Venezuela has been in the crosshairs of U.S. imperialism since 1999 when then-president Hugo Chávez began implementing socialist reforms using the country’s vast oil wealth to fund social programs lifting millions out of poverty. Upon the death of Chávez on March 5, 2013, Nicolás Maduro assumed the powers and responsibilities of the president. In April 2013, Maduro was elected President. Maduro has been accused of authoritarian leadership and his second inauguration on January 10, 2019, was widely condemned.

On January 22, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence made a phone call to opposition politician Juan Guaidó, essentially offering him the presidency of Venezuela. The next day, Guaidó swore an oath in which he appointed himself "Interim President of Venezuela." Minutes later, Donald Trump officially recognized that self-appointment, in effect instigating a coup against the Bolivarian government of Nicolás Maduro. Since then, many corporate media outlets have been supporting a coup, flooding the air waves and Internet with stories about chaos, poverty, corruption, and violence in Venezuela, exclusively covering anti-government marches, and showing clips of world leaders calling for the overthrow of the Venezuelan government.

On Saturday, March 16, thousands of people marched in Washington, D.C. against the Trump administration’s effort to engineer a coup in Venezuela:
National March on Washington: Hands off Venezuela! No coup, no sanctions, no new U.S. war!

San Francisco: SF Bay Area activists demand end to imperialist aggression against Venezuela (Mar 9) | S.F. Labor Council Says Hands Off Venezuela | March & Rally: Hands Off Venezuela! NO coup - NO war - NO sanctions! (Mar 9) | Study Group: The Truth Behind the U.S. Attacks on Venezuela (Feb 16) | Forum "Resisting the US-Backed Coup Attempt in Venezuela" (Jan 29)

Oakland: Oakland Protests Trump's Regime Change Attack on Venezuela (Feb 23) | Rally for U.S. Hands Off Venezuela (Feb 23) | What's Happening in Venezuela? (Feb 17) | U.S. Hands Off Venezuela Rally (Feb 10)

Berkeley: U.S. hands off Venezuela! (Feb 5)

See Also: An Open Letter to the People of the U.S. from President Nicolas Maduro | Trump's, Pompeo's, Bolton's, The CIA's and Pentagon's Heinous Violence Toward Venezuela | Defense of Gov't of Venezuela: Litmus Test for Pres Candidates | Corporate Media Abets U.S. Intervention in Venezuela | Venezuela: la "ayuda humanitaria" prepara la invasión militar (En Español) | Iraq. Syria. Venezuela? The U.S. prepares a chemical attack... | U.S. Military Invasion of Venezuela is Escalating | U.S. war on Venezuela...2-5-19 Mouse Report | West v Venezuela...1-29-19 Mouse Report | Hands Off Venezuela Campaign