Gerry Condon, Veterans For Peace, violently arrested at Venezuelan Embassy

May 9, 2019

Emergency support needed at the Venezuela Embassy in DC

“Their coups failed in Venezuela so they are trying one here.” – Embassy Protection Collective

Despite having their electricity illegally shutoff last night, the Venezuela Embassy Collective continues to occupy the Washington DC embassy. The activists are in the Embassy at the invitation of the democratically elected government of Venezuela, but are now under siege by rightwing supporters of the failed US-backed coup. The Secret Service is now openly working on behalf of the thugs to deprive food and electricity to those inside the Embassy. The Trump Regime and the coup leaders intend to use the Embassy as a HQ for their “government in exile.”

Yesterday, our friend Gerry Condon, the National Board President of Veterans For Peace, approached the embassy holding two cucumbers. After he tossed the vegetables to activists in the embassy, he was violently arrested by a half dozen Secret Service police.

Call the Secret Service and tell them that you object to their violent treatment of peaceful protesters attempting to legally deliver food to the embassy: 202-406-8800.

Veterans For Peace members, along with others from across the United States, are on their way now to Washington DC to provide support.

Photo by Jeremy Bigwood via Facebook, May 8, 2019. “Anti-imperialist, anti-coup protesters are inside the Embassy and closest – on this side of the street. Those of the other side are the pro-Guido, Pro-Bolton people.”

Video by Alex Rubinstein from inside the Embassy.

About Face, formerly Iraq Veterans Against the War, shared:

Last Tuesday, opposition politician and self-appointed president of Venezuela Juan Guaido called for Venezuelan military leaders to stop defending President Maduro in an escalation of the attempted coup. While it is clear to us that the crisis in Venezuela continues to be devastating and in dire need of resolution, it is also clear to us that yet another coup supported by the United States will only lead to more disastrous outcomes.

That’s why we have joined calls to end the sanctions on Venezuela (recently linked to 40,000 deaths in the country), and to resume diplomacy and foreclose the possibility of any military intervention by the US.

Fortunately, there are options available to us to pressure our Congress members: H.R. 1004 and S.J. Res. 11, which were crafted to hold the Trump administration back from “introducing armed hostilities to Venezuela.” In this moment, reminding our elected representatives that we won’t let history repeat itself in Latin America is vitally important.

Please let them know TODAY that as a constituent, you want them to take action to prevent yet another war waged by the U.S. for private gain and to end the devastating sanctions on Venezuela.

Contact your elected leaders by calling the Congressional Switchboard at 202-224-3121