Venezuela and International Law

Over the course of this past weekend, we witnessed a horrendous violation of international sovereignty. An imperialist power executed an offensive military operation against another nation's capital in order to capture their head of government. Following this, they stated openly that they wished to exert political puppetry and exploitation of the nation's resources to benefit the imperial core. In an era where anti-colonialism is becoming more mainstream, and countries are taking control of their resources more directly, this is a horrid act that sends us in the wrong direction.

Make no mistake, this action in Venezuela was not for the purposes of the "War on Drugs" which has been reinvigorated by the Trump regime. Nor is it in response to a defense of the United States' own sovereignty. This is an offensive operation geared directly and openly to topple an unfriendly-to-American-interest government, and to exploit the Venezuelan people more than they already are. Their nation has seen embargoes that only serve to harm the general worker. They've seen aggression in the form of war crimes perpetrated by the US Department of War, an apt name for the department if we ever saw one, against civilian and presumably unarmed vessels in the Caribbean Sea over the last several months. They've seen campaigns worldwide condemning their government procedures, and artificially propping up political figures in the country that convenience the imperialists. The Venezuelan person suffers day in and day out for reasons they cannot control, from nations they have no voice in. The international community has frequently stated the claim that they are interested in the freedoms and safety of the Venezuelan layperson, but we have seen time and time again this is not the case. Venezuelans frequently are denied asylum or resident status in Western countries. Venezuelans are under the thumb of numerous embargoes that prevent them from accessing international goods. Venezuelans are frequently the victim of international political strong manning regarding victors or losers of their electoral processes.

Do not misunderstand, the Venezuelan government is far from perfect. It does demonstrate examples of lacks of transparency in their electoral processes. It does have a government that claims to be leftist in nature but fails in countless regards to help its own people. They also engage in acts of imperialism themselves by claiming a portion of sovereign Guyana and Guyanese offshore oil fields. These failings, however, do not justify the intervention of a foreign power into their domestic affairs, in order to exert direct colonial control over their own resources. A popular revolution by the people and for the interests of the people is one that would serve a better future to the average Venezuelan. An intervention like we saw does not.

It is facile to think that Maduro's capture will result in a better set of conditions for the nation. It is also ignorant to the point of negligence to think that the US, holding and charging Maduro in their own court system separate from international tribunal, will do anything but create a mockery of said tribunal and martyr Maduro in the eyes of the US's detractors. Whatever crimes Maduro has indeed provably committed will now forever be out of reach from actual justice for them. Yet, despite these self evident facts, we have seen applause from several other nations, such as France, for the US's flagrant violation of the UN Charter. Say what you will about the UN, it is an international organization whose stated goal is to foster peace between nations. Yet, it is wholly ineffective in doing so. We saw this in the Ukrainian conflict, the Rwandan Genocide, the Cambodian Genocide, as we speak with regards to the civil war in Sudan, the recent Tigre war in Ethiopia. We are seeing it again here. Imperialist powers throwing away charters as if they were toilet paper, but harshly enforcing them when it serves their interests. Several nations have condemned the intervention as well, such as Mexico and Colombia. In doing so, these nations are setting a precedent that international sovereignty is not to be threatened by expansionist states. Nations that side with the actions of the US, regardless of the crimes of Maduro, and do not call for Maduro to be tried in an international tribunal for his crimes, are as complicit as if they had helped hide the body of a murder victim.

Unfortunately, as is frequent in the past, it is likely that governments will take a tame and removed stance on the matter. No sane country wishes for war after all, and we've even seen this from the Venezuelan government following this event. However, we as people, as citizens of imperialist countries, as citizens of anti-colonialist countries, need to make our stances known, and make our voices unignorable. A government derives its authority from the people, it does so in many different ways that are far outside the scope of this newsletter, but we must take away that authority from it if it seeks to benefit actions like this. Exploitation of foreigners for homeland benefit. Subjugation of the wills of the people of far off lands. Abuse and war crimes that go unaddressed and unpunished by the world at large. It is our world, our comrades, our safety that gets embroiled in these petty and pathetic actions by imperialists. It is crucial we stand against them.

The people of Venezuela have my sympathy, and the sympathy of millions of others. Their lives, right to self determination, and right to sovereignty have been the target of the West and from internal actors for years. This most recent event will not stabilize their country, it will not lead to a better future for the people, it will not lead to criminal politicians being held accountable across the globe. It will at best lead to a status quo with the state of the nation beforehand, or it will lead to furthered exploitation and carving up of Venezuela.

You might have noticed that we have not focused heavily on the war crimes and past actions of the US or France, or explained examples of imperialism in Venezuela in detail. This is not out of ignorance, it is out of a materialist understanding of the situation we are discussing. Understanding that regardless of Venezuela's imperialism or supposed dictatorial rule, it does not excuse what the US did. Conversely, what the US et al has done in the past does not detract from the harm done to the average Venezuelan, which is the primary focus of these words. Condemning the US and its actions, as well as any nation that decides to align itself with them, is our duty as Marxists, and as defenders of workers worldwide. A Venezuelan worker has more in common with you, then you do with your leaders. Make your leaders aware of that. Condemning the US et al also does not excuse any actions Venezuela has perpetrated. Two things can be, and are, true.

Celebrations of a dictator's capture, at the hands of another dictatorial state (this case dictatorship of capital) is only serving to support, and encourage, furthered action on the basis of revenge. Maduro being tried in the US will not benefit a Venezuelan worker. It will not allow for more free expression and international collaboration by Venezuelan furries. It will not raise the living standards of a Venezuelan family. It will benefit the US, and it will benefit its allies. Nothing more, nothing less. Venezuela is now robbed of the ability to organize its own uprising against him, robbed of the ability to create a fact finding panel, robbed of the ability to try him under their own legal system for crimes he may have committed. Venezuela was robbed, figuratively and literally, of a better future from their current situation, by the actions of the US, all because the president and his lackeys wished to recreate the Monroe Doctrine. Arresting President Kerk from Apartheid South Africa would not have helped South Africa recover, their Truth and Reconciliation Commission did. Venezuela is no longer able to have an equivalent regarding Maduro. Do not celebrate his capture, lest you encourage the West even slightly.

In Solidarity,
FurInform