In an earlier statement, the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) expressed its deep concern over the current difficult situation obtaining in neighbouring Venezuela. Since then reports have indicated that the situation remains challenging while in certain outside quarters, one still hears of threats and more sanctions, no doubt with the intention to aggravate the already bad conditions.
Progressive, democratic and working-class forces and organizations, in addition to very many governments worldwide have condemned, justifiably, what generally, has been defined as an attempted coup against the democratically elected Maduro Government. It is to be recalled that Nicholas Maduro was re-elected on May 20, 2018 following elections in Venezuela which was observed by some 150 observers who certified that the election was transparent. President Maduro received over 6.2 million votes or 67.8 per cent of the total votes cast with voter turnout pegged at 46 per cent of eligible voters. Without a doubt, Nicholas Maduro is the legitimate President of Venezuela.
It is this consideration, above all, that has added weight to the determination that a coup attempt is underway in Venezuela and blatantly instigated by certain governments, several of which have had or still have an unsavory relationship with Latin America and the Caribbean. There is a growing recognition that such actions by these countries, aligned to local reactionary forces, are motivated in their anti-democratic drive at this time by naked self-interests, that is, with their eyes on the country’s vast resources. It is established that Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in the world; it is one of the world’s largest gold producers apart from being blessed with other minerals.
We neither can ignore the widely held view that what is underway over there is about reasserting domination over the region, much as it were in the heyday of colonialism. We are reminded of Venezuela’s progressive and people-oriented development over the past two (2) decades. It played a major role in the setting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), and ALBA, UNASUR, the establishment of the Bank of the South, Petrosur deal with Caribbean countries and in Guyana engaged with a robust and beneficial trade with our rice industry.
This coup in progress raises once again the specter of the Munroe Doctrine. It provides yet another occasion to learn the sad facts of recent of progressive governments in our hemisphere – against Chavez (2002); Aristide in Haiti (2004); Manuel Zelaya in Honduras (2010) and followed by Parliamentary coups against Fernando Lugo of Paraguay and Dilma Rousseff in Brazil.
We, of FITUG, reiterate our firm solidarity with the democratically elected Nicholas Maduro Government of Venezuela and the democratic forces and people who are frustrating and exposing the various ploys resorted to by the reactionary governments and their vassals to effect regime change in Venezuela. For instance, we recently saw UN spokesman, Stephan Dujarrie, saying: “Humanitarian action needs to be independent of political, military or other objectives”. We uphold such sentiments recognizing the experiences in many countries.
At this time, we support the organizations, especially in the US, which are mobilizing to oppose military intervention and the continuing efforts to destablise this country. We are encouraged by the principled stand taken by Sister Caribbean countries in CARICOM as well as the unambiguous expression of solidarity coming from the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), which speaks for tens of millions of workers of the world.
We in FITUG strongly oppose the coup attempt in Venezuela we uphold democratic norms and subscribe to principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of State.
