Salt Lake City, UT – On Saturday, August 29, Salt Lake City community members gathered at the Day-Riverside Branch library for a teach-in and letter-writing campaign for Venezuela. Organized by the Utah Anti-War Committee, attendees wrote letters to their senators demanding an end to U.S. sanctions of Venezuela, the unfreezing of Venezuelan assets in Western hands, and the release of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.
“Engaging in sanctions is a form of economic warfare, a crime against humanity,” said Amber Grace, a UAWC leader.
The need to drop the sanctions and return Venezuela’s leadership was made all the more pressing by the devastating June earthquakes, which killed over 6000 people. American sanctions hinder the normal conduct of business and government operations during the relief effort.
“Ending the U.S. sanctions, unfreezing Venezuela’s assets, frees up billions in funds to recover from the damage and recover on their own terms,” continued Grace.
The national Anti-War Action Network, of which the UAWC is the Salt Lake City member, called for the letter writing campaign. Attendees wrote letters to Utah Senators Mike Lee and John Curtis demanding true earthquake relief in the form of an end to U.S. intervention in the country.
The event was successful, with over 15 physical letters written and those who could not attend instructed on how to submit electronic correspondence to Lee and Curtis’s offices. Additionally, activists raised over $200 in grassroots earthquake relief.
Nevertheless, the organizers stated that there would be adequate Venezuelan financial and political capacity to address the disaster if the U.S. ceased its interventions
“These senators hold power, they probably hold the most power in our legislature to enact change for Venezuela,” said Grace. “Lift every sanction and every coercive measure imposed on Venezuela!”
Utah constituents can join the UAWC’s letter writing campaign for Venezuela by addressing letters demanding an end to U.S. intervention to these addresses:
Senator John Curtis, SH-502 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510
Senator Mike Lee, 363 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510
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