MONTREAL — Some 100 people came out to a picket at the U.S. Consulate here Jan. 11 defending Venezuela’s sovereignty and opposing Washington’s threats to attack Cuba. The action was organized by a dozen groups and promoted by the Quebec-Cuba Solidarity Roundtable.
“Hands Off Venezuela” read two big banners carried by protesters in French and English as they marched through downtown to the Complexe Guy-Favreau. Some protesters brought homemade signs condemning U.S. intervention in Venezuela and calling for the freeing of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Joe Young, Communist League candidate in the Quebec National Assembly elections, wore a sign calling for “Hands Off Venezuela and Cuba!” Others carried flags from several Latin American countries, including Chile, Colombia, Cuba and Venezuela.
Four rail workers who are members of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference came to the action. “I am here to show my solidarity with Venezuela,” Nicolas Lavigne told the Militant. “These gratuitous and inhuman actions shouldn’t, and must not, be ignored.”
Kaya Dubé-Snow, who had been part of the Teamsters Canada Rail delegation to the union-called protest against the Quebec government Nov. 29, brought her girlfriend. “I came to the demonstration to support Venezuela and to learn how to get more involved,” she said.