India’s Left parties on Sunday condemned the US military action against Venezuela, calling it a violation of international law, and staged a protest in Delhi against the capture of President Nicolas Maduro.
The US attack on Venezuela is a blatant violation of the United Nations Charter, the Left parties said on Sunday, raising concerns over statements by President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The parties also held a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi against the US action.
In a joint statement, the CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML) Liberation, AIFB and RSP said they “strongly denounce and condemn the US aggression against Venezuela and the kidnapping of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores”.
The statement said the action was carried out against a sovereign nation in blatant violation of the UN Charter.
"US President Donald Trump, in his address, stated that they would capture the oil reserves of Venezuela, laying bare the real intentions behind this aggression. The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, went a step further and warned that Cuba and Mexico would be their next target," the parties said.
"These statements, coming days after the release of the US National Security Strategy 2025, make it clear that US imperialism seeks to impose its hegemony over the entire world, even if it means carrying out military attacks. The US wants to impose the Trump corollary of the infamous Monroe doctrine that treats the entire Western Hemisphere as its backyard and run its writ," they said.
The Left parties said reports coming from Venezuela indicate that people there are mobilising in large numbers against US aggression and to defend their country's sovereignty.
"We extend our wholehearted support and solidarity with the fighting people of Venezuela," they said.
The Left parties also called for nationwide protests against US aggression and in solidarity with the people of Latin America.
"We appeal to all peace-loving, anti-imperialist people of our country to mobilise in large numbers and actively participate in these protests. The Government of India must join the voices of countries across the world condemning US aggression and stand firmly with Venezuela," they said.
The protest was addressed by Girish Sharma, member of the CPI National Secretariat, Professor Dinesh Varshney, secretary of the CPI Delhi State Council and member of the CPI National Executive, Raghavan, Politburo member of the CPI(M), Sucheta De, Central Committee member of the CPI(ML), G Devarajan, secretary of the All India Forward Bloc (AIFB), R S Dagar, secretary of the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), Prakash Rao of the CGPI and Professor Rajeev Kunwar, joint secretary of the CPI(M) Delhi State Committee.
The Left leaders strongly condemned the US attack on Venezuela, calling it an assault on an independent nation's sovereignty and alleging that the United States is trying to loot the oil and mineral resources of the South American country.
Hours after an audacious military operation that plucked Maduro from power and removed him from the country, Trump said on Saturday that the US would run Venezuela at least temporarily and tap its vast oil reserves to sell to other nations.
The Left parties demanded that the Government of India immediately condemn the attack, support a resolution against the US action at the UN and demand the immediate release of Maduro and his wife.
Maduro and his wife, seized overnight from their house in a military base, were first taken aboard a US warship on their way to face prosecution for a Justice Department indictment, accusing them of participating in a narco-terrorism conspiracy. PTI AO RC
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