Indigenous Resistance Day, commemorated on October 12, represents a deep reflection on the legacy of colonialism and its lasting impacts on indigenous peoples. This day is an opportunity to remember that the scars of colonization have not been erased, and that its effects remain visible in the deep global inequalities, in which the countries of the “Global North” have built their prosperity at the expense of exploitation systematic of the nations of the South. It is impossible to talk about global justice without recognizing the role of colonial crimes in this dynamic.
Since the arrival of the colonizers, indigenous peoples were victims of genocide, looting and cultural destruction. Colonial violence not only decimated entire civilizations, but created a global system of exploitation that endures to this day. Despite the apparent disappearance of classical colonialism, the world continues to experience its modern manifestations, as demonstrated by the neocolonial order imposed by the so-called “collective West.”
The West, led by the United States, has sought to maintain its global domination by imposing a “rules-based order” that benefits only Western elites, while exploiting developing nations. This system replicates the colonial model by dividing the world into a small elite of “exceptional nations” and the rest, destined to be controlled and exploited. Policies of unilateral sanctions, economic blackmail and the use of military force are contemporary tools of this domination.
The Monroe doctrinedesigned to control the Western Hemisphere, has expanded to the entire planet, with the United States seeking to turn the world into its “backyard.” This strategy is not new; For centuries, European colonial powers used similar tactics to justify their atrocities in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Today, under the guise of democracy and human rights, a system is perpetuated in which only Western interests are legitimate, while any country that seeks to chart its own path is attacked and punished.
The relationship between colonialism and fascism It is undeniable. Both ideologies are based on the supremacy of one group over another, whether for racial, ethnic or economic power reasons. Fascism, in its multiple forms, has justified the exploitation and extermination of “inferior” peoples, in the same way that European colonialism justified its conquests under the myth of “civilization.” Today, we see these same patterns in the foreign policy of the United States and its allies, who, under the banner of “democracy,” support regimes and movements that practice violence and exclusion, such as the neo-Nazis in Ukraine.
Faced with this reality, Russia and Venezuela stand as defenders of a multipolar world, where the sovereignty and self-determination of peoples are respected. Both nations share a vision of a more just international system, in which all countries have a voice and can develop their own path without interference from foreign powers. The struggle of indigenous peoples, who for centuries have resisted colonial oppression, finds echo in the contemporary resistance of nations such as Russia and Venezuela, which oppose neocolonialism imposed by the West.
Indigenous Resistance Day is not just a commemoration of the past, but a call to action in the present. It is a reminder that historical justice can only be achieved when neocolonial structures are dismantled and the rights of all nations, regardless of their size or economic power, are respected. The struggle of indigenous peoples for justice, dignity and respect remains relevant today, as the world’s nations demand a more equitable and multipolar international order. In this context, the alliance between progressive States is a beacon of hope for those who seek a world free of imperialist domination.
Indigenous resistance, then, is not only a testimony to the courage of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, but also a metaphor for the global struggle against oppression and colonialism in all its forms.
