The Freedom Road Socialist Organization vehemently condemns the Trump Administration’s illegal seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela. Trump has violated yet another international law by having U.S. forces seize a defenseless commercial vessel. As nationalized oil, it belongs to the people of Venezuela. We denounce the U.S. imperialists’ use of violence to steal what they want. In this case, it looks like U.S. Coast Guard piracy.

To be certain, no matter what you read in the corporate press, this Venezuelan oil seized by Trump was bound for socialist Cuba. Venezuela views Cuba as its sister country in the struggle for independence and sovereignty. Venezuela’s leadership admires the Cuban Revolution, and Cuba provides medical professionals by the thousand to the health care system that covers all Venezuelans, not just the wealthy.

The Cubans, year after year, resist the ruthless U.S. embargo on their economy, overcoming hardships and deprivation with creativity and innovation. Venezuelan oil helps their economy tremendously, on an island with few energy resources. With U.S. war threats against Venezuela, the Cubans are on high alert.

U.S. decline and failures make it dangerous

The decline of U.S. imperialism continues at a more rapid pace. Trump recognizes this, and covers it over with his desperate cries of “America first!” Trump is more and more willing to flaunt international laws and lash out due to the shrinking U.S. advantage on a world scale.

Now after 25 years of U.S. coup attempts, sanctions, electoral interference, vote stealing, infrastructure destruction, and assassination plots in Venezuela, the U.S. is ramping up toward war. That would be bad for millions of Venezuelans, and a huge mistake for the U.S. ruling class. The U.S. certainly will not “win” and may even face a defeat worse than the one in Vietnam, or more recently Afghanistan.

Venezuela’s Bolivarian Revolution remains steadfast. In the face of U.S. attacks, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) and President Maduro’s popularity grows stronger by the year. Trump is being forced to start a modern medieval siege because all the other dirty coup plots and vicious tricks have failed.

Almost 25% of U.S. naval forces with dozens of aircraft totaling over 15,000 military personnel are stationed near the country with the largest oil reserves in the world. The oil and mineral corporations on Wall Street are frothing at the potential bounty if they can take what is not theirs.

The lies spewed by Trump, Rubio, and Hegseth are wearing thin. Nearly 80% of people in the U.S. do not believe Trump’s lies about the U.S. Navy missile strikes on boats in the Caribbean. This latest seizure of oil is meant to make Trump and Hegseth look strong again, after failing to cow Venezuelan President Maduro.

This week saw other escalations in Trump and Hegseth’s aggression and war threats. On December 9, two F/A-18 Super Hornets flew deep into the Gulf of Venezuela, violating Venezuela’s airspace and sovereignty. The U.S. also sent EA-18G Growlers for electronic jamming and an MQ-4C surveillance drone.

Then on December 10, Trump bragged about the U.S. seizing the oil tanker. Next Trump announced new sanctions on members of the Maduro family and a Panamanian businessman whose tankers move Venezuelan oil. Trump also announced he is planning to seize more oil tankers. At the same time, Chevron oil tankers continue to come and go unmolested from Venezuela to the United States.

Maduro stands tall

Every day that Maduro stands stall is an embarrassment to Trump’s plans. Every day that the people of Venezuela remain free to decide their own affairs is another day that angry and bitter Miami reactionaries are harassing Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to start a war.

It is more and more apparent as the corporate media and most Americans learn about this situation that Trump, Rubio and Hegseth are vicious, lawless and soulless. The White House is seething mad that socialist Cuba, independent and progressive Nicaragua, and Bolivarian Venezuela stand strong as leaders of the anti-imperialist movement.

Maduro and Venezuela remain unyielding to imperialist aggression

In Venezuela, on December 8, President Maduro committed to expanding democracy and popular power with a plan called “Communal Transition Government to Socialism.” This would engage the existing communal structures of popular power and community banks and seek to more than double their number across the country, especially into areas that have been without.

By doubling the number of armed Venezuelans in the popular militias and moving to broaden participation and political power in the hands of citizens, Maduro and the PSUV are advancing the revolution. They are meeting the goals of President Chavez into the next phase. The FRSO applauds this advancement of the Bolivarian Revolution as our friends and comrades in the anti-war movement around the country roar full-throated: “No U.S. war on Venezuela!”

The FRSO stands in solidarity with President Maduro, the PSUV and the Bolivarian revolution!

Wall Street hands off Venezuelan Oil!

No to Trump’s missile attacks and war!

Bring the U.S. warships and Marines home now!

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