We share the video above from web site of the International Marxist Tendency (IMT). Facts For Working People, (FFWP) agrees with most of the points raised in the video and the article below and are useful, though FFWP and this blog is not affiliated with the IMT. However, in sharing these pieces we make the following points:
1. We feel that it is important to reach out to the rank and file of the Venezuelan military to organize themselves through rank and file committees to oppose the coup. This is not done in either the video or the article. In our opinion it is important to advocate that these committees would seek to draw to their side the sections of the military officer caste who could be won to oppose the coup, not on the basis of defending the economic concessions, perks and access to wealth that the Maduro regime gave, but on the basis of opposing imperialist intervention and opposing the re-imposition of the unchecked rule of the capitalist class and landlord class in Venezuela. And in doing so, the committees of the rank and file of the military link with the working class and peasantry, but importantly these latter forces, the working class and peasantry through their elected committees remain in the leadership of the movement.
2. We also feel that it is important to reach out to the working class and peasants throughout Latin and Central America, not just on the basis of solidarity but for an international opposition to the US sponsored coup. US imperialism and the Trump regime reached out to other countries as it laid the groundwork for the coup and the ruling classes in 20 countries are now backing US imperialism. The EU is demanding Maduro calls an election or it too will support the US imposed candidate. The opposition to the coup should more decisively and these two pieces from the IMT should more decisively, to seek to make the opposition an international opposition.
Finally in relation to the role of US imperialism, the hypocrisy is staggering. Putin, representing Russian imperialism interfered in the US elections. Of course he did. The US interferes in every election on the planet where it can do so and when it cannot get its stooges elected. If the situation demands it they either invade or organize a military coup. Vietnam, South East Asia, Iran, Chile, Grenada, country after country in Eastern Europe come to mind. Now they are interfering in Venezuela organizing a military coup. Imagine if Putin or any other country declared that Hillary Clinton was the President of the US and refused to recognize Trump? After all, she won the majority of the votes cast. FFWP does not support the policies of Maduro. However, we would ask our readers to think carefully about this, what is happening in Venezuela now, what is happening is that the US is intervening in another country and through people like Trump, Pompeo and Pence have been the organizing force behind this coup.
As the New York Times Saturday January 25th says: "Rebellious military commanders (of the Venezuelan military) even held secret meetings with the Trump administration over the last year to discuss their plans to over throw Mr Maduro.” The US media has also reported, that Mike Pence, the US VP who rarely speaks at all, calls Nicolás Maduro a “dictator” who had "never won a free and fair election.”, unbelievable that the media can publish such statement given that Trump and Pence were defeated by Clinton by 3 million votes and that at one stage Trump said that if he lost he might not accept the result of the vote. Pence spoke with Juan Guaidó the self proclaimed new leader of Venezuela, by telephone the night before he announced it at a rally.
A resolution being circulated in Britain and the labor movement there can be found at the Left Horizons website Also, a report on the strikes in Mexico can be found here
FFWP Admin
Venezuela: coup in progress, Guaidó proclaims himself president
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The White House's response did not wait. Almost as though it was timed with the execution of the plan, they have declared on Twitter that “President @realDonaldTrump has officially recognised the President of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Juan Guaido, as the Interim President of Venezuela.”
Similarly, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Colonies of the USA (OAS), Almagro, has come out in favour of the coup plotters, in addition to having recognised the day before the appointment made by the National Assembly of an “ambassador” to this body.
In the face of imperialist interference, President Maduro announced the breakdown of relations with the US government, and gave their diplomatic staff 72 hours to leave the country. To which the puppet “president” Guaidó has responded with a statement in which he calls "all the diplomatic mission heads" to "continue operating in Venezuela":
In so doing, he calls for an escalation in imperialist interference.
Marco Rubio, known for being a staunch enemy of the Bolivarian Revolution, has also come out to bark his support for the coup, calling for the expulsion of Venezuelan diplomats and to recognise those designated by their puppet president.
Lucha de Clases, the Venezuelan section of the International Marxist Tendency, has clearly indicated that we are against the policies of the Maduro government because class conciliation does nothing more than unload the burden of the crisis on the backs of working people, asphyxiates the revolutionary initiative of the masses, gives away conquests of the revolution and paves the way for the victory of reaction.
At the same time, we make clear our categorical rejection of the coup d'état promoted by the Trump-Bolsonaro-Almagro axis and its lackeys of the Lima cartel. The coming to power of the reactionary opposition supported by imperialism would mean a disaster for the poor people and the workers from an economic, social, political and democratic point of view. We cannot fool ourselves with that. The “transition plan” drafted by the national assembly speaks openly of privatising all the nationalised companies, mass dismissals in the public sector and in general a clearly anti-worker and pro-business policy.
Oppose the imperialist backed coup!
The only way to combat the reactionary coup is on the basis of the revolutionary energy of the working class and the poor peasantry. Militias must be set up in every neighbourhood, community and factory. Factories should be taken over and placed under worker control. Latifundia should be occupied and defended with Popular Defense Brigades, which already exist in different states of the country.
Maduro at the Miraflores Palace / Image: public domainTo fight the coup, the bankers and businessmen who finance it should have their economic power taken away. Expropriate all the large companies and multinationals involved in the coup. There must be occupations of all the paralysed and semi-paralysed companies to put them to work under workers’ control on the basis of a democratic plan of production, to satisfy the needs of the majority.
Enough of concessions to the capitalists: we demand the expropriation of banking, large companies and large landed estates under workers' control, and that of the organised peasant communities.
The task of combating the coup goes hand in hand with the resolution of the pressing needs of the working people, which can only be done by putting an end to the policy of pacts, negotiations and concessions to the bourgeoisie organising the coup, and enacting policies that put the interests of the majority of the working people above all else.
This is no time for doubts. Imperialism, which has been attacking the people of Venezuela through economic sanctions and financial blockades, has upped the ante and entered into a decisive phase of its coup plan. For this reason, we call on the peoples of the world, the workers and the youth, to mobilise against the reactionary, imperialist coup d'état, by carrying out acts of protest in the embassies and consulates of the USA and Canada in all countries.
Hands off Venezuela!
Expropriate the bourgeoisie!
Yankees Go Home!
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