Why Are Left Parties Protesting in Delhi Over US Actions in Venezuela?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
New Delhi, Jan 4 (NationPress) Numerous Left parties demonstrated on Sunday at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar, denouncing the US military action against Venezuela and the alleged capture of President Nicolas Maduro alongside his wife. The leadership of CPI(M) criticized the US for what they termed an "imperialist military aggression" and called for global condemnation, urging the Indian government to adopt a clear and resolute stance against such actions.
The demonstrators claimed that the US initiated this attack to seize Venezuela's oil resources.
This protest followed US President Donald Trump's announcement of a significant military operation in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, resulting in the capture of President Maduro and his spouse. Trump asserted that the US would oversee the nation during its transitional phase.
Meanwhile, Maduro arrived in New York City late Saturday to confront US criminal charges after federal prosecutors revealed a broad indictment accusing him of orchestrating a long-standing narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking scheme.
The indictment was disclosed by US Attorney General Pam Bondi and submitted to the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. Prosecutors allege that Maduro exploited state power to transport vast amounts of cocaine to the United States over a span of more than twenty years.
Charges against Maduro include narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, firearms offenses, and associated crimes, with activities reportedly starting around 1999 and continuing until 2025.
In response, CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML), RSP, and the All India Forward Bloc urged the government to align with the global chorus denouncing US aggression and to show solidarity with Venezuela.
General Secretaries M.A. Baby (CPI-M), D Raja (CPI), Dipankar Bhattacharya (CPI-ML), G Deverajan (AIFB), and Manoj Bhattacharya (RSP) issued a joint statement in the wake of the attack, asserting that the US action represented an assault on a sovereign nation in "blatant violation" of the UN Charter.
In his address, Trump stated that the US intended to capture Venezuela's oil reserves, exposing the true motives behind this aggression. Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, escalated the rhetoric by indicating that Cuba and Mexico could be next on their list.
The statement further claimed that the United States aims to enforce the Trump corollary of the notorious Monroe Doctrine, which considers the entire Western Hemisphere as its own sphere of influence.