Latin America rejects US aggression against Syria

Latin American countries have almost unanimously rejected US plans to launch an aggression against Syria and consider that this action would be not only a catastrophe for the Middle East but also a threat for Latin America, which has been seen as a “courtyard” by Washington for many decades.

“An attack against Syria would have extremely serious consequences for the Middle East, a region that is already troubled,” said a statement by the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “It would be a flagrant violation of the principles of the UN Charter and international law. It would also increase the dangers to international peace and security,” stated the Cuban Ministry.

Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa also rejected any aggressive unilateral actions which would violate Syria’s sovereignty. According to Correa, “No country has the moral right to take upon itself the function of a judge who determines what is right or wrong.”

His Bolivian counterpart, Evo Morales claimed that media reports had showed that chemical weapons were used near Damascus not by the government, but by the rebel armed groups in order to generate an international response. “Chemical agents were used by groups that fight against the government in Syria,” said the Bolivian president. “By failing to establish military dictatorships, as it did in the past, Washington, under the current conditions, is using a different strategy: creating internal conflicts in some countries in order to have a pretext for intervention,” added the Bolivian President.

Argentina has officially condemned a possible US strike on Syria adding that a military intervention would “aggravate” the Arab country’s domestic scenario. Argentinean President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has stated that her country totally rejects a US attack.

For its part, Brazil has stated that an attack on Syria without the approval of the UN Security Council would be a violation of international law and the UN Charter. Brazilian Foreign Minister, Luiz Alberto Figueiredo Machado, said such an action was “unacceptable.” The Brazilian foreign minister added that his country also rejects the shipment of weapons to terrorist groups in Syria, while praising “the efforts performed to reach a political solution to the crisis” in that country.

Even countries that have been traditional allies of the United States in the region, such as Chile, Mexico or Colombia, are watching the revival of the US imperialist aggressiveness with alarm. Chilean President, Sebastian Pinera, spoke against a unilateral military intervention in Syria. “The government of Chile does not support a unilateral military action by a country or a group of countries”, he said.

US targets Venezuela and Syria simultaneously

For its part, Venezuela has “decisively condemned any attempts by the imperialist powers to launch a military attack on the Syrian territory alleging the use of chemical weapons on August 21 by an unidentified party as a pretext.” “The government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela accuses the imperial powers of placing the entire world on the brink of a destructive war with countless consequences for humanity,” an official statement said.

The Venezuelan government has gone beyond by establishing a link between US plans to attack Syria and Washington’s plots to bring about the collapse of Venezuela by targeting food, electricity and fuel supplies.

“I have data about a meeting at the White House, the full names of those who attended. I know what plans they made for the total collapse” of the country, Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro said on August 7 during a ceremony in northern Aragua state. “They think that Venezuela will collapse in October, so long as they plan for it by sabotaging the people’s food, electricity, fuel and refineries,” he said.

Maduro also suggested a link between the assassination plots against him and US intervention in Syria. He said the Venezuelan authorities had foiled an attempt to assassinate him at the time when the US launched strikes on Syria. Maduro recalled the recent arrest in Venezuela of two Colombians who were involved in the assassination plot. “The plan was to kill me at the time of the attack on Syria,” he said.

Venezuelan counterintelligence does not rule out the possibility that the US Administration and the CIA could take advantage of the Syrian scenario in Venezuela, considering the polarization of political camps – pro-government (Bolivarian) and opposition (pro-American) – which has taken shape in the country. And in order for that not to happen, they consider that it is very important for Venezuela and the whole Latin America not to permit the US attack on Syria.

The community of Syrian immigrants and descendants has lost no time to defend their homeland either. A member of the Venezuelan parliament and President of the Arab Federation in Venezuela, Abel el Zabayar, a Syrian by descent, has showed his support for Syria. El Zabayar traveled to that country to visit his mother and after seeing the delicate situation there, he decided to stay and become a member of the popular brigades fighting against terrorist groups in Syria. Some Venezuelans of Syrian descent have also recently formed the first battalion of volunteering fighters from Latin America.

On the other hand, 37 Venezuelan organizations have expressed their rejection of a possible US military attack and have set up a Syrian Solidarity Movement. Another group of Venezuelans of Syrian origin has founded the “Social Communication Network of the Venezuelan-Syrian Union” in order to combat “the false news that are prefabricated and disseminated by Western media and international news agencies.”

Ham Allalla, a young Venezuelan of Syrian origin, described as “appalling” the US intentions towards what he considers his second home. Allalla told Radio Nederland that there was not civil war in Syria, but a fight against mercenaries financed by Saudi Arabia who are trying to overthrow the government. Allalla asked, “Why no action was taken when the Palestinians denounced the use of chemical weapons by the Israeli regime?”

Panama and Capriles, the exceptions

In this context, the Panamanian government has been the only one in Latin America that has supported US strikes on Syria. However, according to the newspaper La Prensa, most Panamanians reject such a position, which isolates the country within the region.
One of those interviewed by the newspaper, the university professor and former ambassador to Sweden Cecilio Simon Ingles said the government´s position on this issue was totally wrong, He added that Panama should remain neutral due to its geographical position and the Canal.

Panama was also the only Latin American state that voted against recognition of a Palestinian state at the UN. This attitude is not surprising, however, due to the strong links of the government of President Ricardo Martinelli with Israel. These relations have strengthened in several areas, including the military one, in past years. The words of Panamanian permanent representative to the UN, Pablo Antonio Thalassinos summarized the position of this government when he said: “We have always been voting for Israel and against everything that attacks Israel.”

Panama and Tel Aviv have also signed an agreement related to the protection of the Panamanian President and other security arrangements.

The partnership ties between Panama and the Zionist regime have been promoted by the Zionist lobby in Panama, where there is a Jewish community of about 8,000 people, many of whom have a great economic power and control a part of the Colon Free Zone.

That Panamanian community maintains close relations with two American Zionist lobby groups: the American Jewish Committee and the World Jewish Congress. In April 2011, the latter gave a prize called “The Light of Nations” to Marinelli, who said in that occasion: “I support Israel because it is the right thing.”

The leader of the right-wing Venezuelan opposition, Henrique Capriles Radonski, has also supported the US decision to launch a unilateral attack on Syria. Capriles called, through his account on Twitter, on the international community to punish Syria. Venezuelan media explained Capriles´s position by recalling his links with the Israeli regime and his Jewish origins.

Other leaders of the Venezuelan opposition also maintain links with the Zionist regime. This was confirmed in 2012 with the visit of the Mayor of the Metropolitan District, Antonio Ledezma, to Tel Aviv and his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Ledezma is a strong ally of Capriles.

Capriles´ position in favor of a strike on Syria has been condemned by most Venezuelan citizens. Hundreds of members of the Arab community in Venezuela recently held a demonstration to protest against Capriles and his anti-Syrian statements. “The governor (Capriles), who we have here in the state of Miranda, is not fond of peace. He is not fond of justice either. He is fond of war, He is a warmonger and a supporter of Zionism,” said one demonstrator.