Venezuela and the U.S. Black community

Statement from the December 12th Movement International Secretariat

The December 12th Movement denounces the kidnapping of President Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores; the bombing of Venezuela and the murder of at least 40 Venezuelan citizens. We condemn the militarization of the Caribbean, and the ongoing threats to Cuba, Colombia and Mexico. As Black people we stand with our brothers and sisters in Latin America and the Caribbean, and indeed in recently bombed Nigeria, to denounce that might makes right. We are living under this same threat as a nationalized police invades cities run by Black mayors or with high concentrations of Black and Brown people. The thin veil of laws has been ripped away and the naked theft of resources is visible. At home all the hard-fought for programs funded by our taxes are being cut to fuel the military. Today in Venezuela the U.S. proclaims it is taking back “its” oil. As Congresswoman Maxine Waters said, “what the hell is going on?”

What has Venezuela done to incite the wrath of the U.S.?

Inside the country, under its Socialist Presidents Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro, the government has used the country’s oil wealth to: cut the illiteracy rate and expand school enrollment; provide free healthcare and subsidized food; reduce poverty and income inequality; build public housing.

Internationally, the government has provided free or low-cost oil to Black, Brown, Indigenous and poor white communities in the U.S. (including New York City) who could not keep up with rising heating costs; offered to provide material (petroleum, funds) and logistical support to the New Orleans victims of Hurricane Katrina. The U.S. government refused the offer.

Instead the U.S. response has been to impose sanctions designed to destroy the economy and persuade the Venezuelan people to overthrow its government. By doing this, the U.S. hopes to accomplish two things at once: 1) to steal and control the largest oil reserves in the world; and 2) to discredit socialism as a viable alternative to capitalism.

Black people do not have the luxury to ignore what is going on and what it means for us. As Maya Angelou noted, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” Donald Trump, but more importantly, the class he represents, is telling us who they are. In a period where the conditions of life for the masses of people, particularly Black people, are worsening, where the U.S. economy is failing, they are prepared to use outright force against those who fight for their, their families’ and their communities’ rights to survive and do better.

Our position is that we must work together to push back — in support of Venezuela and in defense of our human rights.

December 12th Movement International Secretariat, 456 Nostrand Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11216. (929) 692-7609