Vancouver and District Labour CouncilThe Vancouver and District Labour Council (VDLC) condemns the attempted coup taking place in Venezuela, which aims to install unelected opposition figure Juan Guaidó as president of the country. The Trudeau government's legitimization of Guaidó's absurd self-appointment to the presidency should be a matter of great concern to Canadians who respect democracy and recognize the right of nations to determine their own path. We call on the government of Canada to chart a foreign policy independent of that of the Trump government in Washington; one based upon diplomacy not interference, and which engages in dialogue rooted in respect for the sovereignty and the democratic will of the Venezuelan people. Doing so must include an immediate end to the recognition of Guaidó's presidency, an end to sanctions targeting the Venezuelan economy. The following is a motion adopted by the November 2018 regular meeting of the VDLC.
Hands Off Venezuela
BECAUSE the Federal government joined the Trump administration in the United States in inflicting sanctions on Venezuela in Fall of 2017; and BECAUSE these sanctions are much broader than those previously imposed by the U.S. under the Obama administration, and are clearly aimed at undermining the Venezuelan economy as a whole; and BECAUSE these sanctions are a form of economic warfare, aimed at toppling Venezuela's democratically elected United Socialist Party government which has nationalized the country's oil industry and invested in housing, education, and social services for its people; and BECAUSE the sanctions predominately hurt the working class and the poor, and act as a political support to the even harsher sanctions placed on Venezuela by the Trump administration, and for its ongoing support for opposition forces within Venezuela, some of which have resorted to acts or terrorism against government officials and public facilities; BECAUSE claims that these sanctions are intended to support human rights fall flat when faced with the reality that these governments continue to support, and sell weapons to, human rights abusing regimes such as the one in Saudi Arabia; BECAUSE Trump has also spoken on many occasions of the possibility of toppling the Venezuelan government by military force, or through support of a coup; THE VANCOUVER AND DISTRICT LABOUR COUNCIL WILL call upon the Federal government to end its sanctions against Venezuela, and promote dialogue and diplomacy instead of economic interference and threats; and THE VANCOUVER AND DISTRICT LABOUR COUNCIL WILL FURTHER acknowledge the right of all nations to self determination and respect for national sovereignty; and THE VANCOUVER AND DISTRICT LABOUR COUNCIL WILL FINALLY categorically oppose the use of military intervention, and the support of coups or other anti-democratic means of achieving "regime change" in Venezuela.
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