In a significant display of solidarity, multiple political and social organizations in Coimbatore staged coordinated protests on Tuesday, vehemently condemning the United States for what they termed the illegal arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The demonstrators also launched a sharp critique of the Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for its perceived failure to take a firm stand against the American action.
Widespread Demonstrations Across the City
The protests saw participation from a coalition of left-leaning groups, including the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPM], and the CPI (Marxist-Leninist). They were joined by mass organizations like the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), and the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA). In a separate action, members of the All India Lawyers Union (AILU) also voiced their dissent.
One major protest was held near the Ukkadam area, organized jointly by the CPI, CPM, and CPI (ML), which drew a crowd of more than 200 people. Simultaneously, activists from the SFI and DYFI gathered near the district collectorate, demanding the immediate release of the Venezuelan leader. Lawyers associated with AILU convened in front of the Combined Court Complex, directing their criticism towards the Union government.
Allegations of Resource Plunder and Fabricated Charges
The speakers at these rallies uniformly dismissed the charges against Maduro as baseless and politically motivated. DYFI district secretary M Dinesh Raja, addressing the gathering near the collectorate, asserted that the allegations were "purely fabricated." He accused the US of targeting Venezuela due to its vast natural wealth. "The US has been targeting Venezuela for its oil, availability of minerals, resources for manufacturing mobile phones and the abundance of gold mines," Raja claimed, adding a grave warning that "The US is aiming to initiate a third world war through its actions."
Echoing this sentiment, CPI state treasurer M Arumugam at the Ukkadam protest labeled the US operation as an "unacceptable act of aggression." He detailed, "The United States has made false accusations against that country, illegally entered its territory, launched an attack, and arrested the country’s president and his wife." Arumugam argued that the core motive was to "plunder Venezuela’s oil reserves and natural resources" and called upon India to join other nations in condemning the act and standing with the Venezuelan people.
Criticism of Modi Government and a Warning for India
A central theme of the protests was the disappointment with the Indian government's response. The protesters alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had not condemned the US act nor made a firm stand, a silence they viewed as complicit. The lawyers' protest specifically condemned the Union government for this failure.
One of the protesting lawyers outside the court complex issued a stark warning, connecting Venezuela's plight to India's own sovereignty. "The United States has violated international laws," the lawyer said. "The situation faced by Venezuela could happen to countries like India tomorrow. The Indian government should immediately condemn this." This statement underscored the broader geopolitical anxiety driving the demonstrations, framing the event not just as a matter of foreign policy but as a potential precedent affecting all nations that resist American influence.
The coordinated protests in Coimbatore highlight the active engagement of Indian left-wing and civil society groups with international issues, particularly those involving perceived American hegemony and the sovereignty of resource-rich nations. The events also reflect ongoing domestic political criticism of the Modi administration's foreign policy choices from certain quarters.
