In Venezuela any elected official can be removed mid-term by a simple referendum majority. This extremely democratic constitutional right (imagine if we could've voted out Blair a year ago, before the war) was originally suggested by President Hugo Chávez, who ironically will be now the first person to face this test, on 15th August 2004 - TODAY!

Supporting him are the country's poor majority, who have seen their lives transformed with new schools, hospitals and housing, finally tasting their slice of the huge oil-revenue pie. Against him are the local elite who are used to owning Venezuela, and the Washington warmongers who are used to owning its oil.

TODAY, we are holding a picket of the US Embassy (Grosvenor Sq) from 2pm onwards to tell them "Hands Off Venezuela!" - meet near Speakers' Corner from noon for a Bolivarian picnic followed by some speeches. From 6pm, there is the "Pachamerican Liberation" exhibition closing party at the rampARTs (15-17 Rampart St, E1, off Commercial Rd), and a discussion of the week so far, what's happening right now in Venezuela, and where the solidarity movement goes from here. Plus live coverage from Pacifica Radio, direct from the Bolivarian Republic.