New poll shows Venezuelans overwhelmingly oppose military intervention and US sanctions

A recent poll suggests that the vast majority of Venezuelan people oppose military intervention and US sanctions. This comes amid a US-backed coup attempt in their country.

“The vast majority”

The poll, conducted by Hinterlaces in early January 2019, found that “86 percent of Venezuelans would disagree with international military intervention”. More than eight out of ten Venezuelans also oppose US sanctions on the country.

As Ben Norton reported for the Grayzone:

The vast majority of Venezuelans oppose military intervention and US sanctions to try to remove President Nicolás Maduro from power.

Norton continued:

English-language media outlets frequently ignore local polls done inside Venezuela, and if they do report on them, they tend to publish the results of polling firms run by pro-opposition figures.

Hinterlaces is an independent polling organisation based in Venezuela. In 2017, it similarly found that Venezuelans largely opposed foreign military intervention.

US interference

On 23 January, US president Donald Trump recognised Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó as the country’s interim president. But Guaidó does not have the support of the Venezuelan military, and only one in five Venezuelans had heard of him before the coup attempt. Elected president Nicolás Maduro, meanwhile, remains in power.

The US is now increasing sanctions on Venezuela, which have already had a crippling effect on its economy and population. On 27 January, former UN rapporteur Alfred de Zayas said these sanctions could amount to “crimes against humanity”. He had previously claimed they were a form of “economic warfare”.

US secretary of state Mike Pompeo, meanwhile, has insisted that US actions in the country are “for the good of the Venezuelan people”. He stressed:

We’re looking out for them, and to get them the opportunity to raise their voices.

But as the polls suggest, Venezuelans have already raised their voices. And US intervention is not something they want.

Featured image via screengrab/The Real News