[News] Venezuela Calls for Defensive Military Exercise

[Anti-Imperialist News]

  Venezuela Calls for Defensive Military Exercise

March 11, 2015
*http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Venezuela-Calls-for-Defensive-Military-Exercise--20150311-0007.html*

The country's armed forces along with people’​s militias will conduct a 
defensive military exercise in light of new threats from the U.S.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro called on the Venezuelan population 
to participate in a “defensive military exercise” this weekend in light 
of the declaration of Venezuela as a “threat to national security” by 
the United States.

“Venezuela must be prepared, we must preserve (the country) as a land of 
peace,” Maduro said Tuesday.

U.S. President Barack Obama declared Venezuela an “unusual and 
extraordinary threat” 
<http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Obama-Declares-Venezuela-a-Threat-to-National-Security-20150309-0011.html> 
to the United States earlier this week, prompting fears that the U.S. is 
laying the foundation for a military intervention in Venezuela. The 
Venezuelan leader pointed to the fact that such a declaration have been 
passed prior to invasion of countries by U.S. forces, including before 
invading Panama in 1989, the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the 2011 bombing 
of Libya.

Maduro underscored that Venezuela poses no threat to any nation.

“Venezuela is not and will never be a threat to the U.S. nor to any 
other country in the world because we are a peaceful, humanist people, 
that has international policy that seeks understand and the integration 
of peoples throughout the world,” said Maduro.

The Venezuelan president has long insisted that the threats to peace in 
the country come from the domestic opposition and theiralliesin the 
UnitedStates whohave sought to oust elected governments since former 
President Hugo Chavez was elected in 1998. From the 2002 coup against 
Chavez and the recently thwarted coup plot 
<http://www.telesurtv.net/english/telesuragenda/Venezuela-Coup-Thwarted-20150213-0007.html>, 
to opposition led violence last year that claimed 43 lives 
<http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Victims-of-Venezuelas-Right-Wing-Violence-Take-Case-to-OAS-20141209-0018.html>, 
the country’s right-wing opposition and its U.S. backers have 
continuously been a threat to democracy.

Following the 2002 U.S.-backed coup against him, Maduro's predecessor 
Chavez created what is known as the National Bolivarian Militia, which 
is composed of ordinary civilians who receive military training. Chavez 
repeatedly stated that the Bolivarian Revolution was a peaceful 
revolution, but also one that was armed and prepared to defend itself.

“Venezuela is not, and can never be Libya nor Iraq, Venezuela is 
Venezuela, a land of peace, and we must keep it that way,” said Maduro.

Analysts have speculated 
<http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/US-Preparing-for-Military-Agression-on-Venezuela-20150309-0034.html> 
that U.S. President Obama's declaration is a prelude to a military 
aggression, such as those launced in Iraq and Libya.

Vladimir Padrino Lopez, the Venezuelan minister of defense, reaffirmed 
the Venezuelan armed forces’ loyalty to President Maduro, saying that 
the armed forces offer their “most emphatic and forceful rejection of 
those who wish to meddle in the internal affairs of our country.”

On Wednesday, the Venezuelan National Asembly passed an enabling law 
<http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Venezuelan-Parliament-Passes-Law-to-Confront-US-Aggression-20150311-0006.html> 
that allows President Maduro to act to protect the peace against recent 
threats made by the Obama administration.

Meanwhile, regional leaders from the Union of South American Nations 
(UNASUR) are planning a meeting for next week to respond to the U.S. 
threat against Venezuela.

-- 
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