We would think the U.S. state would be embarrassed.
All three of Venezuelan neo-fascist Juan Guaido’s coup attempts have failed. Donald Trump appears to be raising questions regarding the effectiveness of National Security Advisor John Bolton's pro-coup strategies in Venezuela.
Yet the assault on the Venezuelan embassy in Washington, D.C., continues unabated.
The electricity and water were turned off this week in an attempt to smoke the Embassy Protection Collective out of the building in the upscale Washington, D.C., neighborhood of Georgetown.
The state still appears to be hot to blame Russia for its ills. Journalist Anya Parampil tweeted a Secret Service officer said anti-interventionists are “paid by Russia or whatever.”
Was just in position to hear @SecretService shift change at Venezuela embassy.
— Anya Parampil (@anyaparampil) May 10, 2019
Quote from senior officer: “on this side of the street are the pro-Guaidó people. They’re essentially US gov. On the other side of the street are the anti-war protestors, paid by Russia or whatever.”
This is a curious statement: “... paid by Russia or whatever.”
It not only shows the U.S. state is still scapegoating Russia after the Mueller report demonstrated Russia did not meddle in the 2016 U.S. election.
Embedded in that statement is the assumption that forms the foundation of U.S. mythology: That in order to be good, one must be aligned with the white supremacist imperialist project. Those who are not white and/or not in alignment with that project are otherized.
As African/Black internationalists, we reject that position and continue to stand with the colonized peoples of the world. (Check out BAP Coordinating Committee member Netfa Freeman breaking down the connection between Pan-Africanism and liberation movements throughout the world in an interview with Eleanor Goldfield of Act Out.) That is why our folks have consistently shown up at the Venezuelan embassy. We understand what it’s like to be under siege by militarized forces, to be deprived of our basic needs, our human rights violated, and demonized by the First World imperialists right here in the belly of the beast. We released an official statement on the matter.
Below, you can see Garrett Harris and Toby Robert of Pan-African Community Action, a BAP member organization, alongside Maurice Carney of BAP member organization Friends of the Congo, and BAP Coordinating Committee member Margaret Kimberley—all willing to stand in the rain for hours yesterday, across the street from the embassy.
From left to right: Garrett Harris of BAP member organization Pan-African Community Action (PACA), Maurice Carney of BAP member organization Friends of the Congo, Toby Robert of PACA, BAP Coordinating Committee member Margaret Kimberley on May 11, 2019 across the street from the Venezuelan embassy in Washington, D.C.
The Real News Network interviewed Garrett on the scene last week, when neo-fascist forces first swarmed the scene with their violence.
Now we must ask you to take action to help restore water and electricity at the Venezuelan embassy, and end the neo-fascist siege on the building. Copy and paste the letter below and send it to the following email addresses for Washington, D.C., officials and agencies:
info@dcwater.com, eom@dc.gov, customeradvocate@pepco.com, jevans@dccouncil.us, pmendelson@dccouncil.us, kmcduffie@dccouncil.us, abonds@dccouncil.us, dgrosso@dccouncil.us, esilverman@dccouncil.us, rwhite@dccouncil.us, bnadeau@dccouncil.us, mcheh@dccouncil.us, btodd@dccouncil.us, callen@dccouncil.us, vgray@dccouncil.us, twhite@dccouncil.us, peter.newsham@dc.gov
Please restore water and electricity to 1099 30th Street NW, Washington, D.C., aka the Venezuelan embassy. It is a human rights violation to cut off water and electricity. Your top officials can be sued and hauled off to jail.
An embassy is considered a sovereign country inside the United States. You are obligated per Article 25 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations to provide resources so that a diplomatic building can function. You are obligated per Article 22 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations to protect the building from the neo-fascist siege currently underway.
The people inside the building are lawful tenants, having met the 14-day threshold of D.C. tenancy. They are also skilled attorneys. When you are sued, the people of D.C. will blame you for being complicit with U.S. gangsterism, the same gangsterism that the United States demonstrates around the world, cutting off access to resources, bombing people of color all over.
These neo-fascists are the same type of people who last year burned an Afro-Venezuelan man alive.
It is unprecedented for the U.S. government to cut off water and electricity to an embassy and allow neo-fascist thugs to damage the outside of an embassy. This siege will have a ripple effect on international relations. Even during wartime, embassies are hands-off zones. Now, how can other embassies expect their buildings to be protected and fully functioning in D.C.? Why wouldn't another country attack a U.S. embassy abroad after what you have allowed?
Secret Service and Metropolitan Police Department only stand by, watching the thuggery and arresting peaceful people who are being assaulted.
It is in the best interests of PEPCO, D.C. Water and the District of Columbia to stay out of the war the United States is waging on the majority Black and Brown country of Venezuela and its embassy. Immediately restore water and electricity to the lawful tenants of the Venezuelan embassy. Then end the neo-fascist siege on the embassy.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
[City, state, country]
No compromise.
No retreat.
Struggle to win,
Ajamu, Jaribu, Margaret, Netfa, Paul, Vanessa and YahNé
Coordinating Committee
Black Alliance for Peace
P.S. Freedom isn’t free. Consider giving today.
P.P.S. Watch Netfa discuss Pan-Africanism’s connection to global liberation movements.