By Prof. Jose Maria Sison
Chairperson, International League of Peoples’ Struggle
February 19, 2014
The International League of Peoples’ Struggle condemns the US and its puppets in Venezuela for causing artificial shortages of certain basic goods and inflation and inciting crimes and sham protests aimed at destabilizing the Bolivarian government of President Nicolas Maduro.
The malicious scheme of the US and its puppets headed by Leopoldo Lopez is to fabricate conditions for a military coup against the government which was duly-elected last April. President Maduro is justified in taking the necessary steps against the US and local malefactors in the coup scheme.
The interventionist remarks of US Secretary of State John Kerry against the Maduro government is an attack on the national sovereignty and independence of Venezuela and exposes the dirty hand of the US in causing shortages and inflation and emboldening criminal gangs to attack government buildings and personnel, Bolivarian activists and ordinary citizens.
The same kind of ultra-rightist stooges of the US like Leopoldo Lopez who launched a failed coup against Hugo Chavez in 2002 are again at work in a conspiracy to destabilize and overthrow the Maduro government.
They have been openly funded by US congressional appropriations amounting to hundreds of millions of US dollars in the last 15 years. In the 2014 US federal budget, USD 5 million is openly appropriated for supporting the activities of the anti-Bolivarian opposition. Covert funds for covert activities are far bigger.
The cause of the street violence in Venezuela is not the Maduro government but the US and its puppets. The entire scheme of destabilization and regime change is masterminded by the US and violates the national sovereignty and independence of Venezuela and the democratic will of the people of Venezuela.
We fully and unconditionally support the national sovereignty and independence of Venezuela and the democratic will of the Venezuelan people who have risen up to defend the Maduro government. We demand that the US and its puppets to stop causing shortages and inflation and committing crimes.
We call on all our member-organizations and allies in all countries to stand and act in solidarity with the people of Venezuela, Latin America and the whole world in defending the Maduro government and opposing US imperialism and its puppets.###