600 Artists, Activists, Academics Show Solidarity with Maduro

On Monday, a group of intellectuals, artists, and activists came together to support the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

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The Network of Intellectuals, Artists and Social Movements in Defense of Humanity published a statement which called for respecting the sovereignty of Venezuela and its people. It also rejected the continuous attempts by the United States and its fellow right-wing governments to undermine the May 2018 elections in Venezuela, in which Nicolas Maduro was elected to the presidency of the country.

The declaration was signed by nearly 600 intellectuals, academics, artists, representatives of religious organizations, lawmakers, ambassadors, lawyers, activists and peace-loving people from all over the world.

The statement supports the legitamacy of the elections and Maduro, who is set to take office on Jan. 10, 2019.   

“The election took place under a climate of peace and tranquility with the participation of 46.02% of the total electoral roll, a figure very similar to that recorded in the US election,” said the declaration. “The electoral result and the democratic response of the Venezuelan people demonstrate their determination to continue a path of independent and democratic construction of their destiny.”

The U.S. administrations of the past five years have been implementing tactics to help overthrow the democratically elected government, which violates the sovereignty of Venezuela and its people.  

“In March of 2015, under Executive Decree, the U.S. Government declared Venezuela as 'an unusual and extraordinary threat to national security and the foreign policy of the United States,' declaring a "national emergency to address this threat." Another Executive Order in August 2017 required the Department of the Treasury to implement "irreversible" sanctions against the Venezuelan economy and financial system, a set of unilateral coercive measures, unacceptable in international law,” explained the statement.

“With these legal frameworks, the economic siege was activated against the recovery plans of the Venezuelan economy, which was affected by the fall in oil prices starting in the summer of 2014.”

The U.S. also uses media to create a negative opinion about Venezuela. It portrays a 'humanitarian crisis' which will allow the U.S. to vote for a military intervention in the country under the disguise of 'humanitarian aid.'"

The statement concludes saying, “...we call on the people of the United States and the international community to not intervene, and to recognize and respect the sovereign will of the Venezuelan people, who continue to trace their own path of peace, guided by their inalienable right to free self-determination and independence.”