Why Chicanas & Chicanos Must Defend Venezuela

ByBill Gallegos and Theresa Montaño

The Trump administration’s assault on US Latino communities has expanded into military aggression against Venezuela and the criminal kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

In his press conference after the attack, Trump continued to use racist distortions and lies to justify military-type attacks on our Chicano/a communities, using terror to assert control — domestically and internationally. His “Donroe Doctrine” signals the broader aim to dominate the Americas and reminds us Chicanos/as that US imperialism and racial repression are inextricably linked to our historical experiences with colonialism and imperialism. In 1848, the US waged a war of conquest against Mexico and stole more than half its territories to secure the region’s vast deposits of coal, oil and other precious minerals and to establish Pacific Coast ports. Given our roots in Mexico, we know what suffering US military aggression means.

Trump also implied that invading Venezuela is “for their own good.” Sound familiar? Let’s remember what happened to the Mexican and Native American people in the annexed territory — the oppressive laws, poor schools, denial of political representation, repression of language and culture, vigilante and police brutality, seizure of property and more. Today, as we face these ongoing inequalities, our lives have much in common with marginalized and colonized people throughout the world.

US imperialism and racial repression are inextricably linked to Chicanos’ historical experiences with colonialism and imperialism.

Let’s be clear. The illegal invasion has nothing to do with drug trafficking and everything to do with controlling Venezuela’s oil reserves. We must unite with the world in opposing this outrageous attack on Venezuela’s sovereignty; we applaud Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum for her courageous and outspoken stance in opposing this imperialist assault.

Like the people of Venezuela, Mexico, Cuba and Colombia, also threatened by Trump, we Chicanos/as have a proud history of resistance, a legacy of a long and creative movement for democracy, equality and self-determination. Today, we proudly express our solidarity by demanding the immediate end of attacks on Venezuela, release of its president and his wife and full reparations for the death and destruction caused by US intervention.

The simultaneous attacks on Venezuela and our communities via the criminal actions of ICE and the Border Patrol expose the twin pillars of the Trump/MAGA project — imperial aggression and domestic oppression. Their strategy aims to destroy what remains of US democracy, enabling their billionaire backers to exploit both the US and Latin America.

Now more than ever, we say, “Ya Basta!” and “ICE out of our communities!” and “Hands off Venezuela!”

¡Sí Se Puede!