IFPTE Calls on U.S. Government to “Return to its Longstanding Role as a Constructive Global Partner—One that Prioritizes Peace, Stability, and the Shared Interests of Working People Everywhere”
WASHINGTON, DC – IFPTE President Matt Biggs and Secretary-Treasurer Gay Henson issued the following joint statement in response to the Trump Administration’s intervention in Venezuela, and threats of intervention and challenges to national sovereignty elsewhere.
“The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) stands in full solidarity with the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) and affirms the sentiments expressed by the Canadian Labour Congress, along with those of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA), in condemning the recent military action carried out by the United States in Venezuela.
Our union joins the broader international labour movement in asserting that military force and foreign intervention are not legitimate tools for resolving political disputes or determining the future of another nation. These actions undermine international norms and place working people at risk.
IFPTE does not condone the practices of the Maduro government. At the same time, we firmly believe that no government—however flawed or unjust as the Maduro government was—should be removed through military intervention by a foreign power. Respect for international law, national sovereignty, and the right of people to determine their own future through peaceful and democratic means must remain foundational principles in our global community.
As an international union representing workers across North America, IFPTE unequivocally denounces the illegal invasion or occupation of any sovereign nation by another. This principle is not partisan or conditional; it is essential to protecting the dignity, safety, and rights of working people everywhere.
We are also deeply concerned by ongoing threats and rhetoric suggesting the use of force or coercion to seize or undermine the sovereignty of other nations, including Greenland, Cuba, and even close allies such as Canada. Such statements erode trust, destabilize international relationships, and set dangerous precedents that place global peace and economic security at risk.
Historically, the United States has played a critical role in advancing human rights, democratic values, and respect for the rule of law, helping to foster stability and cooperation among nations. The actions and threats we are witnessing today stand in direct contradiction to those principles. They create uncertainty, heighten global tensions, and pose real and lasting harm to working families across North America and beyond.
Working people benefit from peace, cooperation, and mutual respect among nations—not from conflict, coercion, or unilateral military action. Labour rights, economic security, and social progress are best advanced through diplomacy and international solidarity, not through force.
For these reasons, IFPTE urges the Trump Administration to immediately reverse course, end military actions in Venezuela, and recommit to diplomacy grounded in international law, human rights, and respect for national sovereignty. We call on the U.S. government to return to its longstanding role as a constructive global partner—one that prioritizes peace, stability, and the shared interests of working people everywhere.”
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The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers is a labor union representing 90,000 workers across North America and is an affiliate of the Canadian Labour Congress.
For Immediate Release
Contact: Bill Fitzpatrick
416/886-3793