US Hands Off Venezuela! Hands Off Cuba!

6 December 2026

The Auckland Cuba Friendship Society joins other defenders of national sovereignty in Latin America in condemning Washington’s abduction of Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores. The Jan. 3 act of war comes on top of weeks of United States military action and threats against Venezuela, from a full naval blockade of the country by a powerful armada that includes 15,000 troops, to repeated murderous assaults on unarmed Venezuelan vessels and their crews.

Crowing about the Jan. 3 action, US president Donald Trump threatened further military strikes, not only against Venezuela if the government does not bow down to its dictates, but other Latin American countries. He mentioned Cuba, Mexico and Colombia. “I think Cuba is something we’ll be talking about,” he said.

The US government is enraged by the assistance provided by Cuban volunteers to Venezuela’s health and education services. In exchange for that solidarity, Venezuela provides oil to Cuba at subsidised prices. The Trump administration clearly aims to sever that lifeline as part of its stated intention of placing Venezuela’s vast oil reserves under the direct control of US companies.

This would further tighten the economic embargo on Cuba maintained by both Democratic and Republican administrations for more than 60 years.

From the opening of their historic revolution in 1959, Cuba’s government and people have faced economic strangulation and military threats by US governments and their allies. Washington has never forgiven Cuba for carrying out a socialist revolution under its very nose, and for successfully defending that revolution. One signal victory occurred at the Bay of Pigs in 1961, where Cuban militia and armed forces inflicted Washington’s first military defeat in the Americas.

As the Cuban government stated in response to the “cowardly US aggression” on Jan. 3, “all nations of the region must remain alert”. The statement added, Cuba’s “determination to struggle is firm and unwavering”. The government announced that 32 Cuban citizens died resisting the assault.

In that spirit, we should oppose military threats and economic war by the US and its allies against Venezuela, Cuba, and other Latin American countries. End the US embargo on Cuba! Remove Cuba from Washington’s list of nations allegedly sponsoring terrorism! Hands off Venezuela!

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