US aid, a fraud

A FORMER New York union leader stood in solidarity yesterday with several local union leaders who support Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro in the ongoing political conflict in Venezuela.

Roger Toussaint spoke at a press conference shortly before a walk toward the United States embassy on Marli Street, calling the humanitarian efforts by the US a fraud.

“If this was about humanitarian aid...the aid would have been delivered to the United Nations and they would see to its delivery in Venezuela, because that is what is usually done,” Toussaint said. “Instead the aid has been dropped off at the Colombian side of the border and the opposition forces have gone over to Colombia to bring it in,” Toussaint said.

“Now what is expected of the government of Venezuela? Are they expected to allow anyone to breach their borders? Which country allows anyone to just violate their borders and come in? This is clearly a provocation,” Toussaint added.

Toussaint also pointed out that the same “US humanitarians” have not only been withholding funds from Venezuelans through embargoes and sanctions, but have been keeping Latino men women and children who have entered their country under inhumane conditions for the past two years.

He said the US also decided to only release funds to supporters of the Venezuelan opposition, led by Juan Guaido who has called himself the interim president of Venezuela.

Toussaint and several local union leaders marched towards the US embassy to vent their disapproval with the US' handling of the crisis in Venezuela.

Heads of Movement for Social Justice (MSJ), the Banking, Insurance, and General Workers Union (Bigwu), the Postal Workers’ Union, the Steel Workers’ Union and the Communication Workers’ Union were in attendance.

MSJ leader David Abdulah said any intervention by the United States could lead to war, whether civil or external, and that would lead to a serious refugee crisis, one which TT would be unable to handle.

“What we have right now is a situation of migrant workers coming to TT. With war, that would create a real situation with refugees,” Abdulah said.