Hands off Venezuela!
Tudeh Party of Iran condemns the US neo-colonial interference in Venezuela!
The Tudeh Party of Iran is closely following reports coming from Venezuela on the coordinated attempts by the US administration and its regional allies in Latin America to subvert the legitimate, constitutional and elected government of the Bolivarian Republic. According to this news, the architects of the attempted coup d’état have proclaimed Juan Guaidó, a spokesperson of the right-wing opposition and hitherto relatively unknown figure, as president of the country and have started moves to engineer ‘legitimacy’ for the US sponsored puppet “administration”.
The fact that the US and a number of right-wing governments in Latin America, including Brazil and Chile, recognised the putschist frontman as the legitimate president immediately after his proclamation as such clearly exposes the external origins of this attempted coup d’état.
As a country rich in natural resources, with vast reserves of oil and minerals, US Imperialism has always been interested to exercise full control over Venezuela and its political system. However, in 1998, Hugo Chavez took office and decisively changed the orientation of the economic, political and social policies in Venezuela. The declaration of Venezuela as a Bolivarian Republic and the policies adopted to defend the rights, dignity and independence of the people against foreign aggressions marked the country out as a target for regime change by the US.
The fact that a coup attempt has been undertaken is not a surprise, having come about as the culmination of a long series of punitive measures adopted by the US towards the country over the past two decades. The imposition of harsh economic, banking and monetary sanctions by the US and its allies has seriously undermined the Venezuelan economy and has sparked social anxiety and unrest as a result. These crippling sanctions by successive US administrations have directly resulted in hyper-inflation and a major scarcity of basic goods. This crisis coupled with the immediate recognition of a relative unknown as self-proclaimed “president” by the US government and its allies in the Americas leaves no room for doubt as to the devious designs against Venezuela with the clear goal of the country’s natural resources passing under the control of US capital.
The Tudeh Party of Iran strongly condemns the flagrant violation of international law and the UN Charter by the US and its reactionary allies in attempting to subvert the rule of law in Venezuela and intervening in the internal affairs of the Bolivarian Republic.
We consider the policies and actions of the US administration and its allies as clearly designed to pave the way for intervention in the internal affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. We further believe that unless this adventurous and illegal attempt is resisted and completely defeated it could become a model of behaviour re-employed by Imperialism to shape the international order suit their priorities and hegemonic interests.
We declare our solidarity with the people of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
The Tudeh Party of Iran reiterates its solidarity with the legitimate government of Venezuela, the Communist Party of Venezuela and all forces defending and upholding the sovereignty and independence of Venezuela. Only the Venezuelan people have the right to decide about the political order and future of their country.
The Tudeh Party of Iran
25 January 2019
