By Angelo Haynes
At 3pm Saturday, January 3rd, several hundred San Diegans representing a diverse coalition of local San Diego activist groups gathered in front of the San Diego County Administration Building to protest the recent US military intervention in Venezuela. Groups ranging from feminist activist groups such as Code Pink, to Veteran organizations such as Veterans for Peace came together on short notice to speak and contribute to the march.
The Trump administration’s recent military intervention is an escalation from the recent aggressive naval attacks in the region, resulting in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and Venezuelan First Lady Cilia Flores.
Organizers began planning the march Friday night after news broke of US forces beginning their bombing operation of the capital city of Caracas. Planning and mobilization efforts were then accelerated when it was discovered that president Maduro was kidnapped to be brought onto American soil to be prosecuted on narco-terrorism charges.
Justine Mann, the Media Relations liaison for the coalition and an organizer with the Party of Socialism and Liberation was on hand to answer questions and told this reporter:
“We began planning the event when we heard about the bombing of Caracas. When we got word, that Maduro was captured it increased our urgency in putting this protest together.”
When asked about what groups were present for the event, Mann provided an exhaustive list of protest groups and organizers. Besides his group, there was the ANSWER Coalition, Code Pink, the Palestinian Youth Movement, CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations), Veterans for Peace, Union Del Barrio, and League of Filipino Students all coming together.
Speakers then addressed the group in front of the water fountain at the main entrance to the County Admin Building with the veteran presence appearing to be a point of emphasis.
One particular speaker named Tyler, a member of About Face and Veterans for Peace, is a young man born in the year 2000 and was raised during the beginning and height of the war on terror. In his speech he recounted his previous belief that the US military was a force for good, but slowly changed that belief as he gained more experiences while serving his country.
Tyler took some time to briefly discuss his perspective with me after giving his remarks.
“My beliefs changed over time; it wasn’t necessarily one event that caused me to change my views. I was in the Navy as a Corpsman medic and rescue swimmer being deployed on counter narcotics missions. While I was deployed on these missions as a medic, but operating a 50 cal [machine gun] this was a bit of a contradiction for me.”
When asked if he faced any resistance from his colleagues or superiors for his views, his answer was surprising.
“When I submitted my conscientious objector package, a lot of people were sympathetic to it. But a lot of people can’t really do it because they have to take care of their families. In the military you’re not supposed to talk about politics so I didn’t really talk about it.”
Tyler discussed in his speech how About Face and Veterans for Peace have been taking resources to active service members and informing them of their duty to refuse unlawful orders.
Benjamin Prado of Union del Barrio made connections between current events and the history of colonialism and white supremacy as nearby historic tall ships began firing their cannons during the proceedings.
“We were told that this system is the only way, but the story of my people says that’s a lie! We believe and support the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela!” Prado proudly exclaimed.
The final speaker was socialist labor organizer Alexander Craft who discussed his plans to run for mayor of the City of El Cajon, a long held conservative stronghold.
“The only hope that we as a movement have to end this war, to end this regime, to end this economic and political system that is built on exploitation and genocide from it’s very beginnings is to build a mass movement.”
Craft went on to stress the importance of organizers reaching across the aisle and to speak to people who disagree with them while making organizing a part of peoples’ everyday lives, not just at rallies or protests.
Once initial speeches were over, protesters marched southward toward Broadway before circling around and returning to the Waterfront Park to complete the loop.
Anybody else notice that the Party for Socialism and Liberation, the march organizers, is a self-described socialist party?
https://pslweb.org/program/
Perhaps, that doesn’t matter?
So what? They’re just a small group but they are so well-organized that they were able to pull this emergency protest off.
Don’t want to shock you “Mary” but there’s socialists all around you.
Coming from a family that fled a socialist system, I am often struck by how positively socialism is viewed in parts of the United States. Historical evidence suggests that attempts to implement socialism as a comprehensive economic system have repeatedly produced poor economic outcomes and restrictions on individual freedoms.
Scholars across economics and political science argue that centralized ownership and planning tend to weaken incentives, reduce productivity, and concentrate power in ways that undermine personal liberty. These patterns have appeared in multiple countries and time periods, raising persistent questions about socialism’s viability as a large-scale economic model.
Venezuelan exiles in the U.S. and throughout the world are happy and hopeful for the future of Venezuela with these actions. U.S. national security and interests are at risk from narco-terrorism, as are the human rights of Latin Americans throughout the western hemisphere.
The status quo was untenable and we should unite to ensure our federal representatives secure free enterprise and democracy in Venezuela.
Ezra — You need to study up on the US Left; America had a very strong socialist movement at various times over the last century and half. Then the New Left was born in the early 1960s as an explicit rejection of the old style left manifested in Russia and China.
The US capitalist elite have consistently used violence to oppose socialist movements in Central and South America, so really socialism has not been given a chance to evolve and develop in this hemisphere.
The US invasion of Venezuela was for oil. No blood for oil!.
There are different types and degrees of Socialism. Whatever type of socialist system your family fled from does not mean it’s the same as what you see Americans advocating for.
While I’m aware many Venezuelans are happy about Maduro’s removal (yes he’s a POS), no one with a brain thinks Trump actually cares squat about the well being of the Venezuelan people or drugs coming into this country. The Venezuelans in Miami (not to be outdone by Cuban expats) yelling “LIBTARD” to their liberal counterparts are a rather laughable bunch. Any loss or hardship they endured doesn’t change that.
When speaking positively about socialism I think it is important to use ‘Democratic Socialism’. Democratic meaning (hopefully) elected by a majority. Right, Bernie? ;)