Peace Action Statement on illegal US attack on Venezuela

Kevin Martin, President of Peace Action and Peace Action Education Fund, issued the following statement today:

“The United States’ military special forces attack on Venezuela and abduction of its president, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, is illegal, immoral, dangerous, and must be condemned and repudiated by the American public, the international community, and the US Congress.

While no one should shed a tear for Maduro, who is credibly depicted as a corrupt, authoritarian leader, concern for the people of Venezuela, already suffering under terrible economic conditions, must be in the forefront, as the possibility of internal conflict is now increased. Bogus assertions that Venezuela stole US oil raise suspicions this is not about narcotics trafficking, but rather seizing resources such as oil and minerals. Moreover, other countries in the region are surely on high alert that they might be next in President Donald Trump’s crosshairs, and US forces deployed worldwide could be targeted for reprisals.

Trump just announced, ‘…we are going to run the country, until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.’

No one voted for that, nor has Congress authorized it on behalf of the American people.

In less than a year in office, Trump has now attacked seven countries -- Somalia, Iran, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Nigeria and Venezuela, along with alleged drug boats at sea -- with at least 626 airstrikes, according to Military Times. So much for his being a peace president, or focusing on improving economic and social conditions for Americans.

Just two weeks ago, the House of Representatives narrowly failed to pass War Powers Resolutions against US attacks on Venezuela, along almost entirely partisan lines, with Republicans refusing to vote against their president and in favor of their own authority over declaring war. Earlier, the Senate also narrowly failed to uphold its constitutional responsibilities, but US Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) stated a few days ago he would bring another War Powers Resolution up for a vote as soon as next week, and that should proceed without delay.

The United States’ history of lawless imperialism in the Western Hemisphere and beyond cannot be overstated or discounted, and international condemnation of this episode will presumably be strong and sustained. It is up to Congress and the American public to rein in a lawless executive branch intent on concocting distractions from the Epstein Files, the anniversary of the January 6 insurrection, and the miserably failed policies of the Trump Administration. Emergency demonstrations against this illegal action will be held today in many US cities, and various actions to protest this attack and other ongoing US military adventurism will be ongoing.”