Thirty-four members of the British Parliament – MPs and representatives of the House of Lords – signed a joint statement to denounce US military plans against Venezuela. The document, titled “Declaration of Emergency: No to Trump’s war against Venezuela,” requires Washington to refrain from any attack against the South American nation after the launch of Operation Southern Spear and a massive naval deployment in the Caribbean, it states. portal Telesur.
Among the signatories are important British political figures such as Jeremy Corbyn, former leader of the Labor Party; Diane Abbott, former shadow home secretary; and John McDonnell, former shadow chancellor of the exchequer. Their support underlines the seriousness of the moment and the urgency of the call to avoid a military intervention that, they warn, could trigger a regional escalation with unpredictable consequences.
The statement – promoted by the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign and supported by key unions such as NEU, TSSA, BFAWU and GFTU, as well as peace organizations such as CND and Stop the War Coalition – expresses “deep alarm” at the growing threat of a war led by the Trump administration. The text has gained wide support among the labor, peace and progressive movements in the United Kingdom.
The parliamentarians denounce the deployment of a US naval fleet off the Venezuelan coast that includes warships, bombers and thousands of soldiers. They also remember that Trump publicly confirmed having authorized the CIA to carry out covert operations in Venezuela, which have already claimed the lives of dozens of civilians in attacks against small boats, under the pretext of a “war on drugs.”
This military escalation is part of a long history of US interference in Latin America, through “regime change” operations. The statement emphasizes that various Latin American leaders have already expressed a forceful rejection of this military increase and any form of foreign intervention.
The United States maintains its largest military deployment in recent years in the Caribbean, concentrating 20% of its world naval power in the region. Last week, the Gerald Ford aircraft carrier, the largest and most modern in the world, equipped with the latest generation F-35 fighters, joined the operation. The entire fleet participated in recent days in maneuvers in the vicinity of Trinidad and Tobago.
Washington justifies this presence under the argument of combating drug trafficking in the so-called Operation Southern Spear. However, the magnitude of the deployment and public statements from the White House suggest objectives that go far beyond the official discourse. This Monday, the chief of the US General Staff traveled to the area to meet with the commanders of the operation.
What began as an anti-narcotics operation has transformed into an unprecedented show of force that threatens the stability of the entire region.
