Emergency protest at Fairford US base: Hands off Venezuela, Iran and Greenland

Demonstration and peace vigil at Fairford 

Sunday 18 January, 1pm – 2.30 pm

Join Drone Wars, CND and Oxfordshire Peace Campaign at the Fairford US air base to say no to war  

Immediately after the New Year US president Donald Trump launched a large scale military attack on Venezuela, leaving dozens dead and resulting in the abduction of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro. Trump has said the US will now run Venezuela, which has the largest proven oil reserves in the world, and take control of its oil resources for an indefinite period. The US president said that he intends to seize at least 30 million barrels of Venezuelan oil, which “will be sold at market price, and that money will be controlled by me.”

Last week US military forces captured the Venezuelan oil tanker Bella 1 (re-registered as Russian and renamed Marinera) in a huge naval and special forces operation in the north Atlantic ocean. Many of the aircraft and troops involved flew from bases in the UK. Immediately before the operation eleven huge US Air Force C-17 transport aircraft flew into Fairford carrying helicopters and equipment from special forces bases in the US. Although the helicopters did not appear to be used in the raid on the tanker, they may have been held in reserve for use if necessary, or have been part of a deception operation to distract attention from movements genuinely linked to the tanker seizure. Fairford also seems to have been involved in the operation in a command and control role.

Video filmed on 6 January 2026 at ‘RAF’ Fairford when the US were making preparations to seize the Tanker #Bella1(#Marinera) in the North Atlantic

Trump has subsequently boasted that ‘I don’t need international law’ and has threatened to attack a number of other countries to meet his imperial ambitions.

Greenland: Trump has told reporters of his desire to occupy Greenland, claiming: “It’s so strategic. Right now, Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place. We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security. And Denmark is not gonna be able to do it, I can tell you. 

Colombia: Trump has said Colombia could be next, saying it is “run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States,” regarding President Gustavo Petro. “He’s not going to be doing it for very long,” Trump told reporters. When Trump was asked if he might target Colombia like he did Venezuela, he replied, “It sounds good to me.” 

Cuba: Secretary of State Marco Rubio has told NBC News that Cuba is the “next target” because the government there “is a huge problem.”

Iran: The US president threatened Iran with more U.S. military attacks as the country rocks from protests over worsening economic conditions. “If they start killing people like they have in the past, I think they’re going to get hit very hard by the United States,” Trump said.  

Mexico: Trump has also threatened to take military action against Mexico to prevent drug smuggling into the US. “The cartels are running Mexico, it’s very sad to watch and see what’s happened to that country,” Trump said during an interview on Fox News. “We’ve knocked out 97% of the drugs coming in by water. And we are going to start now hitting land, with regard to the cartels.”

Despite professing to be a champion of democracy, and whining that he has not been nominated to receive a Nobel Peace Prize, Trump rolled out the red carpet for Russia’s Vladimir Putin, who ordered the invasion of Ukraine, during Putin’s visit to a military base in Alaska in August 2025. 

Read more on Sophie Bolt’s CND blog here.  

   Emergency demonstration at Fairford US base on Sunday 18 January:

1.00 – 2.30 pm: come for as long or short a time as you can manage.

Main gate of Fairford base: Postcode for Sat Nav: GL7 4DL

Speakers:

Sophie Bolt – CND General Secretary

Guest from Venezuela Solidarity Campaign (invited)

Demo at Fairford base on Wednesday 25 June:

1pm – 2.30 pm: come for as long or short a time as you can manage.

• Bring banners, placards, and friends!

• We suggest parking on the grass verge opposite the main gate at Fairford base – please don’t park in any of the residential closes or areas off Horcott road or Whelford Road.

• Details may change depending on the situation, so please check the web page here before you set out.