The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA) expressed their absolute and unequivocal rejection of the military operation carried out by the U.S. government on the territory of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

“These acts in no way defend democracy; they are clear acts of aggression as part of a militarized foreign policy agenda motivated by unilateral economic interests,” said ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle. “Threats of kidnapping and the misuse of the courts to attack a sovereign government undermine the international rule of law and set a precedent of imperial coercion that jeopardizes peace everywhere.”

“We, the trade union movement of the Americas, condemn the military aggression and kidnapping of President [Nicolás] Maduro and his partner Cilia Flores, a violation of the sovereignty and integrity of the Venezuelan people and of all Latin America and the Caribbean, declared a Zone of Peace by Community of Latin American and Caribbean States since 2014. We are activating mechanisms of international solidarity with the people and workers of Venezuela,” said Rafael Freire, general secretary of TUCA. “We defend Venezuela and all of Latin America as a territory of peace. We do not accept invasion and violence against our peoples and territories. The trade union movement, as always, is on the front line of defending sovereignty and self-determination, democracy and human rights.”