The YCL-LJC vehemently condemns the Coup d’État attempt against Venezuela perpetrated by the US, Canada, the European Union and reactionary governments in South America, including Colombia and Brazil, which represent potential back bases for US – NATO imperialism’s plans of invasion.

More particularly, we condemn the role that Canada has been playing in demonizing Venezuela and its government for years. In fact, Canada has been doing much more than “simply” recognising Juan Guaidó as the “interim” President of Venezuela. For years, Canada has been playing a forefront role in helping destabilise the country both materially and logistically. Such actions include financial sanctions against the government, the support of an ‘in exile’ Supreme Court since 2016. Even two weeks before Guaidó’s self proclamation as President, Freeland had a bi-lateral meeting with him.

Although being part of a broader plan to further destablise the country, the recognition of Juan Guaidó as the new President by US, NATO and their allies marks a further step in western imperialism’s plan to force the Venezuelans back to the times of the Pérez Jiménez dictatorship, back to a time where their country wasn’t led from Caracas, but from the Pentagon, and extend this model to the whole of Latin America.

Furthermore, the recent recognition of a parallel Chief of State by imperialist powers sets dangerously the tone for more civil-war like scenes which could justify an armed intervention. This danger is at a level never seen since the US invasion of Nicaragua in 1988, which resulted in 30 to 50 thousand deaths.

In this context, the YCL-LJC expresses its full support for the right to self-determination of the Venezuelan people and condemns any action that could undermine this fundamental right. We also support Nicolas Maduro as the only legitimate President of Venezuela, elected in May 2018 with a clear majority of 67% of the votes during elections to which International observers (which included people from Canada) had no complaints about.

We express our entire solidarity to the Venezuelan people and youth which has been courageously fighting for years against imperialism and who defend their country against several attempts of destabilisation through a harsh economic war carried on by both the imperialists themselves and their proxies, a violent mediatic war and several attempts of Coup d’État starting as early as in 2002. We stand on their side in their fight to defend an anti-imperialist process of social transformation which has allowed the Venezuelan people to benefit from measures such as free education, the right to strike and to have decent housing; all of which we don’t even have here in Canada.

We pertinently know that imperialists have no interest in defending democracy in Latin America or elsewhere. Recent developments in the region have shown the total opposite. Instead of defending democracy, imperialism hasn’t hesitated to side with the most reactionary elements in order to safeguard their own interests. This shows once again that in the course of defending their access to natural resources (such as Venezuelan oil and minerals), new markets and to a cheap and mobile labour force, imperialists rely not only on war, but also on fascism.We cannot trust Trump and other NATO leaders when they talk about restoring democracy. What they really mean is the same as when they refer to the “Responsibility to Protect” or to humanitarian interventions, that is, justify military interventions if needed.

As a scenario similar to Libya, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan or Iraq is increasingly possible in Venezuela, and as imperialism is targeting an increased amount of countries such as the DPRK and Iran, but also bigger countries such as Russia and China, it is clear that solidarity with Venezuela cannot be considered outside the broader fight against imperialism and for a world of peace and solidarity.

In the face of the urgency to strengthen this struggle, it is our duty to make sure that the youth and student movement, which has historically been key in the anti-war movement whether it be in 2003 in the fight against the war in Iraq and earlier against the Vietnam, war takes back the streets and organises a broad, militant and massive fightback.