Members of the San Marcos community and Party for Socialism and Liberation San Marcos (PSLSMTX) participated in the “No War on Venezuela” protest at the Hays County Historic Courthouse on Dec. 6.
“No War on Venezuela”, a nationwide rally against U.S. President Donald Trump and the Trump administration’s promise of land strikes in Venezuela after strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean Sea.
According to AP News, on Sept. 2, the U.S. carried out its first of 21 fatal strikes on alleged drug-carrying vessels in the Pacific and Caribbean waters near Venezuela.
Miles Brownlee, PSLSMTX member, said the Trump administration is claiming the president of Venezuela is in charge of a drug trafficking cartel, Cartel De Los Soles or Cartel of the Suns, without providing direct evidence.
“87 people have been killed in these strikes, none of whom stood trial for the alleged crimes, but were nonetheless summarily executed by the United States government,”Brownlee said. “The Trump administration has been spreading lie after lie about these strikes.”
Brownlee said with all the other protests going on in other cities, it is important to make people aware of the “No War on Venezuela” movement.
“I just really hope that here in San Marcos, we can start a strong, robust, anti-war movement to make sure that the administration, like local officials, Texas officials, everyone knows that the people are not in support of this war,” Brownlee said.
According to Brownlee, the Trump administration is preparing for war against Venezuela, similarly to how the U.S. went to war in Iraq.
“I just think that it’s unconscionable that in a country where there’s millions of people going hungry, where we’re losing SNAP benefits, people’s insurance premiums are going up, people are starving … [that] we’re willing to spend billions or trillions of dollars attacking the citizens of other countries, just based entirely on lies,” Brownlee said.
Five members of PSLSMTX gathered at 11 a.m. with signs and megaphones, chanting “no blood for oil” and “stop the bombs it’s not too late” while the Merry on the Square market happened in the background.
According to Answer Coalition, where organizations could register their city for their protest, about 15,000 U.S. troops have been mobilized around Venezuela, with naval assets.
Jack Alcala, member of PSLSMTX, said the U.S. drug administration and its reports show no trafficking of drugs, like cocaine or fentanyl, coming from Venezuela.
“Really, at the end of the day, it comes down to Venezuela having the largest oil reserves, you know this isn’t a new story,” Alcala said. “I think pretty much every person under the age of 30 knows that we just went to war in Iraq for oil, so I think everyone is very familiar with this story.”
During this event, spectators gave mixed reactions between cheers and profanities as they walked or drove by.
Conner Aureli, San Marcos resident, said he did not know what was happening in Venezuela until he walked past the protesters.
“I think more people should be protesting it, if I had more free time, I’d be over here stomping around with them,” Aureli said.
PSLSMTX protest ended at noon, with some members joining the protest that happened at the Texas Capitol at 2 p.m.
