Down with US imperialist aggression! Hands off Venezuela!

The US Government has announced the deployment of around 4,000 troops off the coast of Venezuela. On August 14, 2025, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that US Naval and Air forces have been sent near Venezuelan waters. The RCA and RCI stand firmly and unequivocally against this blatant act of imperialist aggression. 

[Originally published at communistusa.org]

According to Venezuelanalysis:

"The deployed US sailors and marines are assigned to the Iwo Jima (IWO) Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Special Operations Capable (SOC). Both units are trained and equipped to conduct quick global missions to accomplish US strategic goals. They are not anti-narcotics units . . . According to US media, the Trump administration has also allocated three Navy destroyers, a nuclear-powered attack submarine, and a guided-missile cruiser, among other assets, to the US Southern Command."

Marco Rubio stated that the US sent these forces to combat drug cartels, specifically, “Cartel de los Soles,” which was designated a “foreign terrorist organization.” Rubio also stated that the US does not recognize the Maduro government of Venezuela and labeled it a “criminal enterprise.” All of these actions are part of the larger policies from the Trump administration to authorize the use of military forces in Latin America under the guise of “fighting drugs.” The US government has also claimed that it seized $700 million in assets belonging to President Maduro, and they have placed a $50 million bounty on Maduro, alleging that he is “managing and leading” a drug cartel.

This is absolutely scandalous. US imperialism itself has leaned on, armed, and funded right-wing paramilitary organizations—including drug cartels—throughout the region for over half a century in order to brutalize workers’, peasants’, and student movements. Everywhere the US has meddled in, from Afghanistan to Latin America, they have allied with the most criminal elements to ensure their imperialist interests are secured.

Drugs as a pretext to justify imperialist bullying

Trump is using the excuse of “fighting drugs” as a pretext to justify imperialist actions in Latin America, which the US considers “its backyard.” Since the Monroe Doctrine, the US ruling class has considered themselves entitled to sole rights of pillaging and plundering Latin America. As Chinese imperialism increases its trade and investments in Latin America, declining US imperialism is feeling their hot breath on their neck. There are also large oil reserves in Venezuela.

Trump has tried to use tariffs to make Latin American governments who have grown closer to China bend the knee to the US government. He is now adding military pressure and belligerent threats to his imperialist toolkit. Ultimately, this will not work out well for the US ruling class. There is a deep-seated anti-war sentiment among the US working class. One of Trump’s campaign promises was to put an end to “endless wars.” Mass opposition against US Imperialism is growing. If this develops into a real military confrontation, Trump’s already sinking popularity will decline even further. Even Trump and Rubio should understand that.

Trump is cynically using the drug epidemic in the US to justify imperialist aggression. But the root cause of the drug epidemic is not the drug cartels south of the US border, but the nightmare of life under capitalism. Over the past 50 years, while the capitalists have been getting richer, the living conditions of the American working class have sharply declined. This is the real reason behind the increase in addiction and deaths due to overdose. Jobs, especially ones that can pay the median wage, have disappeared. This has pushed wider layers into poverty and unemployment. Big Pharma has made billions off getting Americans addicted to opioids, particularly in the “rust belt” areas where most jobs have been offshored.

Is there any mystery that so many social problems linked to drugs are in the “rustbelt” states? Trump has promised a rebirth of US manufacturing, but there will be no such thing. If it were to take place, the manufacturing bosses would be looking for cheap labor. The domestic side of Trump’s war on drugs in Latin America is a distraction from his policies of cutting Medicaid and Medicare, which ultimately add to the problems of fighting addiction.

Withdraw all US troops!

The movement of US forces to the Caribbean, Central and South America does not serve the interests of the US working class. The question of the government of Venezuela is an issue for the Venezuelan people, not the US government.

The workers in the US must join in with the workers and poor masses throughout Latin America, to oppose the US government and call on the withdrawal of all US military forces and the closure of US bases throughout the region. The military budget must be cut and the money can be used to restore the Medicare and Medicaid cuts.

If war breaks out, the US working class must stand shoulder to shoulder with the workers south of the border. The US government is an enemy to workers in the US and abroad. United together, the workers can defeat US Imperialism and fight for a socialist federation of North, Central and South America.

Withdraw all US military forces and close the US bases!

Cut the military budget and redirect this to social spending!

Hands Off Venezuela!

Down with US imperialism!

For a Socialist Federation of North, Central and South America!