END U.S. CONTROL OF GAZA AND VENEZUELA

Earlier this week, president Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela and his wife Cilia Flores were kidnapped by U.S. military forces and illegally taken to face trumped up charges in New York, in direct violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty and international law. 

He and Ms. Flores, are being charged as the heads of an international cartel smuggling drugs into the United States, a group the U.S. is now forced to admit in court has never existed.

What Venezuela actually has is the largest oil reserves in the world. In 1976, Venezuela nationalized oil production under a state company called PDVSA, but it was gradually taken over by private oil interests. In 2002, the former president removed the Shell executives from the board of PDVSA, returning control of the oil production facilities to the Venezuelans. International oil companies were allowed to invest and produce oil from Venezuela, but were required to pay rents. Exxon and other companies withdrew, but Chevron continued to buy and drill for oil in Venezuela, and they stand to benefit the most from a re-privatization of oil. 

Trump says that now oil companies will return to Venezuela to update the oil infrastructure, although the fix won’t be that easy. More troubling, Trump and other members of his administration have suggested that the United States will “run” Venezuela – which means the US plans to control Venezuela by force. This will also be extraordinarily difficult, given Venezuela’s long history of rebellions and community opposition to invasion.

In February, 2025, Trump said that the United States would “take over” and “own” Gaza after placing the Palestinians somewhere else and would turn Gaza into a “Riviera of the Middle East.” The Trump administration is looking to control Venezuela in the same way it controls, and helps Israel control, Palestinians.

Chevron, meanwhile, saw stocks increase as soon as Trump promised to “take back” Venezuelan oil, and Chevron provides the energy to power Israel’s settlements and outposts, military bases, and ongoing assault on Palestinians. Venezuela has long supported the Palestinian cause for liberation, a new US-installed puppet leadership there is unlikely to continue this support.

What can we do? Continue to raise awareness about Venezuela, and make it clear it’s about control. Continue to focus on Gaza and the West Bank and insist that like Venezuelans, Palestinians should not be controlled by occupying governments. 

Help Provide Shelter and Warmth for Gazans 
The Salaam Cultural Museum is still looking to fill a large container with blankets, tarps, tents with floors, baby formula, and other essentials. Donate to support this effort here.