Regional assembly denounces US raid on tuna boat

THE Assembly of the Caribbean People – who counts political leader of the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) David Abdulah among its regional executive committee – has denounced the raid by US military officials on the Venezuelan-registered tuna boat the Carmen Rose.

In a release, the assembly said nine Venezuelan nationals were carrying out their professional activities in completely peaceful conditions when they were "assaulted and hijacked" by the US destroyer USS Jason Dunham in violation of international law.

"We, the regional executive committee...strongly denounce and condemn this outrage and express our rejection and indignation at the maneuvers of the United States government, which seek to militarise Caribbean waters to destroy the sovereignty of the peoples of our region and plunder our resources," the release said.

The assembly also denounced the threats and attacks against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and reaffirmed its solidarity with the "brave Bolivarian people," insisting any aggression against Venezuela is an attack against all.

"We are determined to defend the sovereignty of Venezuela and the dignity of the Caribbean peoples. Our region must remain a zone of peace, where there are examples of the construction of sovereign national projects that revitalize the dreams of equality, freedom, and shared well-being; dreams of the liberator Simón Bolívar and of many heroes who came before us."

The assembly also expressed its solidarity with the Venezuelan fishing workers who have already suffered two attacks involving "disproportionate and excessive use of force," including a shameful extrajudicial killing that tarnishes the honour of the US military.

The release claimed this latest attack against Venezuelan fishermen was part of an attempt to provoke "incidents" to justify military aggression against Venezuela.

The assembly added that it is an organisation that brings together progressive organisations, political parties and Caribbean social and popular movements – since 1994 – to build a region of peace, free from all colonial, neocolonial, and imperialist domination.

On September 2, the US said it had fired and sunk an alleged drug boat which had left Venezuela and was heading to the US. In all, 11 people on board were killed.