ATALC stands unwaveringly with the Venezuelan people against imperialism

ATALC – Friends of the Earth Latin-America and Caribbean categorically condemns the threats of a “military option” made to our brothers and sisters of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela by the United States of America, and recently made explicit by its President Donald Trump, thereby further escalating the political, economic and media siege being waged by his administration with the support of some of the continent’s governments.

We unhesitatingly express our solidarity with Venezuela’s social movements and organizations, with respect to the defense of their people’s right to self-determination and sovereignty.

In the current context, this sovereignty includes the defence of the freedom of Latin-American and Caribbean soil from the imperialist threat, blocking the meddling of the United States, and leaving it up to the Venezuelan people, the working classes, farmers’ movements, communities of the African diaspora, indigenous and other peoples to define the construction of their own future.

As organizations that fight for environmental, social, economic and gender justice, and firmly committed to the sovereignty of peoples, we consider that Washington’s threat to Caracas clearly represents a threat to all of our struggles, and an attempt to silence and crush the roads to freedom embarked upon thanks to the efforts of popular social movements.

To envisage Latin-America and the Caribbean as an area of peace is no empty slogan. It represents the will of our peoples and the mandate of our shared history. Thus it is inconceivable for us to do anything other than, in the most resounding and explicit way, reject the bellicose declarations of the North American imperialist leader.

It is likewise unacceptable that a government which has seized power in a coup d’état, like that of Brazil in 1964, whose legitimacy is seriously questioned by the people because of their constant repression of social struggle, the persecution of those that stand against the destruction of their territories, the imposition of policies favouring the elites and attacks on rights battled for in the past and the denial of the rights of the indigenous peoples, should believe it has the credentials to, on behalf of democracy, politically isolate a country, thus helping grow the interventionist atmosphere developing against a sister nation.

Once more let us cry “No pasarán”!

Solidarity with the Venezuelan people!

Statement from ATALC – Friends of the Earth Latin-America and Caribbean.

Image: http://entornointeligente.com