Protesters rally in Italy, Greece against US military operation in Venezuela
World
In Rome, more than 1,000 demonstrators marched toward the area near the US Embassy, calling on Washington to immediately release Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife
(Reuters) – Thousands of demonstrators rallied in Italy and Greece on Saturday to protest against US military intervention in Venezuela, with protesters in Rome, Milan and Athens condemning Washington's actions and calling for respect for Venezuelan sovereignty.
In Rome, more than 1,000 demonstrators marched toward the area near the US Embassy, calling on Washington to immediately release Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.
Police blocked roads around the embassy to prevent protesters from approaching the building, but demonstrators continued to denounce US actions.
"First of all, we oppose US imperialist aggression. This kind of behavior is shameful. The US is attacking a sovereign country, and as [US President Donald] Trump himself has said, this is for oil interests," said protester Giovanni Barbera.
Saturday's rally marked the second large-scale protest in Rome this month against US military operations in Venezuela, following an earlier one on Jan 3.
Participants included members of multiple political parties, labor unions and social organizations. The protesters held banners reading "Stop imperialist interference" and "Free Maduro," urging the international community to respect Venezuela's sovereignty and the will of its people, and condemning the US for violating international law.
"We are protesting the way the US handles international politics. Since the events of January 3, we have seen violations of international law, and we are very concerned about how the global situation is developing," said protester Stefano De Angelis.
Organisers said solidarity rallies in support of Venezuela were held in 30 Italian cities on the same day.
Meanwhile, similar protests were also staged in Greece. About 200 people gathered outside the US Embassy in Athens, voicing support for Venezuela and opposition to US military actions.
"We oppose US imperialism and its attack on Venezuela. At the same time, the US is also threatening Cuba, Mexico and Greenland. We must stand up against this behavior," said Greek protester Argiro Sirmakezi.
