Marking the fifth anniversary of the US Capitol attack, Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn on Tuesday, Jan. 6, strongly condemned the Trump administration’s actions in Venezuela.
“Five years ago on this day, Jan. 6, the violent insurrection on our Capitol foreshadowed the depth of Trump’s lawlessness. Just two days into this new year, the Trump regime has invaded Venezuela and declared control over their oil after capturing President Maduro,” Bichotte Hermelyn, who represents the 42nd Assembly District in Brooklyn, told Caribbean Life.
“These unconstitutional actions by this authoritarian federal government continue to threaten the lives of Americans both abroad and at home, including our immigrant communities in Brooklyn,” she added. “We must unite as Democrats to fight back so Congress can use its powers to stop this rogue power grab and descent into potential war.”
Photo courtesy Office of New York State Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte-Hermelyn
On Tuesday, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press conference in Washington, D.C., condemning Trump’s military strikes in Venezuela and the US military’s capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Celia Flores.
“Donald Trump and the administration is off starting wars, most recently connected to the unauthorized military action in Venezuela. This wasn’t a law enforcement action,” Jeffries said. “They’re lying to the American people when they say that. It was an unprecedented military act.
“And yes, in fact, it is the case that Maduro is a bad guy, a dictator, someone who was not the legitimate head of government or head of state in Venezuela,” he added. “We also know that the future of the Venezuelan people should be determined by the Venezuelan people, not by Donald Trump, Pete Hegseth or Stephen Miller. Are you kidding me? These people don’t even know how to run the United States of America.
“And we’re supposed to believe that there’s any credibility to the notion that the Trump administration is going to run Venezuela, a country of 30 million people in South America?” Jeffries continued. “The American people reject the possibility of another unjustified foreign war that seems to be on the horizon because of Trump’s desire to reward Big Oil in the United States of America while continuing to not do a damn thing to make life better for the American people.”
On Saturday, Caribbean-American Democratic U.S. Rep. Yvette D. Clarke strongly condemned what she described as Trump’s “unauthorized” military strikes in Venezuela and the US military’s capture of Maduro.
Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, who represents the 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn, told Caribbean Life that Trump acted without congressional authorization in conducting military strikes in Venezuela, and forcefully and unilaterally causing “regime change by seizing President Nicolás Maduro.
“In a brazen affront to the rule of law and the US Constitution and without any rational consideration of the grave consequences that will inevitably follow, in the dead of night, Donald Trump has plunged the United States into yet another dangerous foreign entanglement by unleashing direct military strikes upon Venezuela’s capital and capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife,” said Clarke, who also chairs the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC).
“For years, Maduro’s authoritarian rule has oppressed Venezuelans and weakened their country. He was a despot, with no regard for his own nation. His people have endured extreme hardship, political unrest, uncertainty, and instability under his leadership — so much so that many took great risks to seek asylum behind our borders,” she added.
“However, this is not a case of the ends justifying the means.Despite this military operation and considering Donald Trump’s comments in its aftermath, it has become crystal clear that toppling Maduro for narco-trafficking was far from the primary reason the administration engaged militarily with Venezuela,” Clarke continued. “This reckless and non-congressionally sanctioned regime change was driven not by national security, but by the pursuit of oil riches. This action has no place in US foreign policy. It is an illegal and illegitimate doctrine of extreme aggression sanctioned solely by the executive branch.”
In responding to the seizure of Maduro by the United States, UN human rights chief Volker Türk on Tuesday reiterated deep concerns that the military operation undermined fundamental protections for sovereign countries.
The US action made “all States less safe around the world”, said Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the High Commissioner.
Speaking to journalists in Geneva, Shamdasani rejected the US justification for its intervention on the grounds of the Venezuelan Government’s “longstanding and appalling” human rights record.
Speaking to journalists in Geneva, Shamdasani rejected the US justification for its intervention on the grounds of the Venezuelan Government’s “longstanding and appalling” human rights record.
“Accountability for human rights violations cannot be achieved by unilateral military intervention in violation of international law,” she insisted.
“Far from being a victory for human rights, this military intervention, which is in contravention of Venezuelan sovereignty and the UN Charter, damages the architecture of international security…And this is a point that the Secretary-General has also made.”
“Far from being a victory for human rights, this military intervention, which is in contravention of Venezuelan sovereignty and the UN Charter, damages the architecture of international security…And this is a point that the Secretary-General has also made.”
Shamdasani explained the High Commissioner’s position that the military operation “violates the fundamental principle of international law (and) the UN Charter, which states that States must not threaten or use force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.”
The OHCHR spokesperson expressed concerns that the instability and further militarization in the country in response to the US intervention might make the situation worse.
“The High Commissioner calls on the US and the Venezuelan authorities, as well as the international community, to ensure full respect for international law, including human rights,” said Shamdasani, adding that the future of Venezuela “must be determined by the Venezuelan people alone, with full respect for their human rights, including the right to self-determination, and sovereignty over their lives and their resources.”
“The High Commissioner calls on the US and the Venezuelan authorities, as well as the international community, to ensure full respect for international law, including human rights,” said Shamdasani, adding that the future of Venezuela “must be determined by the Venezuelan people alone, with full respect for their human rights, including the right to self-determination, and sovereignty over their lives and their resources.”
