New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 3 The CPI(M) leadership and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, on Saturday, condemned the US for what they described as an "imperialist military aggression" against Venezuela, calling for global condemnation and urging the Indian government to take a clear public stand against the action.
Reacting to reports of the US airstrikes on strategic and civilian locations in Venezuela, Chief Minister Vijayan accused the US of acting like a "rogue state" and unleashing unmasked hostility against countries of the Global South.
In a social media post, the Chief Minister said the bombing of Venezuela amounted to an act of terrorism and posed a serious threat to the peace in Latin America, a region with a long history of resistance to imperialist interventions.
Vijayan called on progressive forces worldwide to unite against what he termed "imperialist moves undermining global peace".
CPI(M) General Secretary M.A. Baby echoed these concerns, describing the US action as "shocking and painful".
He said a "naked aggression" had been launched under the orders of US President Donald Trump against Venezuela, a country friendly to India and a member of the Non-Aligned Movement.
CPI(M) leader Baby also said that India and Venezuela were among the founding leaders of the International Solar Alliance, saying that New Delhi had a responsibility to publicly condemn the unjustifiable military action.
Meanwhile, the CPI(M) Politburo issued a separate statement urging the Indian people to raise strong protests against the US assault on Venezuela.
The statement alleged that residential areas in Caracas and nearby regions had been targeted in multiple airstrikes, endangering civilian lives.
It noted that Venezuela had long been in the crosshairs of US foreign policy and that the current military escalation marked a dangerous intensification.
The Politburo also sought immediate clarification from the US on the fate of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, following claims by President Trump that the two had been taken into custody by the US miltary forces.
"If they are alive, the US must produce clear evidence and disclose their whereabouts," the CPI(M) demanded.
Calling on Washington to act in accordance with the UN Charter, the CPI(M) warned that continued violations of national sovereignty would destabilise Latin America and threaten global peace.
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