The United States is once again steering dangerously toward an illegal war, this time in Latin America. Over the past two months Washington has been engaged in a military buildup around Venezuela, launching lethal strikes in international waters, dispatching its most advanced aircraft carrier, and openly weighing plans for direct attacks on Venezuelan territory. It is the largest US military concentration in the region in decades.
The arrival of the USS Gerald R Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, along with three destroyers and more than 5,500 troops, has heightened fears of imminent assault. The Ford joins roughly 10,000 US troops already stationed in the region. Ostensibly, these deployments are to counter drug trafficking, but Washington has provided zero evidence to substantiate any such threat.
Since early September, US forces have carried out at least 19 airstrikes, killing nearly a hundred people on boats in international waters. These attacks have been widely denounced as being extrajudicial killings and blatant violations of international law.
President Trump said on 16 November that he wouldn’t rule out sending US troops to Venezuela, essentially to carry out a regime change operation. “I don’t rule out anything. We just have to take care of Venezuela.”
China on the other hand has taken a consistently clear and principled stand, continuing to develop its bilateral cooperation with Venezuela and roundly condemning the US’s “unilateral and excessive enforcement operations”, stressing that these violate international law and the UN Charter. China has urged the US to return to proper judicial cooperation frameworks rather than acting as a self-appointed global policeman. In contrast to Washington’s coercion, China’s position rests on respect for sovereignty and international law, and an orientation towards peace.
Writing to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on the occasion of his birthday (23 November), President Xi Jinping reaffirmed Beijing’s resolute support for Venezuela in safeguarding its sovereignty, national security, dignity and social stability. Xi described China and Venezuela as “close friends, cherished brothers, and good partners”, and reiterated that China “categorically rejects interference by external forces in Venezuela’s internal affairs under any pretext, and will continue to resolutely support Venezuela in safeguarding its sovereignty and national security, national dignity, and social stability”.
We republish below an English translation of President Xi’s letter.
Dear Mr. President:
On the occasion of your birthday, I would like to extend my sincere congratulations and best wishes.
China and Venezuela are close friends, dear brothers and good partners. Last May, we held a fruitful meeting in Moscow, reaching important consensus on further deepening bilateral relations. Last September, you solemnly commemorated the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War in the capital of Venezuela, and you appointed the President of the National Assembly to attend the commemoration of this anniversary in China, all of which I greatly appreciate.
I would like to reiterate that China categorically rejects interference by external forces in Venezuela’s internal affairs under any pretext, and will continue to resolutely support Venezuela in safeguarding its sovereignty and national security, national dignity, and social stability. Atributing great importance to the development of Sino-Venezuelan ties, I am willing to work with you to continue enriching the China-Venezuela All-Weather Strategic Partnership, with a view to bringing greater well-being to both peoples and injecting more positive energy into world peace and development.
I wish you good health and happiness.
No war on Venezuela!