Milwaukee, WI – Venezuela has been in the news lately. For the first time in decades, the threat of war between the United States and a Latin American country hangs over our hemisphere.

New York, NY – Over 200 people gathered in New York City on Sept. 16 to protest against the U.S.-backed President Rodrigo Duterte’s government of the Philippines. The action was to bring attention to the extrajudicial killings in the Philippines, the crackdown and murders of opposition leaders, poverty, and the martial law that is currently in place.

Minneapolis, MN – On Sept. 13. Minneapolis peace groups held a protest to “send an urgent anti-war message” in response to the Trump administration’s threats to conduct new airstrikes in Syria and to plots of a military coup in Venezuela.

Salt Lake City, UT – Downtown Salt Lake City echoed with the chants of more than 50 demonstrators shouting, “Justice for Laquan,” “Community control now,” and “Jail killer cops,” on Sept. 5, the opening day of the trial for the Chicago cop who murdered young Laquan McDonald.

LA teachers take strike authorization vote

Los Angeles, CA – The featured speaker at this year’s commemoration of the historic 1970 Chicano Moratorium against the War was United Teachers of LA (UTLA) chapter chair at Marvin Avenue Elementary School and longtime Centro CSO member Lupe Torres.

Los Ángeles, CA – Familias, sindicalistas, maestros, activistas y estudiantes llenaron la casa en el centro local de arte chicano, Self Help Graphics, el 29 de agosto, para conmemorar el 48 aniversario de la Moratoria chicana contra la guerra. El programa honró la histórica moratoria chicana del 29 de agosto de 1970, donde más de 30,000 chicanos marcharon en el este de Los Ángeles para protestar por la alta tasa de víctimas muertos de los chicanos en la guerra de Vietnam. El conocido periodista Rubén Salazar fue asesinado por un alguacil del LA durante las protestas.

Washington DC – The Colombian political prisoner Anyaibe Rojas Valderrama, also known as Sonia, was finally released from her 17-year prison sentence on August 18.

Washington DC – The Colombian political prisoner Anyaibe Rojas Valderrama, also known as Sonia, was finally released from her 17-year prison sentence on August 18.

Los Angeles, CA – Families, union members, teachers, activists and students filled the house at local Chicano art center, Self Help Graphics, Aug. 29, to commemorate the 48th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium Against the War. The program honored the historic Aug. 29, 1970 Chicano Moratorium, where over 30,000 Chicanos marched in East LA to protest the high casualty rate of Chicanos in the Vietnam War. Well-known journalist Ruben Salazar was killed by a n LA sheriff deputy during the protests.

Los Angeles, CA – Families, activists and students will commemorate the 48th anniversary of the historic Chicano Moratorium Against the War, on August 29, 6:30 pm at Self Help Graphics, 1300 E. First Street in LA.

Minneapolis, MN – More than 50 people protested outside the Minnesota Republican Party headquarters in Minneapolis, Aug. 9, to condemn a massive immigration raid in southern Minnesota and Nebraska the day before, in which Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained around 140 immigrant workers.

Miami, FL- Around 30 people, largely from the small but well-organized group Progressive Colombians Miami, gathered at the Torch of Friendship in Miami to take part in an international day of action called for by Colombia Humana. The August 7 Day of Action denounced the ongoing right-wing violence in Colombia that is being committed against former guerillas, progressives, human-rights activists, unionists, and farmers by government-supported paramilitaries. Hundreds have died since the supposed peace-deal was signed by now former-president Santos two years ago.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Committee to Stop FBI Repression NYC.

Milwaukee, WI – On August 4, an attempt to assassinate Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was carried out in Caracas. During a ceremony commemorating the anniversary of the Bolivarian National Guard, two drones strapped with explosives flew towards the stage and exploded. While Maduro was unharmed, seven soldiers were wounded.

Minneapolis, MN – On August 7, international solidarity and immigrant rights activists protested during rush hour in front of the Federal Building in downtown Minneapolis as a part of an international day of protest to draw attention to the escalating violations of the Colombian peace accords. The peace accords, signed in 2016, are an attempt to end a 52-year civil war in Colombia. The MN protest was one of 83 solidarity protests in 17 countries.

Tucson, AZ – On July 16, Colombian paramilitaries with possible connections to the government murdered six social movement leaders. Two of those murdered were union leaders affiliated with the country’s largest union, FENSUAGRO, which organizes agricultural workers. They were brutally beaten to death with rocks. One of them was nearly decapitated and barely recognizable to family. These murders mark an escalation of violence against the left in Colombia since the election of Ivan Duque on June 17, as the political killings have averaged more than one a day. Ivan Duque is the protege of ex-Colombian President Uribe, who oversaw some of the worst state human rights abuses in the war against the FARC.

Glasgow, Scotland – Donald Trump visited Scotland this weekend as part of his four-day trip to Britain. Trumps visit comes at a politically uncertain time, with Britain still in the process of negotiating exit terms with the European Union. With Brexit in mind, British Prime Minister Theresa May is keen to strengthen the U.S.-UK alliance, which the ruling class in Britain commonly refers to as the ‘special relationship.’ However, May’s Tory government is increasingly divided, with several of her cabinet resigning over the past week. The ‘Brexiteers’ who have resigned, including the Secretary of State Boris Johnson and David Davis, citing what they see as a ‘soft’ Brexit. In this backdrop, May will be keen to secure a trade agreement with the U.S. and cement Britain’s position as a junior partner to U.S. imperialism.

On June 30, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), said that it is unlikely President Rodrigo Duterte would finish his term of office.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following June 28 statement from the Communist Party of Philippines.

Glasgow, Scotland – A group of major military weapons producers organized an international arms fair in Glasgow that included over 50 companies and over 1000 delegates. One of the major sponsors of the Underseas Defense Technology conference is BAE Systems, which produces fighter jets in factories on the Clyde that are sold to the Israeli government to continue their war against the Palestinians. Other sponsors of the event include Leonardo, an Italian weapons corporation that sells weapons to the Turkish government, which are used in their war against the Kurdish people. Some referred to this arms fair as a 'supermarket of death.'