The statement of the Tudeh Party of Iran:

The Tudeh Party of Iran condemns the offensive action of the U.S. in its effort to organise another coup in Venezuela

According to confirmed and reliable news, the U.S. government was involved in the organising of anattempted military coup in Venezuela in the past few days, with the operational support of U.S. and Venezuelan mercenaries. According to world media, several of the perpetrators of the attempted coup were killed during in an operation that was launched from through the sea, and a further number were arrested by the Venezuelan authorities.

The Tudeh Party of Iran condemns thislatest offense by U.S. imperialism and expresses its steadfast solidarity with the people and working people of Venezuela; the legitimate government of the country; and the progressive forces, especially the Communist Party of Venezuela.

In recent years, the U.S. government has blatantly and shamelessly threatened the Venezuelan government, in complete violation of the U.N. Charter, that if it does not submit to the illegitimate will of Washington to impose its desired regime in Venezuela, it will militarily interfere in that country. In the last two years, these threats have been repeatedly executed…In the past few months, the Trump administration officially called for the removal of Nicolás Maduro, President of Venezuela, and the establishment of a five-member "State Council", and threatened to fortify economic sanctions against that country if the current government of Venezuela does not submit to this demand. The attempt of the U.S. government to organise a military coup in Venezuela a few days ago took place in the context of such threats.

The pressures of the U.S. government upon Venezuela began after the popular government of Hugo Chavez took power and have continued after his death and throughout the presidency of his successor, NicolásMaduro,right through to today. The escalation of the U.S.-imposed unilateral sanctions against Venezuela, which began three years ago, is in fact creating an economic blockade of the kind which has been imposed on Cuba for the last approximately 60 years now. These sanctions have led to a significant reduction in Venezuelan oil revenues and the weakening of Venezuela's social infrastructure, including the healthcare system of the country. Thesesanctions have remained in effect at a time when the Venezuelan government, like other responsible governments around the world, is trying to curb and control the COVID-19 pandemic and provide a normal life and livelihood for the people of the country.

The Tudeh Party of Iran, along with the progressive forces and supporters of peace around the world, has condemned the illegal efforts of the U.S. government against Venezuela in recent years, and has defended the independence and national sovereignty of Venezuela.

The Tudeh Party of Iran also expresses its solidarity with the struggle of the people of Venezuela and its progressive political forces, particularly the Communist Party of Venezuela, which are fighting to defend the sovereignty and right to determine the country's political system - as well as a decent life for all, especially the working people, based on democratic and popular values.

We condemn the aggressive policies of the U.S. administration and the interference of this imperialist and domineering power in the domestic affairs of other countries, including Venezuela. We condemn the efforts of the U.S. government and its allies based on the interventionist and dangerous policy of "regime change" in Venezuela under any pretext and whatever manifestation it might take. In today's world, respecting the international laws adopted and accepted by the peoples of the world - despite the shortcomings that they might have - is imperative in order to prevent the autocratic action of this or that state, this or that imperialist and aggressive power.

The Tudeh Party of Iran, along with the movement of those defendingpeace in Venezuela and the democratic and progressive political forces around the world, strongly and unequivocally condemns the offensive, illegal, and bullish actions of U.S. imperialism which have become blatant and explicit during the presidency of Donald Trump. We believe that the only way to guarantee the peaceful development of the world is the rejection of policies based on the bullish and irrational positions of imperialist states and substituting in their place practices based upon peaceful coexistence and respect for international law.

- Victory to the resistance of the working people and progressive forces of Venezuela in confronting the aggressive imperialist plots!

- Victory to the struggle for peace!

- ¡Viva la solidaridad internacional!

The Tudeh Party of Iran

6 May 2020