive is economic. The US wants to control the natural resources of Latin American countries, such as Venezuela's oil. The US also wants to install governments that would follow a pro-US foreign policy. Venezuela and Colombia have been very critical of US policies in the Middle East, including US support for Israel's genocide in Gaza. The US also wants to crush any moves towards progressive social change in Latin America. For example, Chavez used Venezuela's oil wealth to fund free health care. The US ruling class saw this as a bad example, since it might inspire people in the US to demand free health care. The blockade undermines Venezuela's health care system, by making it difficult to obtain medicines, vaccines and medical equipment. We call on the Australian government to condemn US attacks on Venezuela, Colombia and other Latin Americal countries. Australia should support these countries when they take their complaints to the United Nations. However, the ALP has said nothing about the attacks on the boats or the build-up of US forces in the Caribbean. We call on them to denounce the violation of international law and the threats to Venezuela and Colombia. There are factories in Australia that produce parts for US military aircraft. These planes have bombed Palestinians in Gaza, and may also be used to bomb Venezuela or Colombia. Australia should stop producing parts for the US military. We should end the US alliance. Solidarity with the people of Latin America! Down with US imperialism! -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. View/Reply Online (#39644): https://groups.io/g/marxmail/message/39644 Mute This Topic: https://groups.io/mt/116669497/21656 -=-=- POSTING RULES & NOTES #1 YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. #2 This mail-list, like most, is publicly & permanently archived. #3 Subscribe and post under an alias if #2 is a concern. #4 Do not exceed five posts a day. -=-=- Group Owner: [email protected] Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/marxmail/leave/13617172/21656/1316126222/xyzzy [[email protected]] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
