On the night of Friday to Saturday, in violation of international law the US bombed targets in Venezuela and kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. In doing so, the US has effectively declared war on Venezuela and massively increased the acute danger of world war.

The MLPD condemns this military attack on Venezuela and declares its solidarity with the Venezuelan people. The self-proclaimed angel of peace Trump is turning out to be the number one instigator of a Third World War. This imperialist banditry is justified by saying that Maduro is a dictator. But regardless of how one feels about Maduro, where would we end up if the US were given carte blanche to interfere in every country, remove every government they dislike, and ensure all over the world that regimes they favor, preferably fascist ones, come to power?

In the last few days alone, Trump has organized military strikes on three continents — in Venezuela, Nigeria, and Syria — and is once again threatening Iran, while again threatening Denmark with the annexation of Greenland. US imperialism is the main warmonger in the world. Nothing less than the redivision of the world is at stake. In various countries and regions, this imperialist war of annihilation has already produced barbaric conditions, as in Gaza. For months, the US government has been beefing up its forces in the Caribbean and Pacific regions. About a quarter of the US war fleet currently in service and over 15,000 soldiers are now on standby. Military attacks have been carried out on at least 20 boats and a port in Venezuela, and more than 100 people have been illegally executed without any trial. US aggression is not only directed at Venezuela. Trump has already openly threatened Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro, saying, “He’ll be next.” In his anticommunist campaign, Trump attacks anyone who does not unconditionally submit to the US claim to power. These attacks have nothing to do with Trump's professed “war on drugs.” The USA is the real center of global drug trafficking, and nowhere else is more drug money laundered than there. Venezuela plays no major role either in the production or distribution of drugs such as fentanyl to North America and Europe. At the same time, Trump has pardoned and released the former president of Honduras, who actually had ties to drug cartels.

The revolutionary world organization ICOR explained the actual background in its latest resolution on December 30: “The real goal of this new aggression by US imperialism is clear. It remains the world's leading economic, political, and military power, but its hegemony is in decline and it is engaged in a fierce power struggle with China and in a multipolar world. It intends to expand its political, economic, and military control in Latin America and the Caribbean as far as possible, thereby returning fully to the Monroe Doctrine…. The Yankees’ problem with Venezuela is not drug trafficking, but essentially control over its riches, especially oil, but also gold and rare metals, and the disruption of its close relations with China, Russia, Iran, and Cuba. This could even lead to a world war if US imperialism and Russia, China, and Iran clash militarily in Venezuela as its direct opponents.”

New-imperialist rivals such as China, Russia, and Iran have managed to take advantage of the economic crisis in Venezuela, which was provoked by years of economic boycotts by the USand EU, and have expanded their influence there and secured more and more access to Venezuela’s wealth. Throughout Latin America, China has expanded its influence at the expense of US monopolies.

So far, there has been no word of protest or condemnation of this attack, which violates international law, from the German federal government. The German government talks a lot about the firewall against the AfD. Yet it has erected no firewall against Trump, the chieftain of international fascism, but instead offers him slimy submission. The MLPD fundamentally criticizes the bureaucratic-revisionist Maduro regime. But that is not the issue here. It is up to the Venezuelan people to decide who their president is, not the US. The MLPD stands in unconditional solidarity with the Venezuelan people and their anti-imperialist struggle to defend national sovereignty. The working class and the masses in Venezuela will not accept Trump’s planned change of government to his ultra-reactionary anticommunist bosom friend Maria Machado without a fight. She openly collaborates with fascists around the world and even received the Nobel Peace Prize for it. For the time being, Trump wants to have Venezuela administered by the USA. These are colonial methods.

The first protests against the unbridled aggression of US imperialism are already developing around the world. The MLPD supports and promotes broad public protest activities in solidarity with the Venezuelan people! Active resistance against the acute danger of world war! The Monday demonstrations in the new year can be a platform for this. Participate in the LLL activities in Berlin next weekend in the spirit of the anti-imperialist struggle and for the building of a new socialist youth movement.

• Hands off Venezuela – US imperialists and all imperialists – Get out of Venezuela and Latin America!

• Long live the struggle of the Venezuelan and Palestinian peoples for national and social liberation!

• Immediate release of the Venezuelan president and his wife!

• International condemnation of US President Trump!

• Fight against the global fascist threat!

• Forward to the international socialist revolution – for the united socialist states of the world!

The workers and oppressed people of this world must put a stop to imperialism with its threat of fascism and war. To do this, we must organize ourselves better – across party lines and ideological boundaries, in an international, antifascist, and anti-imperialist united front against fascism, war, and environmental catastrophe.

Strengthen the Internationalist Alliance in Germany. Join the Gaza Solidarity Working Groups of the youth league Rebell and the new non-party solidarity organization “Palestine Must Live!” Become a member of the MLPD and its youth league Rebell.