Revolution in UK Solidarity with Venezuela
pescao | 18.09.2004 05:11 | Venezuela
The level of solidarity between the UK grassroots movements and the Venezuelan people, alongside their popular radical government, has reached a new high. Activists from all political stripes are transcending ideological and personal differences to defend Venezuela's embryonic "Democratic Revolution".
All eyes are focussed on the upcoming "Global Day of Action in Solidarity with the Bolivarian Revolution" on October 12th. Events are planned world and UK-wide, with at least three happening in London on this Tuesday of ESF week: a day-school in Middlesex University with the Colombia Solidarity Campaign, a rally with Rhythms of Resistance, and a debate at NUJ headquarters. The day will also be an opportunity to launch a "Bolivarian Block" to carry through the rest of the week's activities, culminating at the big demo on Sunday 17th.
outside the US embassy on sunday
After years of ignorance by most trade union leaders, workers here are putting pressure upwards to stand in solidarity with the "Bolivarian Movement" in Venezuela. The movement's progressive programme of eradicating illiteracy, universal free education and healthcare, land and wealth redistribution, and equal access to the media rings a chord with workers all over the world. Solidarity with the new "Bolivarian" trade union, the UNT, has become a big issue.
Activists from Hands Off Venezuela have also been experimenting with "Participatory Democracy" by lobbying MPs in Parliament and even the Venezuelan Ambassador! Amazingly, the ambassador had no idea that there was support for Chávez in the House of Commons, namely from the 30 MPs who signed the GWS-inspired Early Day Motion 854. Also there have been lots of screenings of the new, seminal documentary "Venezuela Bolivariana...", most recently in Oxford.
links: temp spanish-lang indymedia site | temp english-lang indymedia site
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