Labour leaders oppose US coup in Venezuela

Leading Labour Party shadow ministers are opposing the US attempt at regime change in Venezuela and are signatories to the letter below published by the Guardian.

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The far-right governments of Trump and Bolsonaro offer no hope to Venezuela or to the majority of people in Latin America (US puts ‘full weight’ behind regime change in Venezuela, 24 January).

Whatever views people hold on Venezuela, there is no justification for backing the US attempt at regime change under way, which, if successful, could go the way of the disastrous interventions in Iraq and Libya.

Instead, the way forward is the call for dialogue from the Mexican and Bolivian presidents.

John McDonnell MP, Diane Abbott MP, Richard Burgon MP, Dan Carden MP, Laura Pidcock MP, Emma Dent Coad MP, Clive Lewis MP, Grahame Morris MP, Kate Osamor MP, Dennis Skinner MP, Laura Smith MP, Chris Williamson MP, Neil Findlay MSP, John Finnie MSP, , Michael Mansfield QC, Owen Jones Journalist and campaigner, Tariq Ali Writer and playwright, Lowkey Rapper,Linton Kwesi Johnson Poet, Andy de la Tour Actor, John Hendy QC, Lindsey German Stop the War Coalition, Kate Hudson Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Tony Burke and Steve Turner Unite the Union assistant general secretaries, Matt Wrack FBU general secretary, Manuel Cortes TSSA general secretary, Doug Nicholls GFTU general secretary, Ronnie Draper BFAWU general secretary, Chris Kitchen NUM general secretary, Andy Kerr CWU deputy general secretary, Zita Holbourne PCS national vice-president, Sean McGovern Unite EC and TUC general council (disabled workers’ representative), Christine Blower Former NUT general secretary, Lara McNeill Labour NEC youth representative, Rachel Garnham Labour NEC member,Claudia Webbe Labour NEC member, Peter Willsman Labour NEC member,Marcus Barnett International officer, Young Labour, Mark Weisbrot Center for Economic and Policy Research, Dr Francisco Dominguez Head of Latin American Studies, Middlesex University, Ray Bush Professor of African studies and development politics, Leeds University, Peter Hallward Professor of philosophy, Kingston University, Ken Livingstone Former mayor of London,Salma Yaqoob Equality and human rights campaigner, Maggie Bowden General secretary, Liberation, Colin Burgon Labour Friends of Progressive Latin America, Dr Susan Grey Venezuela Solidarity Campaign

The above letter was published by the Guardian here