News and Views from the People's Struggle
Billings, MT – On January 8, around 20 people rallied together to demand an end to the U.S. war on Venezuela and the immediate release of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.
Oakland, CA – On Sunday, January 4, 60 protesters rallied in Fruitvale Plaza in response to U.S. military strikes in Caracas, Venezuela, and the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.
The Freedom Road Socialist Organization, the Oakland Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, and the Community Service Organization called the action.
Esperanza, with Community Service Organization Oakland, highlighted the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelan migrants by the Trump administration last year, saying, “The U.S. government cannot claim liberation abroad while caging, persecuting and disappearing immigrants at home. If this administration truly cared about Venezuelans, it wouldn't have terminated TPS in October, leaving thousands of Venezuelans, one of our impacted communities here in the U.S., leaving them vulnerable for mass deportation to meet Trump’s deportation agenda. The U.S. intervention abroad creates displacement and meets those forced to migrate with criminalization, detention and violence.”
Washington, DC – On Tuesday, January 6, a group of over 200 people rallied outside of the Kennedy Center, in D.C. to demand an end to U.S. intervention in Venezuela. Protesters took the streets outside of the Watergate Hotel to march to the Center.
West Palm Beach, FL — On Sunday, January 4, a determined crowd of 40 activists rallied and marched on Mar‑a‑Lago to send a clear message – the people of the U.S. refuse to stand by while the government wages economic warfare, sanctions and military escalation against Venezuela.
Santa Ana, CA – El 3 de enero, una multitud de manifestantes se congregó en la intersección de Bristol y McFadden para protestar contra los ataques aéreos del ejército estadounidense en Venezuela y el secuestro del presidente Nicolás Maduro. La protesta tuvo lugar en esta histórica intersección, donde el año pasado se celebró una gran manifestación contra la inauguración de Donald Trump.
January 4 – Over 200 protesters gathered at Mexican Heritage Plaza in East San Jose on Sunday in response to the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores. The action was organized by local activist group San Jose Against War (SJAW) to demand “Hands off Venezuela!”
Detroit, MI – Over 40 people came out to an emergency protest put on by Detroit Anti-War Committee, January 4, outside the Patrick V. McNamara Federal building to oppose Trump's attack on Venezuela and the kidnapping of President Maduro.
Detroit Anti-War Committee was joined by Detroit Community Action Committee, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and many others. Many people held signs saying, “No war on Venezuela” and banners that featured Maduro and Simón Bolivar portraits, accompanied with chants of “Trump wants war, Trump wants oil. Hands off Venezuelan soil!”
Green Bay, WI – Over two dozen people showed up on Sunday, January 4 to stand in solidarity with Venezuela. Angry community members chanted “U.S. off of foreign soil! No more trading blood for oil!.” The Green Bay Anti-War Committee organized the event, with supporters from Hate Free Outagamie in attendance.
This protest comes less than two days after the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores Maduro. “Seeing the U.S. unilaterally kidnap a foreign head of state is not a precedent we want to be setting,” said the outreach chair of Green Bay Anti-War. “The drug narrative doesn't hold up when you look at the numbers and interests of the U.S. The oil narrative does.”
Countless cars honked and swerved in support of the action, showing that the people of Green Bay are against the imperialist cash grab that is this war. Signs stating, “Hands off Venezuela” and Venezuelan flags were front and center in the action.
This action in Green Bay shows that no matter where you go in this country, the people are in solidarity with Venezuela, against U.S. intervention, and want an end to U.S. imperialism.
Los Ángeles, CA – Many people were brought together in solidarity and protest against the U.S. bombing of Venezuela and the kidnapping of its president Nicolas Maduro on January 3, with 200 people joining a protest at Perishing Square in downtown LA at approximately 2 p.m.
Portland, OR – On Saturday, January 3, hundreds of Portlanders mobilized into the streets after the United States’ attack on Venezuela the night before, launching airstrikes and abducting President Nicolás Maduro.
Seattle, WA – Approximately 120 protesters rallied at Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle on January 3 to condemn the U.S. military’s illegal bombings of Venezuela and the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro.
The rally program included speeches from Seattle Against War (SAW), the International League of People’s Struggles (ILPS) Seattle/Tacoma, Veterans for Peace (VFP) Daniel Ellsberg chapter, 350 Seattle, Capybara Colectiva, BAYAN Washington, bil-Yad, the National Lawyers’ Guild, and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO).
Brooklyn, NY – At a late afternoon press conference, January 6, anti-war and international solidarity activists blasted the U.S. war on Venezuela and blasted the kidnaping of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores. President Maduro and Cilia Flores are currently be held Metropolitan Detention Center.
Milwaukee, WI – On Monday, January 5, the Milwaukee Anti-war Committee (MAC) held a press conference at Milwaukee City Hall, announcing their “No War with Venezuela” month of action.
This month of action came on the heels of the U.S. bombing Caracas and kidnapping Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
Decorah, IA – On January 4, 40 people rallied in Decorah, a small town in northeast Iowa, to demand no war on Venezuela. Decorah Community for Immigrant Rights (DCIR) and Iowa 50501 organized the protest after reports that Washington bombed Caracas and kidnapped President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores early morning on January 3.
Tallahassee, FL – On January 4, over 100 community members gathered at the Florida Capitol Building for a protest organized by the Tallahassee Coalition Against Trump (TCAT). They rallied to denounce the U.S. bombing of Venezuela and demand the release of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.
Dallas, TX – Over 150 Dallas-Fort Worth residents gathered together to protest the United States’ bombing of Venezuela and kidnapping of President Maduro and First Lady Flores on January 3. This emergency protest was called after the U.S. launched an unprecedented escalation against Venezuela. Speakers emphasized that the F-35 fighter jets used in the attack on Caracas were produced by Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth, Texas.
By Chanel Crittenden and Gio Araujo
Chicago, IL – On Saturday, January 3, around 2000 people gathered downtown in Chicago’s Federal Plaza to join an emergency rally denouncing the U.S. empire’s latest series of military aggression against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
This rally was one of many emergency responses called by the Anti-War Action Network (AWAN) after the United States government conducted bomb strikes across several Venezuelan territories: the capital Caracas, Aragua, La Guaira and Miranda. U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that the invasion concluded with the kidnapping of the democratically-elected president Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.
By Jack Koncar and Jon Staub
Tacoma, WA – On January 4, anti-war protesters held rallies in front of the U.S. District Court this weekend to denounce the U.S. Military attack on Venezuela and the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Nearly 100 protesters gathered at the U.S. District Courthouse to hear speakers from community organizations like the Pierce County Immigration Alliance, Bayan Washington, About Face, and Climate Alliance of the South Sound.
Austin, TX – On January 4, about 275 people took to the streets in front of the City Hall in Downtown Austin to protest the American military aggression directed against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. This rally was organized in response to the brazen kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro.
Santa Ana, CA – On January 3, a crowd of protesters rallied on the intersection of Bristol and McFadden to protest the United States military air strikes on Venezuela and the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro. The protest occurred at the historic intersection where just last year a large protest took place against the inauguration of Donald Trump.