Earlier this sunny Sunday afternoon, over a hundred supporters of Venezuela's "democratic revolution" gathered in Hyde Park under the banner of "NO to U.S. Intervention, YES to Bolivarian Liberation, Hands Off Venezuela!"

After some rabble-rousing speeches at Speakers' Corner (and filled up with fresh salad bagels), the Bolivarian Block set off through the park towards the US embassy. Pink-n-silver sambistas from Rhythms of Resistance lead the positively-charged dancing demonstration into Grosvenor Square.

An open-mic was hooked up to a battery-powered sound-system and around ten speakers, including activists from the Global Women's Strike, Rock Around the Blockade and Hands Off Venezuela, inspired and informed the crowd with speeches, chants & songs.

Accoustic folkmusic from Atlantis and a long session of "Oh! Ah! Chávez no se va!" (alternated with it's english translation, "Hell! No! Chávez - he won't go!") raised the temperature to fever-pitch. Uncle Sam was told point-blank that the whole world was watching him now and to keep his hands off Venezuela!

The atmosphere was almost like a carnival and even the four policemen and women were spotted shaking their hips to the tropical revolutionary beat. The picket ended with a promise that we'd be back with greater numbers if the US sabotages Venezuela's democracy, and that we will use Chávez' upcoming victory to spread the word about this Bolivarian revolution of hope around the world.