VENEZUELA ANTHOLOGY #13,
January 23, 2026
Compiled by Dick Bennett for a Culture
of Peace, Justice, Ecology, and Democracy
What’s at Stake: “Why
should I support the violent overthrow of the US empire’s enemies while
the US empire itself remains standing? Why should I want to help the one power
structure that’s terrorizing and destroying nations around the world with the
goal of total planetary domination? Why should I facilitate the propaganda
campaign of the latest imperial regime change operation by talking about the
tyranny and oppressiveness of the Official Bad Guy of the Day when it will do
nothing but help the empire expand its global hegemony?” Caitlin Johnstone.
OMNI’S MISSION
STATEMENT 2001 (FROM AFSC AND FCNL):
OMNI SEEKS A
WORLD FREE OF WAR AND THE THREAT OF WAR, A SOCIETY WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR
ALL, A COMMUNITY WHERE EVERY PERSON’S POTENTIAL MAY BE FULFILLED, AN EARTH
RESTORED. GRASSROOTS NONVIOLENCE, WORLD
PEACE, HUMAN RIGHTS, SOCIAL and ECONOMIC JUSTICE, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
PROTECTING SPECIES AND THE EARTH.
(Today we must add: Defending
the Idea, the Hope, the Institutions of
Democracy v. Fascism, which is implied in the original statement but needs emphasis.. –D)
Venezuela
Anthologies Nos. 1-12
#1, http://jamesrichardbennett.blogspot.com/2019/05/venezuela-newsletter-1-from-omni-center.html
#2, July 16,
2020 https://jamesrichardbennett.blogspot.com/2020/07/omni-venezuela-newsletter-2.html
#3, 9-9-20 https://jamesrichardbennett.blogspot.com/2020/09/omni-venezuela-newsletter-3-compiled-by.html; #3 reaches back to 2018.
#4, February 14, 2021, https://jamesrichardbennett.blogspot.com/2021/02/venezuela-omni-newsletter-4-2-14-21.html
#5 https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/2151229136087998997/3753817779419620546
#6 https://jamesrichardbennett.blogspot.com/2024/09/omni-venezuela-anthology-6-september-15.html
#7 https://jamesrichardbennett.blogspot.com/2025/09/omni-venezuela-anthology-7-september-11.html
#8 https://jamesrichardbennett.blogspot.com/2025/11/omni-venezuela-anthology-8-november-6.html
#9 https://jamesrichardbennett.blogspot.com/2025/11/omni-venezuela-anthology-9-november-20.html
#10 https://jamesrichardbennett.blogspot.com/2025/12/omni-venezuela-anthology-10-december-12.html
#11 https://jamesrichardbennett.blogspot.com/2026/01/omni-venezuela-anthology-11-january-4.html
#12 https://jamesrichardbennett.blogspot.com/2026/01/omni-venezuela-anthology-12-january-7.html
CONTENTS VENEZUELA #13
Online
Mass Rally SUNDAY, January 25.
OMNI Condemns Illegal US Actions v. Venezuela
Bruno Falci. “China Proposes International Collaboration….”
“Trump neither
selected Delcy RodrÃguez nor Governs Venezuela.”
The Real
Venezuela by Iain Bruce (on Chavez).
ROGER HARRIS. Both Parties (the Imperial Party) Demonized
Maduro.
Medea Benjamin and Nicolas Davies vs. plunging Venezuela, Cuba, and Colombia into violence and
chaos.
Stephen
Prager. “… Wall Street Titans Behind Big Oil Profiteering
Push in Venezuela.”
Rashida
Tlaib . “Demand
an end to Trump’s war against Venezuela.”
Caitlin Johnstone. “Regime Change the US Empire.”
David Swanson on the Monroe Doctrine.
Mark Ruffalo. “…Venezuela
Invasion Illegal.”
Stephen Prager. “The Vulture Capitalist Poised for a
Venezuelan Payday”: Paul Singer.
Andrew
P. Napolitano. “A Lawless Presidency.”
Jake
Johnson. “House Dems [v.] Trump Occupation, Plunder of
Venezuela.”
Brett Wilkins. “GOP Senators Break Ranks [for] War Powers Resolution.”
Ahmad Abuznaid. “Stop Trump’s illegal attack
on Venezuela.”
“MSM Bias on Russian Tanker &
US Sanctions.”
TEXTS VENEZUELA ANTHOLOGY #13
[VFP-all]
“Stop the War on Venezuela Online Mass Rally SUNDAY,
January 25, 2pm EST/11am.” PST Gerry
Condon via uark.onmicrosoft.com JJan
22, 2026
“Join
the International Online Mass Rally: Stop the War With Venezuela.” January 25, 2PM EST. Register here: tinyurl.com/handsoffvenezuelarally
Join the
Week of Resistance! January 23-31
Stop
the War on Venezuela! Free President Maduro and Cilia Flores! ICE Out of Our
Communities!
All Out
for a Week of Protests: January 23 – January 31
To List Your Action: Click HERE
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EARLIER BOOK ON VENEZUELA.
.Chris Gilbert.
Commune
or Nothing! Venezuela’s Communal Movement and Its Socialist Project. Monthly Review Press, 2023.
Bruno Falci. “China proposes international collaboration to defend Venezuelan
sovereignty and regional peace.” [The title misses
the comprehensive scope of this important article that confronts the many
violations and harms caused by the kidnapping.
–D]. Editor. mronline.org (1-22-26).
Beijing
condemns U.S. terrorist action against Venezuela, demands immediate release of
President Maduro.
Originally published: teleSUR English on January 20, 2026 by Bruno Falci (more
by teleSUR English) | (Posted Jan
21, 2026)
Empire, Imperialism, Inequality, WarAmericas, Asia, China, United States, VenezuelaNewswireFirst Fighter Lady Cilia Flores, President Donald Trump, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro
China delivered one of its strongest
recent interventions at the United Nations Security Council, condemning the
U.S. military action against Venezuela and demanding the immediate release of
President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were forcibly
detained.
Chinese Ambassador to the United
Nations, Fu Cong, highlighted during the emergency
session that the operation reflects Washington’s diplomatic isolation within
the international community. He reiterated that China is ready to collaborate
with regional countries and the international community to protect Venezuelan
sovereignty and ensure peace in Latin America and the Caribbean.
“We are ready to collaborate with
countries in the region and with the international community to strengthen
solidarity, cooperation, uphold justice, and jointly safeguard peace and
stability in Latin America and the Caribbean,” said Fu Cong.
According to Beijing, the
international community must prioritize dialogue, respect for state
sovereignty, and peaceful resolution of disputes, avoiding unilateral actions
that could destabilize entire regions.
“No country can act as the world’s
police, nor can any state assume the role of an international judge.
International peace and stability can only be ensured through multilateralism
and cooperation among all states,” the ambassador stressed.
Abduction of Head of State and Breach
of International Order
Fu Cong described the events of
January 3 as a serious violation of the rules governing international
relations, involving the forced detention of a sitting head of state—an extreme
act even in declared war scenarios.
“On January 3, the United
States carried out blatant illegal incursions, forcibly detaining the president
and his wife and removing them from the country. They declared that they would
govern the country and did not rule out a second round of military operations,
including larger-scale actions,” said the Chinese ambassador.
The episode triggered warnings about
dangerous precedents for the international system, particularly for Global
South countries, historically subject to external interventions under political
or security pretexts. Authorities from neighboring countries and regional
organizations warned that such actions could undermine stability and set a
precedent for direct military intervention in sovereign governments.
“China is deeply shocked by this
unilateral harassment by the United States, which we categorically condemn,” Fu
Cong added.
Beijing emphasizes that no country can
act as police or international judge, and history shows that military solutions
do not resolve crises—they only deepen them. . . .
Sanctions, Blockades, and the
Prolonged Siege of Venezuela
China’s intervention contextualized
the military attack within a broader strategy of pressure against Venezuela,
characterized by years of economic sanctions, financial blockades, and attempts
at diplomatic isolation. According to Fu Cong,
the international community has
repeatedly expressed deep concern over sanctions, blockades, and the threat of
the use of force against Venezuela.
Concrete analyses indicate that these
measures have had severe economic impacts. A joint study by Global South
Insights and the Tricontinental Institute shows that, between 2017 and 2024,
U.S.-led sanctions caused an estimated loss of approximately USD 226 billion in
oil revenues—equivalent to more than twice the country’s GDP during that
period.
According to OPEC, oil accounts for
about 95% of Venezuela’s exports, and national production fell to around 0.9–1
million barrels per day, reflecting the combination of external restrictions
and internal operational difficulties.
From the perspective of international
law, sanctions and blockades are illegal, violating concrete norms. The UN
Charter protects the sovereignty and equality of states and prohibits the use
of force or coercion to interfere in internal affairs (Articles 2(1) and 2(4)).
The principle of non-intervention, set
out in the 1907 Hague Convention and reaffirmed in General Assembly
resolutions, forbids unilateral measures attempting to change sovereign
governments. International humanitarian law, under Article 33 of the Fourth
Geneva Convention, prohibits collective punishment of civilian populations,
while international treaties guarantee the self-determination of peoples,
including the free choice of governments without external coercion.
“As a permanent member of the Security
Council, the United States has ignored the serious concerns of the
international community and, deliberately, trampled on Venezuelan sovereignty,
its security, and its legitimate rights and interests,” Fu Cong affirmed.
Violation of the UN’s Founding
Principles
For China, the gravity of the U.S.
action lies not only in its regional impact but also in the direct violation of
the pillars of the multilateral system established after World War II.
“The principles of sovereign equality,
non-interference in internal affairs, peaceful settlement of international
disputes, and prohibition of the use of force in international relations have
been gravely violated,” said the Chinese ambassador.
The operation that resulted in the
abduction of Maduro and his wife constitutes, according to Beijing, a clear
example of disrespect for the UN Charter (Articles 2.1 and 2.4), the
principle of non-intervention in the 1907 Hague Convention, and human rights
enshrined in international treaties, including the prohibition of
collective punishment of civilian populations.
By prioritizing military force,
Washington deliberately weakens the diplomatic and legal mechanisms that
underpin international peace, Beijing warned, emphasizing that unilateral
military solutions never replace multilateral dialogue and only worsen regional
and global crises.
Historical U.S. Interventions in Latin
America and the World
Fu Cong reinforced his criticism by
recalling previous U.S. military interventions that resulted in prolonged
instability, humanitarian crises, and enormous impacts on civilian populations.
“History gravely reminds us that
military solutions are not solutions. The indiscriminate use of force will only
provoke even greater crises,” said the ambassador.
He highlighted that, as in Iraq,
Libya, and various interventions in Latin America, unilateral U.S. actions
generated institutional collapse, mass displacement, and severe economic
damage, reinforcing the view that Venezuela today faces a recurring logic of
external intervention. . . .
“Trump neither selected Delcy RodrÃguez nor Governs
Venezuela.”
Editor. mronline.org (1-20-26).
Trump’s explicitly colonial language has also included the
use of bullying as a tactic of provocation, as he recently proclaimed himself
“interim president” of Venezuela in a post on Truth Social.
Empire, Inequality, State
Repression, WarAmericas, United
States, VenezuelaNewswirePresident
Donald Trump, Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodriquez, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro
Following the overwhelming and
patently illegal U.S. military aggression against Venezuela on January 3, which
culminated in the abduction of
President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, National Assembly Deputy Cilia Flores,
and left a catastrophic toll of
100 dead (so far), U.S. President Donald Trump has been investing a great deal
of narrative resources to claim that he is in charge of Venezuela.
Trump’s explicitly colonial language
has also included the use of bullying as a tactic of provocation, as he
recently proclaimed himself “interim
president” of Venezuela in a post on Truth Social.
[Trump, Rodriguez, and Machado]
In parallel, his contrasting comments about Delcy RodrÃguez, Venezuela’s acting
president, and far-right leader MarÃa Corina Machado complement the framing of
his narrative. Regarding RodrÃguez, he highlights her “cooperation” and how
well they have been working together. Meanwhile, he continues to pour cold
water on Machado, arguing that she lacks respect in her country.
Based on these two premises,
Trump is
constructing the artifice of what he seeks
to sell as a U.S. colonial regency or protectorate in Venezuela, grounded in
his supposed “selection” of RodrÃguez.
This approach cannot be sustained by
facts. Despite cover-up efforts by the hegemonic media, its fragile seams are
plain for all to see. . . .
The Real Venezuela: Making Socialism in the 21st Century By Iain Bruce. Pluto P, 2008. [Venezuela and Chavez.]
A
refreshing look at the meaning of socialism in Venezuela from the point of view
of the country’s ordinary citizens.
·
Contents
Venezuela has become a huge source of
hope and inspiration for the Left throughout the world. Some see it as a
shining example of how to begin building a successful socialist state, but
Western leaders see it as a dangerous enemy and accuse Chávez of being a
dictator. This book reveals the truth by examining the country from the ground
up.
Iain Bruce explores the political
changes underway in Venezuela at the level of the lives of ordinary people.
Through grassroots investigations and extended interviews, he explores a series
of key transformations in Venezuela: a new social economy around a network of
co-operatives; workplace democracy; popular education; radical agrarian reform;
participatory budgets and community planning. The result is a clear picture of
everyday life in Venezuela.
No other book on the country has this
level of detail; it will be a key text for students of Latin American politics
and social movements and of interest to anyone following the fortunes of the
Bolivarian Revolution.
[VFP-all] ROGER HARRIS.
“I Used to Be a Critic of the Two-Party System. Now I
Wish We Had One.” Via Gerry
Condon 1-18-26.
Both parties demonize Nicolás Maduro with moral fervor,
justifying his kidnapping. Never mind that, under international law, a sitting
head of state enjoys immunity regardless of how unpleasant Washington finds
him.
STOP THE US WAR ON VENEZUELA Free President Maduro and Cilia Flores!
VFP-all] Medea Benjamin
and Nicolas Davies. “Who’s Really
Running Venezuela?” - Counterpunch .
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If anything, there is greater public opposition to U.S
aggression “in our backyard” than to U.S. wars 10,000 miles away. Cuba,
Venezuela and Colombia are our close neighbors, and the consequences of
plunging them into violence and chaos are more obvious to most Americans than
the equally appalling human costs of more distant U.S. wars.
https://www.counterpunch.org/2026/01/16/whos-really-running-venezuela/
End US
Intervention in Latin America!
Stephen Prager. “Analysis Reveals Wall Street Titans
Behind Big Oil Profiteering Push in Venezuela.” Common Dreams
(1-14-26).
Since
2021, top Wall Street banks have committed more than $124 billion in
investments to the nine companies set to profit most from the toppling of
Venezuela's government.
“Demand an end to Trump’s war against Venezuela.”
Rashida Tlaib Wed, Jan 7, 2026
Dick Were you one of the
thousands of Americans who came out to emergency anti-war protests the past few
days?
I joined some of my
constituents at a recent protest. Please sign this
petition to join me in standing with the American people against Trump’s
unconstitutional and imperialist war on Venezuela.
Venezuela has the largest
oil reserves in the world, and Trump’s not hiding it: His illegal attacks on
Venezuela—which have already killed over 150 people—are about stealing oil for
billionaires’ profits.
Rather than informing
Congress as is legally required, Trump instead informed U.S. oil company CEOs
before the military attacks. This is oligarchy!
This U.S.-forced regime
change in Venezuela has already driven up stock prices for fossil fuel and
weapons corporations. Trump and his donors will likely personally benefit
financially.
Some of my colleagues in
Congress will also benefit from these unlawful military actions in
Venezuela—whether through stocks and investments or through direct donations
from companies that will profit off this. They need to hear from us now.
For much of our country’s
history, our government has destabilized other countries’ governments in order
to control their resources and install U.S.-friendly leaders—often dictators.
These imperialist actions
have undermined democracy in other countries and violated human rights that are
affirmed by international law, such as the right to self-determination.
They also undermine U.S.
democracy. The American people want our taxpayer dollars to fund healthcare,
housing, food, and other basic needs—not bombs or endless wars.
At the recent emergency
protest I attended, my constituents held signs with messages such as: “Defund
the Pentagon, fund human needs!”
Last month I voted NO on
the annual military budget, which unfortunately passed and authorized nearly a
trillion dollars for death and destruction—about the same amount that Congress
cut from Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.
We must keep pressuring
lawmakers to stand with the American people, not military corporations.
Thank you for taking
action. Together, we must continue pushing the U.S. government to comply with
international law and respect everyone’s human rights, including our rights to
self-determination, healthcare, housing, and food.
We will continue working
toward a country and a world where everyone has what they need to not only
survive, but thrive.
In solidarity,Rashida
DONATE
Caitlin Johnstone. “Regime Change
The US Empire.”
Jan 17, 2026.
I
support regime change in the United States. The real kind, not the “new face at
the front desk every few years” kind. I’m
all for overthrowing tyrannical power structures, I just think we should start
with the worst one.
Why
should I support the violent overthrow of the US empire’s enemies while
the US empire itself remains standing? Why should I want to help the one power
structure that’s terrorizing and destroying nations around the world with the
goal of total planetary domination? Why should I facilitate the propaganda
campaign of the latest imperial regime change operation by talking about the
tyranny and oppressiveness of the Official Bad Guy of the Day when it will do
nothing but help the empire expand its global hegemony?
In all
these years no one has ever been able to give me a satisfactory answer to these
questions. And I have asked them many times, in many different ways.
If I’m
at a crowded pub and there’s one guy going around beating people up and taking
their wallets, I’m not going to be focused on the character of his victims, I’m
going to be paying attention to the most glaring and urgent abuse dynamic in
the room. Nobody else is mass murdering, starving and robbing populations
around the world like the US and its allies are doing. No other power structure
comes anywhere close.
The US
power alliance is unquestionably the most destructive and abusive entity in our
world, and it also happens to be the power structure under which I live. This
gives me a special responsibility to oppose its abuses.
The
only reason everything I just said isn’t completely obvious to everyone is
because we live in a mind-controlled dystopia where people are aggressively propagandized from
birth into believing our rulers are more or less the Good Guys and the nations
they target are more or less the Bad Guys. That’s the only reason anyone thinks
it makes sense to watch my tirades against US warmongering and go “Hmm and yet
you have nothing bad to say about Iran and Russia? You must be getting PAID by
them!”
Over
the years I’ve been accused of being a paid propagandist or secret agent for
Russia, China, Iran, Qatar, Hamas, Hezbollah, Venezuela, Syria, Cuba,
North Korea, and probably some others I’ve forgotten. People who live in the
western empire make these assumptions whenever they see me opposing the latest
imperial power grab because they’re so propaganda-addled that they cannot
conceive of the possibility of someone standing against the empire’s abuses on
principle. Their minds flail around searching for reasons for my behavior, and
all they can come up with is that I’m some kind of state operative.
People
act like my focusing my criticisms on the western empire is a sign of
something malignant and suspicious, but it isn’t. It’s not strange that I focus
my criticisms on the western empire, it’s strange that everyone else does not.
If we didn’t live in a civilization where our psyches are continually assaulted
by a deluge of empire propaganda from every direction, nothing I’m
saying here would even need to be explained.
Regime change the United States. Not
its fake official elected government: its real government. The oligarchs and
government agencies which actually run the thing. Replace its empire managers
and empire management institutions with real democracy which gives the American
people real authority over the actions of their own government, rather than the
fake decoy elections they have now.
Regime
change the United States, and regime change all its imperial member states.
Australia. The UK. Israel. Canada. The EU. The entire imperial core.
If you
have done this and you still want to talk about how mean and bad the Iranian
government is, THEN I might listen to you. THEN I might take some interest in
what you have to say.
Until
then, you’re just one more mindless imperial bootlicker trying to advance the interests of the power
structure under which you live.
Caitlin’s Newsletter is a
reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a
free or paid subscriber.
“Let's Try Democracy.” Writings,
video, audio by David Swanson.
The Monroe Doctrine
at 200 and What to Replace it With. — PDF
The Monroe Doctrine was and is a justification for actions,
some good, some indifferent, but the overwhelming bulk reprehensible. The
Monroe Doctrine remains in place, both explicitly and dressed up in novel
language. Additional doctrines have been built on its foundations. This book
looks at the creation, evolution, and use of the Monroe Doctrine over the years
since 1823, and proposes a radically different approach for the U.S. government
to take with Latin America and the world.
“David Swanson aptly deconstructs the imperial fiat which
arrogates to the U.S. the unilateral authority to intervene in the affairs
of sovereign states in the Western Hemisphere and to exclude any rival power
from meddling in what is viewed as Washington’s backyard. Far from giving the
200-year-old doctrine a decent burial, the U.S. has extended it globally.”
—Roger D. Harris, Task Force on the Americas
“With his characteristic acerbic wit, Swanson demonstrates
that the Monroe Doctrine carries malice and intentionally manipulative and
lethal capabilities. As with many of his other writings, not only does
Swanson offer scathing critiques of the Monroe Doctrine, he also offers
solutions for the damage it has done that are readily handy and straightforward
if we ever become courageous enough and willing to implement them.” —Tim Pluta,
World BEYOND War
DOWNLOAD THE PDF.
“Strong condemnation.
Mark
Ruffalo Calls Venezuela Invasion Illegal.’ 1-12-26.
Summary
At the Golden Globes, Mark Ruffalo criticized President Trump, calling the U.S.
invasion of Venezuela illegal and the President a “convicted killer” and
“racist.” Ruffalo wore a “BE GOOD” pin in memory of Renee Nicole Good, killed
by an ICE agent, and linked his protest to public fear, stating, “I love this
country. And what I see happening here is not America.”
He criticized President Trump as a ‘convicted killer’ and ‘racist.’
On Sunday, during the 83rd Golden Globes ceremony, actor Mark Ruffalo launched
a sharp critique against U.S. President Donald Trump for his actions against
Venezuela.
RELATED:
Nothing Done Against Venezuela is Legal: Baltazar Garzon
Ruffalo arrived at the event wearing a pin with the words “BE GOOD” in memory
of Renee Nicole Good, a poet and mother of three who was shot and killed by a
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer on Jan. 7.
“We have a president who is lying about what is happening. We are in the middle
of a war with Venezuela which we illegally invaded,” said Ruffalo.
“He is telling the world that international law doesn’t matter to him. The only
thing that matters to him is his own morality. But the guy is a convicted
killer or a convicted racist. He is a pedophile. He is the worst human being in
the world.”
Ruffalo’s comments refer to the invasion carried out by U.S. armed forces
against Venezuela, which left at least 100 people dead, including civilians and
soldiers, and concluded with the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his
wife, Cilia Flores.
The actor, visibly emotional, linked his protest to public fear: “This is for
the people of the United States who are terrorized and scared today. I know I’m
one of them. I love this country. And what I see happening here is not
America.”
The pin Ruffalo wore was part of an organized and visible campaign on the red
carpet, where figures like Wanda Sykes and Natasha Lyonne also wore the “BE
GOOD” and “ICE OUT” emblems.
The campaign, backed by the American Civil Liberties Union, aims to honor Renee
Macklin Good and Keith Porter, another U.S. citizen killed in an incident with
ICE on New Year’s Eve, and to serve as a call for humanity in the face of what
they call “the chaos” brought to the streets by this agency. . . .
Source: VN
Stephen Prager. “The Vulture Capitalist Poised for a
Venezuelan Payday.” Consortium
News (1-9-26).
Shortly
before Trump’s aggression on Caracas, Paul Singer’s investment firm
bought Citgo at deep discount in a U.S.-based auction overseen by an AIPAC
board member. Read here...
One of
President Donald Trump’s top billionaire donors, who has spent the past several
months backing a push for regime change in Venezuela,
is about to cash in after the president’s kidnapping of the nation’s
president, Nicolas Maduro, this weekend.
While he declined to tell
members of Congress, Trump has said he tipped off oil executives
before the illegal attack. At a press conference following the attack, he said
the U.S. would have “our very large United
States oil companies” go into Venezuela, which he said the U.S.
will “run” indefinitely, and “start making money” for the United States. As Judd Legum reported on Monday
for Popular Information, among the biggest beneficiaries will
be the billionaire investor Paul Singer. . . .”
“A
Lawless Presidency.” Consortium News (1-19-26).
The
catastrophe we all witnessed in Caracas — the result of expanding presidential
power — is a body blow to the U.S. Constitution, writes Andrew P.
Napolitano. Read here...
Jake
Johnson.
“House Dems Unveil Bill to Prohibit Taxpayer
Funding for Trump Occupation, Plunder of Venezuela.” Common Dreams
(1-8-26).
“The American people
want affordable healthcare, not to spend billions or more on ‘running’
Venezuela,” said US Rep. Joaquin Castro.
A pair of House Democrats on
Thursday introduced legislation that would prohibit the Trump administration from
using any taxpayer funding to control Venezuela or
exploit its vast oil reserves, an
effort launched after the US president said he expects his illegal plunder
operation in the South American country to last years.
The new bill, titled the No Occupation of Venezuela
(NOVA) Act of 2026, would
bar “any federal funds from being used to support US possession, supervision,
jurisdiction, or control over Venezuelan territory or resources, whether
through military or civilian means,” according to a summary released
by Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) and Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), the
measure’s lead sponsors. . . . COMMENDED...
Progressives Urge Passage of Bills to Stop Trump From Launching ‘Forever
War’ in Venezuela
Progressives Rip ‘Spineless’ Dem Leaders for ‘Empty’ Response to Trump’s
Venezuela Attack
Brett Wilkins. “GOP Senators Break Ranks With Trump
to Help Advance Venezuela War Powers Resolution.” Common Dreams (1-8-26).
"With this historic, bipartisan vote to prevent
further war in Venezuela, Congress has begun the long-overdue work of
reasserting its constitutional role in decisions of war and peace," said
one observer. . . .
“Stop
Trump’s illegal attack on Venezuela.”
Ahmad
Abuznaid, USCPR Action via uark.onmicrosoft.com
1-8-26
Hi
James,
Americans
don't want our tax dollars funding endless wars.
Whether
it's Venezuela, Palestine, Iran, or anywhere else, we're tired of watching our
government wage wars that serve corporate interests while we struggle to afford
groceries, healthcare, and housing.
Trump
just launched an illegal military operation in Venezuela—and he’s not hiding
why.1
At his
press conference, he said the U.S. would “run” Venezuela and openly discussed
U.S. oil companies, like BDS target Chevron, going into Venezuela to extract
and sell the country’s oil—the largest reserves in the world.2
The same
money funding this war could transform our communities.
The U.S.
and Israel are negotiating a new Memorandum of Understanding that commits
American taxpayers to providing Israel with at least $76 billion in
weapons over the next 20 years—weapons used to commit genocide against
Palestinians in Gaza.3
Meanwhile,
26 million Americans have no health insurance, and over half a million file for
bankruptcy each year due to medical bills.4
We can't
afford healthcare, housing, or education—but Trump finds billions for weapons
and war.
Every
dollar we spend on bombs is a dollar that could provide free healthcare to
millions of American children, cancel student debt for hundreds of thousands of
Americans, provide free rent to millions of families, or fund good jobs, better
schools, and thriving communities.5
But
Trump's threats aren't stopping with Venezuela.
After
forcibly capturing Maduro, Trump immediately threatened Colombia's President
Gustavo Petro—known for his solidarity with Palestine—saying a military
operation there "sounds good to me."6 He's
threatening Cuba, saying the island is "ready to fall."7 He's
escalating threats against Iran, warning he's "locked and loaded" to
intervene.8 He's imposed travel restrictions
on Nigeria and bombed the country on Christmas Day.9
TELL CONGRESS: CONDEMN THE ILLEGAL
OCCUPATION OF VENEZUELA
This is
the same pattern of U.S. imperialism that's devastated countries around
the world for decades. And it's connected to the weapons we send to Israel
to bomb Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran. Our Block the Bombs campaign fights to
stop all weapons transfers that fuel these endless wars and enrich defense
contractors while working people pay the price. . . .
AHMAD ABUZNAID Executive Director
“MSM Bias on Russian Tanker
& US Sanctions.” Consortium
News (1-8-26).
In a conversation with CN, X’s AI Grok ultimately admits why
it gets geopolitical stories so wrong. Read here...
END VENEZUELA ANTHOLOGY #13
