World Venezuela Feature Archive

Over 17,000 young international activists have gathered in Caracas for the 16th World Festival of Youth and Students, which begins today (Monday 8th August). Several groups in the UK, including Hands Off Venezuela, Colombia Solidarity Campaign, Justice for Colombia and New Generation, as well as various communist groups, have between them sent over 100 delegates. Everyone from Europe is being housed at a newly-completed village, half an hour south of the Venezuelan capital, except for the organisers from the World Federation of Democratic Youth who have been staying at the Hilton Hotel (which is now run as a co-op). The festival is seen as an excellent opportunity to build solidarity with Venezuela's peaceful and democratic revolution.

latest update: Cesar released on bail

previous updates: 2004-9-29 | 2004-10-6 | 2004-10-8

Cesar Zelada is a well known student activist in Peru. He is also a member of the Fuerza de Izquierda Socialista, a left wing group, and the organiser of the Hands off Venezuela campaign in Peru.

He was in Bolivia as part of a delegation of Peruvian student activists invited by the Youth wing of the Bolivian Workers' Union (COB - the Bolivian TUC) to show solidarity with the struggle of the Peruvian students, particularly those at the Oruro Technical University.

He was arrested on September 14th, in the capital La Paz. He was strip searched and handcuffed by the PTJ police and then questioned without having access to a lawyer. He is being kept in jail in the San Pedro Penal, in La Paz. When making the case against him at the hearing, the prosecutor alleged that he was in possession of explosives, had lied about his address in Bolivia and was carrying "Marxist propaganda" with the aim of "subversion".

This Sunday, Venezuelans will vote on whether to keep their controversial president, Hugo Chávez. Elected with a promise to redistribute Venezuela's enormous oil wealth (before Chávez it was the number one supplier to the US) this referendum will be a chance to find out if he still has the support of the people. Having failed to oust him with a traditional (US backed)coup in 2002, and a general "strike" (bosses lock-out) the following Christmas, the opposition's referendum might actually end up strengthening his legitimacy.

This week, groups in London held a week of solidarity with the Venezuelan people and their right to self-determination without US interference. Daily events (see programme) took place at the rampART creative centre in Whitechapel, starting on Monday 9th with the opening of a "Latinamerican Liberation" exhibition. The main event is a picket of the US Embassy on the day of the referendum, Sunday 15th, from 2pm; meet beforehand in Hyde Park near Speakers' Corner for a 'Bolivarian picnic'.

Final event at the rampART from 6pm sunday, party and what next, plus indymedia access point.

Check out: Latest programme details | Rampart venue website | MultiMap venue map |
opening night review, photos | day two | full week review

New topic created: See Venezuela 2004 for all related posts.

THREE DAYS THAT SHOOK VENEZUELA

In a stunning reversal of the pro-business coup that ousted him from power on Friday, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has returned to the presidential office. Mass protests had erupted in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas immediately after the coup. Thousands of people stormed the presidential palace, 'interim-president' Carmona fled and was later arrested. Read more.

On Friday morning, the Venezuelan army forced President Hugo Chavez to step back from power and put him under arrest. The president of the business council Fedecamaras, Pedro Carmona Estanga, was appointed to head an interim government.

The coup followed days of strikes and mass protests which had been initiated and organised by business councils and business-friendly trade unions. For several months, the national oligarchy opposed to the planned social and land reforms, had provoked civilian opposition to the Chavez-led government. The US-government and international financial institutions had also criticised Chavez for his non-compliance with their demands and had made clear that they would support his removal. Read more here and here.

Background info from:
NarcoNews | Zmag | Schnews

While all eyes are focused on Afghanistan and the Middle East, where the US is currently bombarding the Taliban for its support of Osama bin Laden and his al Qaida terror network, media attention and speculation abounds as to where the US will strike next in its new, perpetual war. Two South American nations in particular are currently being prepped for possible military action. Colombia and Venezuela. Both countries figure prominently in US energy policy through coal (Colombia) and oil (Venezuela more so than Colombia) reserves. The US is already militarily involved in Colombia through its "drug war" via Plan Colombia, a $1.3-billion operation which focuses primarily on the fumigation and eradication of the coca plant (used to make cocaine). some background. MeanwhileArgentina is facing an economic, political and social meltdown whose effects could cause further gloom for the global economy. Hundreds of thousands of Argentineans have taken to the streets in protest at a raft of austerity measures demanded by the IMF to prevent the country's bankruptcy.