Stephen Cho | Coordinator of the Korean International Forum
The storm of World War 3 is blowing from Eastern Europe through West Asia (the Middle East) to East Asia. When Australia and New Zealand are included, the region constitutes the Western Pacific. The boundary between the Western and Eastern Pacific is vague, with the US Indo-Pacific Command headquartered in Hawaii. In East Asia, the two main flashpoints of war are Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia. In particular, Northeast Asia is where US Forces in Japan play a central role, with operational control exercised by the Indo-Pacific Command. Should a Western Pacific war break out, it will inevitably spread across the entire Pacific. The Eastern Pacific is directly connected to North, Central, and South America. For this reason, Latin America is inevitably tied to the unfolding dynamics of World War 3.
The two most dangerous flashpoints in the world have been Ukraine in Eastern Europe and West Asia. West Asia has become a single theater of war, extending beyond Palestine. This is because Israeli Zionists, under imperialist manipulation, have become shock troops committing acts of war in pursuit of a “Greater Israel.” The main culprits of war in the West Asian region are the Israeli Zionists and the imperialists pulling the strings behind them. The trajectory of this war is gradually shifting toward East Asia, spreading through local conflicts such as Azerbaijan-Armenia, India-Pakistan, Thailand-Cambodia. The so-called “Asian Spring” operation by imperialism—continuing from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh—is now underway, with the “color revolution” in Nepal and the situation in Indonesia being added to it. It is moving toward a new flashpoint: the East Asian war.
From September to December last year, there were even direct provocations risking local war against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and a military coup attempt in the ‘Republic of Korea (ROK, South Korea).’ If it were not for the DPRK’s war deterrent and its policy of “strategic patience,” and if it were not for the heroic resistance of the ‘ROK’ people, the second Korean War—the war in the ‘ROK’—would already have broken out. As is well known, the war in the ‘ROK’ is linked to the war in Taiwan—its outbreak would immediately trigger the outbreak of war in Taiwan. If wars break out in both the ‘ROK’ and Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines would immediately join, escalating into an East Asian war. Then, with Australia and New Zealand joining, it would expand into a Western Pacific war. Military blocs such as the US-led “Squad” and “AUKUS” are all aiming at a single war—an East Asian war and Western Pacific war. The US is driving its subordinate allies, including Japan, as well as colonies like the ‘ROK,’ into an East Asian war and a world war against the DPRK, China, and Russia.
The imperialist camp has formalized a strategy it has pursued since the “Cold War” era—isolating and destabilizing Russia (formerly the Soviet Union) and China from within—into the “Indo-Pacific Strategy.” To encircle Russia, China, and the DPRK within a vast “U”-shaped containment ring, it is mobilizing all means and methods, including regional wars, local wars, military bloc formations, multi-domain warfare exercises, and “color revolutions.” The imperialist bloc’s strategy for World War 3 is being pursued more persistently than at any time in history, and it now stands on the brink of full-scale outbreak. The full outbreak of World War 3 will mark the beginning of the East Asian war and the Western Pacific war. Since the original schedule of the imperialist bloc targeted the fall of 2024, and now we are passing through 2025, it would be no surprise if war were to break out at any moment.
Both World War 1 and the early stages of World War 2 were wars between imperialist powers. World War 2 turned into an anti-fascist war when fascist Germany attacked the Soviet Union, and the socialist Soviet Union formed an anti-fascist front with the imperialist powers, the US and the UK. As a result of World War 1, the first socialist state emerged, and as a result of World War 2, the socialist camp and national liberation movements appeared on a global scale. Feeling the most severe systemic crisis after World War 2, the imperialist bloc devised the “Cold War” strategy and formed NATO. Since then, NATO’s “eastward expansion policy” threatened the Soviet Union, and even after the end of the “Cold War,” this policy has extended into the Pacific, militarily underpinning the “New Cold War” strategy.
The completion of the “Indo-Pacific Strategy” is the realization of the “Pacificization of NATO.” The preparations were politically completed at the Washington NATO Summit in July 2024, and militarily finalized through exercises such as “Freedom Edge,” “RIMPAC,” and “Ulchi Freedom Shield” between June and August 2024. There is no other reason why the imperialist camp invaded Kursk in Russia in August, launched concentrated strikes on Hezbollah in Lebanon in September, and carried out a drone attack on Pyongyang in October. It cannot be seen as a coincidence that Trump—a leading presidential candidate at the time who, while within the imperialist camp, differs in orientation from the warmongering forces—was targeted in July. Even after Trump was elected in November, restrictions on Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles against Russia were lifted, and in December, a coup and insurrection broke out in the ‘ROK,’ while the Assad regime in Syria collapsed.
The current Trump faction faces three major dilemmas: the “Triffin’s Dilemma” in the economic sphere through the ongoing “tariff war”; a non-warmongering stance in the military sphere, caught between warmongering and anti-war forces; and the contradictory position of being anti-deep state yet non-Zionist in the political sphere. These logical contradictions ultimately leave them with no choice but to make a binary choice. The full-scale escalation of World War 3 by the imperialist warmongering forces will not only be a decisive trigger for the decisions of the DPRK, China, Russia, and Iran—who are currently pursuing a “strategic patience” policy—but will also push the Trump faction toward a critical choice.
Trump clearly belongs to the imperialist camp, yet he has maintained a non-warmongering stance. Since taking office, he has negotiated with Russia and Iran and mediated local conflicts between India and Pakistan, as well as Thailand and Cambodia. In Europe, so-called “New Right” forces holding positions similar to Trump’s have emerged, opposing war against Russia. However, it is a rightist deviation to argue that the communist forces should form a tactical united front with these groups, akin to the anti-fascist front during World War 2. Conversely, rejecting tactical cooperation with them—that is, tactical measures to deepen divisions within the imperialist camp—would amount to repeating the same leftist error that the Trotskyist forces made during World War 2. It is necessary to correctly understand why the DPRK, China, and Russia engage in dialogue with Trump and exert diplomatic efforts.
Meanwhile, the communist forces must, of course, strongly oppose the anti-popular and anti-democratic atrocities perpetrated by Trump and the “New Right” of the imperialist and reactionary forces. The fundamental principle is always the standpoint of the people, including the workers. In matters of war, it is necessary to distinguish these relatively non-warmongering forces from the war-crazed warmongering forces, maintaining the principle of prioritizing strikes against the warmongers. However, in matters of exploitation and oppression, there can be no doubt that one must resolutely struggle against imperialist forces as a whole.
The political forces in the US and Europe pursuing war policies against Russia and the “Axis of Resistance” including Iran are the social democratic right and some social democratic left. This is why some social democratic leftists are criticized as “left-wing Zionists.” It is no coincidence that fake communist parties in Europe, which are communist in name only, face fierce condemnation from workers and the masses. They neither oppose imperialism nor genuinely fight fascism, merely paying lip service to these causes while actually serving as imperialism’s lackeys from a “left-wing Zionist” standpoint.
The most crucial criterion distinguishing progressives from reactionaries today is their stance on war. How can anyone who neither supports nor opposes wars instigated by imperialism and its fascist lackeys claim to be progressive? In this sense, the true progressive forces of our era hold a clear anti-imperialist, anti-fascist, and anti-war position. Those who take an anti-Russia stance by echoing imperialist propaganda branding Russia an aggressor, or who oppose Iran and the “Axis of Resistance” while effectively supporting Israeli Zionists, are nothing more than pro-imperialist forces disguised as progressives. The same applies to their stance on Venezuela.
The so-called “communist forces” that distort Venezuela’s Bolivarian Revolution and label both the past Chávez regime and the current Maduro regime as imperialist regimes are fake communist forces with no connection whatsoever to communism or Marxism-Leninism. The reason the international communist movement cannot unite as one, and the reason it continues to face serious obstacles in conducting scientific analysis of the situation and formulating revolutionary strategy, is, as history shows, because within it lurk sectarian opportunist forces connected with imperialist spies and lackeys. This cancerous presence, these enemies within that divide the international communist movement, have also deliberately and maliciously fomented division in the Venezuelan communist movement.
Practice is the criterion of truth. US imperialism is slandering the Maduro government of Venezuela with absurd accusations. It is preparing a war of aggression to once again turn the country into an “oil colony.” The Maduro government stands at the forefront of the anti-imperialist struggle. Yet some so-called “communist forces” denounce it as an imperialist regime. In the last presidential election, these forces even joined hands with fascist groups. This was no coincidence. The fact that US imperialism is rallying fascist forces within Venezuela to provoke insurrection and to divide Venezuela’s communist forces is merely part of imperialism’s “divide and rule” doctrine, as confirmed by countless historical examples, and is by no means surprising.
US imperialism, facing a severe political and economic crisis, is massing vast military forces in the Caribbean in an attempt to seize Venezuela’s oil and turn the country into another flashpoint. If the US launches a full-scale war against Venezuela, it could become a historic spark that escalates into world war. Venezuela has forged firm alliances not only with Cuba but also with other key anti-imperialist states such as China, Russia, and the DPRK. Just as the war in Palestine immediately expanded into a regional conflict across West Asia, a war in Venezuela will inevitably spread into a regional war encompassing all of Latin America. This would be a crushing burden for US imperialism, which cannot hope to secure simultaneous victories on multiple fronts.
US imperialism, while threatening to turn Venezuela into a second Syria, is deploying destroyers, submarines, stealth bombers, and Marines in nearby waters, while at the same time attempting to bribe and divide Venezuelan leaders, just as it did when toppling Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq. But Venezuela is entirely different from Syria or Iraq. The decisive difference lies in the single-hearted unity of all the comunas, centered on the Maduro government, which holds the Bolivarian Revolution as its very lifeblood. The comuna itself is the militia; its resistance is the resistance of the entire people. A nation where the leader, the party, the army, and the people are firmly united as one and fight to the last will never collapse. US imperialism will gravely misjudge the strength of the Maduro government, the Venezuelan military, and the Venezuelan people—and suffer a crushing defeat.
Despite the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, Solidnet—the recognized center of the international communist movement—failed in its role. Consequently, like-minded revolutionary parties gathered and established the World Anti-imperialist Platform in October 2022. Over the past three years, the World Anti-imperialist Platform has convened international anti-imperialist conferences in Paris, Belgrade, Caracas, Gwangju and Seoul, Athens, Washington D.C., Dakar, and The Hague. It has issued political declarations and statements, while also organizing anti-imperialist rallies and demonstrations.
All the events and activities carried out by the World Anti-imperialist Platform have been thoroughly consistent with the three goals set at its founding: advancing the anti-imperialist struggle, waging the ideological battle against opportunism, and strengthening the communist movement. With the slogans “Workers of the World, Unite!” and “The People United Will Never Be Defeated!,” the World Anti-imperialist Platform will, steadfastly and unflinchingly, continue the struggle until the very end to fulfill these three tasks.
Following March 2023, we once again gather here today, in October 2025, to support the just struggle and all-people’s resistance of the Venezuelan people, who have raised the banner of anti-imperialism and anti-fascism. For the victory of the Venezuelan people, we are ready to gather ten times, a hundred times, and we will do everything in our power.
The people united will never be defeated! We have not the slightest doubt in the Venezuelan people’s victory. We are certain of the final triumph of the Bolivarian Revolution, the realization of Chávez’s testament “Comuna o Nada,” and the socialist achievements of the Maduro government. Imperialist oppression and aggression will inevitably fail, and the Venezuelan people, having risen in people’s resistance, will turn this crisis into an opportunity to accelerate their advance toward socialism.
Today, in Venezuela, the spirit of the Cuban Revolution and of Che Guevara shines brightly.
Victory to the Bolivarian Revolution!
Victory to Chávez!
Victory to Maduro!
Until the day of victory, always—Hasta la Victoria, Siempre
