Organise Aotearoa, a new socialist movement is holding a picket today outside the U.S. Consulate to protest U.S. intervention in Venezuela.

“The Trump administration is undermining the democratic will of the Venezuelan people by backing Juan Guaidó as President,” says Organise Aotearoa spokesperson Justine Sachs.

On January 23, 2019, Guaidó declared himself President of Venezuela following the re-election and inauguration of Nicolás Maduro. The U.S. and its allies swiftly recognised him as President.

“This is a man who never ran for president. The Venezuelan opposition is orchestrating a coup d'état to depose the current elected government,” says Sachs.

“This is simply a U.S. attempt to install an unelected ruler that represents its interests in the region.”

“We are extremely concerned by Trump’s recent statements indicating the possibility of U.S. military intervention in Venezuela.”

Organise Aotearoa argues that there is a long history of disastrous outcomes from U.S. intervention. “We have to learn from the tragic situations in Iraq, Libya, and Yemen, and see the human cost of U.S backed wars,” says Sachs.

Organise Aotearoa encourages Aucklanders to come to the #HandsOffVenezuela picket outside the U.S. Consulate at 12:00 pm today to stand in solidarity with the Venezuelan people.

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