Filipino groups condemned United States’ military attacks on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the abduction of its head of state last Saturday “on fabricated drug war and terrorism pretexts.”

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) called for Filipino solidarity with Venezuela as it condemned the abduction of President Nicholas Maduro and his wife, as well the naval blockade and the terrorist designation of the Latin American country by the US government.

The group described the military escalation as a “brazen imperialist aggression” that includes US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a “total and complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers going into, and out of, Venezuela.”

Venezuela is among the countries that boast of the largest oil reserves in the world.

On Saturday, Trump also bragged that Venezuela is “completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America.”

BAYAN said US’ international piracy “constitutes a blatant act of aggression tantamount to war, aimed at the theft of a sovereign nation’s resources and the overthrow of its government.

Various reports said Maduro and his wife had been taken away by US forces to a yet undisclosed location.

The Philippines-Bolivarian Venezuela Friendship Association (PBVFA) also condemned US military strikes and aggressions against Venezuela, calling the attack a show of brazen brutality by US imperialism.

“These actions are abhorrent to humanity, representing the worst forms of oppression. These aggressions are not only unwarranted but also criminalized under international law,” PBVFA said.

“In stronger terms, they must be recognized as categorically unjustifiable, a blatant violation of sovereignty and human dignity,” the group added.

‘People, to the streets!’

Meanwhile, in a communiqué, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela “rejects, repudiates, and denounces before the international community the extremely serious military aggression” by the US.

The statement said the US attacked civilian and military locations in the capital city of Caracas and the States of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira.

“This act constitutes a flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations, especially Articles 1 and 2, which enshrine the respect for the sovereignty, the legal equality of States, and the prohibition of the use of force,” it pointed out.

Such an aggression threatens international peace and stability, specifically in Latin America and the Caribbean, and puts the lives of millions of people at serious risk, it added.

Venezuela also said US’ attack is for the seizure of the Venezuela’s oil and minerals in an attempt to forcibly break its political independence.

“They will not succeed. After more than 200 years of independence, the people and their legitimate government remain steadfast in defending their sovereignty and their inalienable right to decide their own destiny,” it said.

In a rousing appeal, the Venezuelan government called on citizens to take to streets to “activate mobilization plans and repudiate this imperialist attack.”

“The people of Venezuela and their Bolivarian National Armed Forces, in perfect popular-military-police fusion, are deployed to guarantee sovereignty and peace,” it said.

“Simultaneously, Bolivarian Diplomacy of Peace will file the corresponding complaints with the UN Security Council, the Secretary-General of that United Nations, CELAC, and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), demanding the condemnation and accountability of the U.S. government,” Venezuela added.

BAYAN forces are expected to hold condemnation rallies in Manila on Monday. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)