Violence as a form of political action has been a central element in the domination of peoples in the Global South since the processes of colonization. To this day, these wars, militarization, and violence are, more often than not, ignored and made invisible by the hegemonic global media.
That being said, what is striking at this moment in time is how imperialist governments, with the United States at the forefront, are increasingly seeking to normalize wars, the militarization of territories, interventions in other countries, genocides, embargoes, blockades, sanctions, and so on. These violent actions would not be possible without the cooperation of the corporations that directly profit from them, such as the arms and oil industries.
Oil has been key among the pieces that move on these war chessboards. First, for the simple reason that all the machinery that fuels wars and the military occupation of territories depends on this energy source to function. But above all, because access to and control over oil reserves is fueling wars, not to mention that preventing access to oil has been used as a violent political pressure strategy.
Talking about the climate crisis might seem minor in this context, but it's not. Not only because burning oil is what most accelerates global warming, but also because of oil's importance to capitalism. Today, energy is understood by the majority as a commodity that is produced and centrally controlled by large corporations. This capitalist interpretation of energy turned oil into the main source of energy in capitalism. Oil has been decisive in the accumulation of ever more money and power. (1) In the quest to control strategic resources such as oil, imperialist governments, in collusion with corporations, provoke violence and wars, while simultaneously causing climate chaos and ecological crisis, the destruction of forests and the peoples who live in and care for them.
What stands out is the masculinity of the governments that are spreading wars, militarization, and terror around the world. Besides being led by men, almost always white, the way they conduct politics is steeped in patriarchal violence. It is worth highlighting that among the main victims of this system and its wars are women and children: they are the ones who face violence, sexual abuse, and destruction of the basic conditions for carrying out the important role of caregiving, which almost always falls on women.
We stand in solidarity with all people, especially women and children, who are resisting this violence as best they can. We emphasize that confronting the climate crisis implies questioning and transforming the accumulation logic of the capitalist system and the structures of patriarchal domination that feed on wars, militarization, and the destructive exploitation of bodies and territories.
At a time when we have just remembered and celebrated the struggle of women on International Women's Day, we reiterate our solidarity with the collective feminist struggles that defend life and pave the way to transform the power structures that violate bodies and territories and destroy living conditions.
References:
(1) WRM, 2025. The heart of the problem: we need to talk about energy