Originally published to the Virginia Defender Facebook page on May 19, 2019. Reproduced here for accessibility and archival purposes.
Photos and commentary by Phil Wilayto
The struggle to defend the Embassy of Venezuela from supporters of the U.S.-backed coup has been one of the most dynamic antiwar actions in recent years. Showing up or supporting it in some way has been a litmus test for any organization that says it stands for Justice.
The Defenders are proud to have been part of this great fight that was led by Code Pink, Popular Resistance and the ANSWER Coalition, and supported by many others, including Veterans for Peace, the Poor People’s Army, Black Alliance for Peace, Struggle/La Lucha, Democratic Socialists of America and the Rev. Jesse Jackson.
The struggle continues, including demanding that the government drop all charges against the four Embassy Protectors. To join in, contact the Defenders or one of these other groups today!
May 18
“No Coup! No War! No Sanctions Anymore!” After marching from the Venezuelan Embassy, about 150 antiwar activists rally in front of the White House.
A dynamic young activist leads chants in front of the Venezuelan Embassy.
Members of the Maryland Council of Elders address the crowd.
Ann Wright, former State Department diplomat who resigned her position over opposition to the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq. Ann is a member of Code Pink and Veterans for Peace.
Asantewaa Nkrumah-Turi, a Philadelphia member of Black Alliance for Peace, lights up the crowd.
Coup “ambassador” Carlos Vecchio, right, here accurately portrayed as a puppet of U.S National Security Advisor and noted warmonger John Bolton.
“No War on Venezuela!” The U.S. sanctions are a form of war that, as of mid-May, have been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 Venezuelans. This is mass murder, carried out by the Trump Administration with the support of the pro-war Democratic Party. We need to build the independent, multi-issue, mass-generational mass movement. “Stop the Wars at Home & Abroad!”
May 11
An earlier photo showing coup supporters besieging the Venezuelan Embassy.
Members of the Embassy Protection Collective are defiant and strong, even after police blocked food from being delivered to the building and cut off the electricity and water.
Two sides. Police forced Embassy Protection supporters to the far side of the street, while allowing coup supporters to mass in front of the building. Over more than five weeks of embassy protection, the pro-coup mob repeatedly broke into the building and even tried drilling through one of the doors. Police stood by and did nothing.
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