Stop the murderous U.S. embargo on Venezuela now!

The DSA Venezuela Solidarity Group categorically opposes any and all efforts by the U.S. government to intervene in the domestic affairs of Venezuela.

On Monday, August 4, Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) imposing new economic sanctions on Venezuela like the embargo imposed on Cuba in the early 1960s. On August 6, as part of this attempt to starve Venezuela into submission, a cargo ship carrying 25,000 tons of soy food products was seized by the U.S. in the Panama Canal in violation of international law.

The embargo is the latest act of aggression in a U.S. campaign of economic, political and military warfare and threats directed against the people and government of Venezuela aimed at regime change. According to a CEPR report, U.S. economic sanctions since August 2017 have caused tens of thousands of deaths and are rapidly worsening the humanitarian situation. If allowed to continue, the new sanctions will kill many more.

The EO is also directed at 3rd parties who do business with Venezuela and authorizes secondary sanctions against them. This targets Russia and China in particular and raises the specter of a direct confrontation much like the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.

The DSA Venezuela Solidarity Group categorically opposes any and all efforts by the U.S. government to intervene in the domestic affairs of Venezuela. The U.S. has a long history and bloody track record of actions to overthrow governments in Latin America (as well as in other regions of the world) in order to maintain U.S. economic and political domination. This embargo must stop immediately. The future of the Venezuelan people, and the broader prosperity of Latin America depend on it. 

We call upon the U.S. government to end the embargo and immediately cease and desist from all interference in the internal affairs of Venezuela. The U.S. must not interfere with the ongoing diplomatic talks to resolve the crisis, currently being mediated by Norway. Venezuela has paused if not suspended the talks scheduled to resume in Barbados, in response to the embargo.

We call upon DSA members and chapters to join in protest demonstrations against U.S. aggression and demand that their members of congress sponsor and support legislation to end the U.S. government’s disastrous and counterproductive sanctions against Venezuela, and to pass HR1004, which blocks unauthorized U.S. military attacks.

No Coup, No War, No Sanctions!