ALBA countries strongly condemn US attack on Iran “This flagrant aggression violates the Charter of the United Nations, International Law and the most elementary principles of peaceful coexistence, constituting an inadmissible warfare act that endangers global security and further destabilizes the region. It violates the international nuclear safety regime and IAEA standards and safeguards. ALBA expresses its firm and unwavering solidarity with the Iranian people, victims once again of the warmongering and interventionist policy of the United States, which continues to act with impunity, disregarding the right to self-determination of peoples and threatening world peace.”
Ultimas Noticias: National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez: Iran’s response brought Israel’s criminals to their knees “Only 12 days were enough for the world to realize that the Zionist tiger of Israel. It was a paper dome. That supposed iron dome seemed to be made of butter, because Iran’s response brought the criminals of the Israeli government to their knees, and in order to move forward, we welcome an initiative, a proposal from President Nicolás Maduro, a mobilization of those of us who are not aligned with any imperial enclave, a mobilization that represents the vast majority of the world’s people,” Rodríguez said. “As long as Netanyahu leads that government, the threat to all of humanity will remain.”
TeleSur: Maduro: Israel Was Founded to Colonize the Middle East, Not as a Religious Homeland “This is not a religious conflict. The State of Israel was created to colonize the Middle East and Central Asia, to plunder the wealth of those regions and subjugate their peoples…The Jews of the 12 tribes are not the ones in power today. Those leading Israel today represent an expansionist project rooted in Western imperialism.” Maduro cited the ideology of Zionist expansionism, referencing longstanding claims that some factions envision territorial control “from the Jordan River to the Euphrates and beyond.”
TeleSur: Venezuelans March in Support of the ‘World Summit for Peace and Against War’ On June 25, thousands of Venezuelans took to the streets in Caracas to demand the convening of a “World Summit for Peace and Against War,” an initiative proposed by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to address rising tensions in West Asia and the nuclear threat. Citizens also held mass rallies in cities such as Guanare, Yaracuy, Barquisimeto, and Barinas.
On June 23, Maduro proposed the “World Summit for Peace and Against War” in an open letter addressed to heads of state and government. Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez read the letter in the presence of ambassadors accredited in Caracas, calling for peace, an end to hostilities against Iran, and the restoration of international law. “The escalation of aggression by the State of Israel toward the Islamic Republic of Iran, compounded by U.S. military strikes on Iranian territory, risks triggering a crisis with catastrophic nuclear consequences for the region and the world.”
Resumen Latinoamericano (Roger Harris): Why Washington Targets Iran and Venezuela: Empire, Energy, and Ideology Venezuela and Iran hold the largest and third-largest petroleum reserves in the world. Both have also been targeted for regime change by Washington. The two commonalities are not unrelated. Of course, the world’s hegemon would like to get its hands on all their oil. Control over energy flows is central to maintaining global influence.
The Iran-Venezuela political relationship is rooted in mutual support against US aggression and a commitment to sovereignty and non-interference. In a prescient address at Tehran University, Chávez admonished: “If the US empire succeeds in consolidating its dominance, then humankind has no future. Therefore, we have to save humankind and put an end to the US empire.” It is no exaggeration to say that Iran’s assistance has been a lifeline for Venezuela. Confronted by aggressive hostility by the US and its allies, both Iran and Venezuela have pivoted toward China, Russia, and the BRICS+ coalition as alternatives.
Countercurrents (Francisco Dominguez): Tenacious Bolivarian resistance against obstinate US aggression Chavismo secured 253 of 285 for the National Assembly and 23 of 24 governorships. Moreover, Chavismo gained 1.3 million more votes than in the 2021 elections, demonstrating growing support. With this victory, President Maduro and the Bolivarian Revolution now hold not only the presidency until 2031, but also commanding majorities in the National Assembly and among governorships. The May 2025 election results marked a resounding triumph for the Bolivarian government and a stinging defeat for the Trump administration –particularly with the election of Chavista, Admiral Neil Villamizar as governor for Guayana Esequiba. Meanwhile, the opposition, in alliance with the US, has a long and continuing history of stealing national resources, assassination attempts, coup attempts, calls for US intervention, support for the US sanctions, infrastructure sabotage.
Yet, despite 12 years of relentless aggression since Comandante Chávez’s passing, the Venezuelan people have shown extraordinary resilience, defying predictions of inevitable collapse. The government’s response? Deepening democracy. By empowering communes, deepening participatory democracy, and strengthening the PSUV’s vanguard role, the revolution is building unshakable resilience—proving that people’s power, not imperial aggression, will shape Venezuela’s future.
TeleSur: Venezuela’s President Maduro Declares Carabobo Victory a Triumph for All America, Reaffirms Anti-Imperialist Legacy The Battle of Carabobo, on June 24, 1821, was the decisive defeat of the Spanish Empire in South America. President Maduro said “Carabobo is the point of no return in our tireless history…In 1810, we were merely a cry for freedom; we were not a republic, we were not a state, we had no army. And eleven years later, we defeated the most powerful empire on planet Earth…It is the moment when we stopped being a colony dominated by a foreign empire and dared to become a republic…Carabobo is not just part of Venezuela: it belongs to all of our America, to the Latin American and Caribbean region.” Drawing a direct line from the battles of independence to today’s geopolitical struggles, the Venezuelan leader identified new forms of imperial aggression: criminal sanctions, economic blockades, psychological warfare, and hybrid conflicts. These, he argued, are the modern tools used to undermine Latin American sovereignty, echoing the imperialist threats faced two centuries ago.
Mision Verdad: The Latest Chapter in the US Plunder of CITGO The CITGO auction is not simply a case of corporate law: it is part of a much broader campaign of economic and political suffocation and corporate plunder against Venezuela. Under the pretext of complying with court rulings and creditor demands, the United States and its vassals Juan Guaidó, Leopoldo López, Carlos Vecchio, et al. are systematically stripping Venezuela of its assets abroad. This process is part of a comprehensive strategy that combines economic sanctions, judicial manipulation, electoral interference, and propaganda. CITGO, as a symbol of Venezuela’s productive capacity abroad, represents a crucial strategic objective in this war that is increasingly becoming less discreet.
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Cuba
UE News: Local 150 Members Visit Cuba Five members of UE Local 150 traveled to Cuba as part of the International May Day Brigade. Local 150 members learned that the economy of Cuba due to the blockade enforced by the U.S. government, which prevents most countries in the world from being able to conduct any trade with Cuba. They learned that this blockade is the primary reason people in Cuba are struggling, with no access to many manufactured and raw goods produced around the world, including food, medical supplies, car parts, and machine parts. Despite the blockade, the Cuban people have been able to self-organize to take care of themselves. They provide universal free health care, housing for all workers, and food rations. In Cuba education is free from kindergarten through college, including advanced medical degrees like studying to become a doctor. Sixty-six percent of the Cuban people have higher education degrees, the highest rate in Latin America. Sekia Royall, former president of the local, said, “As workers, in their unions, and in their communities, they decide how their country will be run.”
Local 150 members plan to collect more material aid for the Cuban people and to fill a container ship in the coming months to be sent to the island. Additionally, Local 150 plans to continue its fundraising efforts to send more workers to Cuba on the 2026 May Day brigade.
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Nicaragua
Gerry Condon on Vets for Peace delegation to Nicaragua: Solidarity and Truth in face of Disinformation A thorough article on their experience of the revolution. “The Veterans For Peace delegation to Nicaragua was more than just a show of solidarity—it was an act of resistance against the disinformation campaign that has consistently misrepresented the Sandinista government and the realities of life in Nicaragua…The FSLN’s commitment to poverty reduction, and providing free, quality healthcare and education for all serves as an inspiring example of what can be achieved when the needs of the people are prioritized over profit. In contrast, the U.S. is experiencing its own form of decline. Increasing authoritarianism, the dismantling of democratic institutions, and mass deportations are signs of a system that prioritizes corporate power over human dignity… … ‘The Sandinista Youth are patriotic and anti-imperialist, and they know their revolutionary history. They are determined to move Nicaragua forward while defending Nicaragua against neo-liberalism and all the enemies of the revolution,’ said Michael Kramer, president of the Northern New Jersey chapter of Veterans For Peace.”
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Events
June 28 (NYC): From Our Hearts to Cuba: An Evening of Solidarity by Belly of the Beast, Saving Lives Campaign, New York-New Jersey Cuba Si
June 29: The Illegal Dismissal and Kidnapping of Peruvian President Pedro Castillo https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4JJVgh5GSZ2SuInr4aS2Mg#/registration With Roger Waters, Pedro Castillo’s wife, and his lawyer.
June 29: Webinar on Venezuela election: Chavistas Sweep Elections while US Silent Sonya Surabhi Gupta, Mohammad Marandi (University of Tehran), Jesus Rodriguez (Orinoco Tribune), Cira Pascual Marquina, Arnold August, Alison Bodine, Diego Sequera (Mision Verdad)
June 30, 7 pm ET: US Intervention and Salvadoran Resistance, from ARENA to BukeleSamuel Ramírez, Movimiento de Víctimas del Régimen (MOVIR); Marisela Ramírez, Bloque de Resistencia y Rebeldía Popular; Claudia O’Brien Moscoso, North-South Project for Peoples Centered Human Rights
July 4: International Rally: Sanctions Kill – US out of Venezuela & Latin America Vijay Prashad, Tricontinental;Carlos Ron, Vice-Minister, Foreign Affairs, Venezuela; Alicia Castro, former Argentinian Ambassador to Venezuela & UK; Fravia Marquez Silva, International Summit for Anti-imperialist Africans & Afro-Descendants, Venezuela; Dáire Hughes MP, Sinn Fein, Ireland; Felix Plasencia, Venezuelan Ambassador; Kate Hudson, CND; Francisco Dominguez, VSC/;Gawain Little, GFTU; Fiona Sim, Black Liberation Alliance; Sarah Woolley BFAWU
July 9 webinar Nicaragua, free education for all: a right not a commodity with Becca Renk of Jubilee House Community- Centre for Development in Central America. Becca is Director of the JHC-CDCA’s health clinic and the Casa Benjamin Linder project; Ruth Bailey, a member of NSCAG’s Executive Committee and participated in the NEU teacher exchange with Nicaragua in 2022; a representative of Nicaraguan teachers’ union ANDEN; Julie Lamin, co-chair, NSCAG Executive Committee
Monday, July 14, at 2:30 pm ET. Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition monthly meeting on Zoom. Email NicaraguaSolidarityCoalition@gmail.com for zoom access.
July 27, 3 pm ET: Nicaragua webinar features delegations that studied the health system and the revolution. Both came to Nicaragua with the Casa Benjamin Linder.
August 24, 3 pm ET: Nicaraguan Speaker from SINAPRED about Nicaragua’s National System for Prevention, Mitigation and Attention to Disasters.
September 21, 3 pm ET: Nicaragua and Venezuela’s remarkable affordable housing programs from a Nicaraguan and from Venezuela’s Gran Mision Vivienda.
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Delegations to Cuba, Nicaragua:
Cuba
Witness for Peace delegations to Cuba
July 7-24: Visit Cuba with Helen Yaffe
November 15-23: Cooperatives & 10 Best Practices in Cuba
Friendly Planet delegations to Cuba
Nicaragua
Casa Ben Linder Email casabenjaminlinder@gmail.com to apply:
July 2025: Solidarity in Action: Nicaragua’s Popular Revolution
November 2025: Salud & Solidaridad: Hands-On Healthcare in Nicaragua
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This is also available at ChicagoALBASolidarity.org. If you have events to publicize, send them to venezuelaweekly@afgj.org or stansfieldsmith100@gmail.com.
Chicago ALBA Solidarity 