Democracy wins in Venezuelan referendum

A statement from the Australia–Venezuela Solidarity Network

February 17, 2009

On Sunday February 15, Venezuelans voted in a referendum to change the country’s constitution to allow elected officials to re-stand for election without restriction. Previously, Venezuela’s constitution allowed elected officials, including the president, to stand for only two terms.

With 94.2% of the votes counted, the National Electoral Council announced that the “Yes” vote had won with 6,003,584 votes (54.36%). The “No” vote received 5,040,082 votes (45.63%). Dozens of election observers from international bodies such as the United Nations and the Organization of American States verified that the referendum was free and fair.

The constitutional change allows Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez Frias to stand for re-election in 2012. At a media conference soon after the results were released, the US-backed right-wing opposition – which had run a campaign of lies, intimidation and violence in the lead-up to the vote - reluctantly accepted the outcome.

The victory of the “Yes” vote bolsters support for the newly formed United Socialist Party of Venezuela, which played a central role in the “Yes” campaign, and for measures towards establishing Venezuelan sovereignty and social justice. This assertion of the right of Venezuelans to elect whoever they choose to govern the country is also an assertion of the majority of Venezuelans’ desire for the Bolivarian revolution, currently symbolized and led by Chavez, to continue.

Soon after the results where announced, hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans gathered in the streets of central Caracas and outside the “Balcony of the People” at the Miraflores Presidential Palace to hear Chavez speak and join the celebrations.

“This victory belongs to all the Latin American peoples, it is our America. It is a really historic victory”, Chavez declared, adding that he had received a message from former Cuban President Fidel Castro saying that the vote “is a victory impossible to measure due to its magnitude”.

Chavez told the people, “Here I stand firm. Send me the people, as I shall obey them. I am a soldier of the people, you are my bosses.” He added: “We must dedicate ourselves to consolidating what we have achieved in the past 10 years of revolution... [this] will include revision, rectification, adjusting and strengthening the gains of the Venezuelan people... We need to strengthen the social missions and soon we will be in a better situation from 2010 to open up new horizons and new spaces.”

Chavez emphasised that the people must lead in this process: “This democracy must be more and more revolutionary, authentic, participative and popular.”

The Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network congratulates the people and government of Venezuela on this victory for democracy, and reaffirms our solidarity with the struggles for sovereignty, justice and socialism of the 21st century that the referendum result has mandated.


Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network

PO Box 5421 CC, Melbourne 3001

info@venezuelasolidarity.org

AVSN national newsletter: February 09

VENEZUELA SOLIDARITY CALENDAR

ANALYSIS

Term limits, democracy and the February 15 referendum
Chris Kerr - Caracus - On February 15, an amendment to Venezuela’s constitution will be voted on that proposes to remove limits on the number of times an elected official can stand for election to a public office. If passed, it would allow President Hugo Chavez to stand in the presidential elections in 2012. Venezuela’s right-wing opposition misleadingly characterises the proposed reform as “indefinite re-election”, implying that the vote is about whether or not to make Chavez “president for life”. In fact, all the amendment would do is remove existing restrictions on standing for election. Chavez or any other incumbent would still be required to actually win the popular vote. READ MORE

SOLIDARITY EVENTS

SYDNEY - Where to for the Venezuelan revolution after the referendum?

This meeting of the Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network will discuss the outcomes of the February 15 referendum in Venezuela on a reform to the Constitution to allow President Hugo Chavez to stand for re-election. The referendum outcome will be both a reflection and determinant of the progress of the Bolivarian revolution.
6.30pm, Monday February 16th Activist Centre, 23 Abercrombie St, Chippendale (just off Broadway near UTS)

MELBOURNE - VENEZUELA- CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE & FUTURE PROSPECTS

Forum and celebration of 10 years of revolution
Special Guests:
Federico Fuentes - Researcher at the Centro Internacional Miranda, Caracas, Venezuela; co-author of a recent book on development of the Bolivian, Movement Towards Socialism Party; coordinator of the Caracas bureau of "Green Left Weekly" for the last 2 years; on the editorial board of "Marea Socialista", paper of the political-trade union current of the same name active within the United Socialist Party of Venezuela and the National Union of Workers, and "Luz y Fuerza", organ of the Federation of Electrical Workers of Venezuela.
Jo Williams - recently returned from Venezuela, a Victoria University academic and organiser of the 2009 Eduction Exchange to Venezuela.

3.30pm - 6pm Saturday February 21st, Queensberry Hotel, Crn Swanston and Queensberry St, Carlton Sth,
Forum followed by entertainment from Salvadorian and Chilean musicians
Entry by donation - $5 (suggested) Organised by the Australian Venezuela Solidarity Network. Ph Jody 0419 691 403 or Roberto 0425 289 394

BRISBANE - Speakout: Support the constitutional reform!

Join the speak-out to support the people of Venezuela's right to elect whoever they wish as president.
US Hands off Venezuela! Support the constitutional reform!
Friday, February 20, 5-6pm Brisbane Square, George St (top of Queen St Mall).
Organised by the Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network

BRISBANE - Eyewitness reports: Venezuela - The Revolution Continues

A public forum featuring presentations and photos by 7 local participants in the November Australian Venezuela solidarity brigade.
Thursday, February 26, 6:30pm CEPU Office, 41 Peel St, South Brisbane.
Donation entry, dinner and drinks available. Organised by AVSN. Ph Marg 0439 411 330 or Jon 0438 162 597

MELBOURNE - SOLIDARITY BRIGADE INFO SESSIONS

Join the Melbourne AVSN Committee in organising our solidarity work.
7pm Thursday, March 12th @ The Resistance Centre, Level 5, 407 Swanston St, Melbourne Ph 0418 691 403
__________________________________________________

Join an Australian solidarity brigade to Venezuela!

April 15 - April 25, 2009

& November - December 2009

Venezuela’s Bolivarian revolution led by President Hugo Chavez is shaking up global politics and inspiring millions of ordinary people with the evidence that a better – a peaceful, democratic and socially just – world is possible. The Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network’s brigades to Venezuela are a unique opportunity to see first-hand an unfolding revolution. Participants in the April 2009 solidarity brigade will visit worker-controlled factories and cooperatives, free public education and health programs, and community media outlets. They will observe “popular power” at work in the communal councils, and speak to a range of grassroots and government organisations about the radical changes being implemented by the Venezuelan people.

In the last five years, the AVSN has organised eight solidarity brigades from Australia to Venezuela, involving more than 150 participants. These study/solidarity tours are inspiring experiences, providing an opportunity to observe and understand why Venezuela’s goal of creating “socialism of the 21st century’’ is transforming the world.

And after the Venezuela brigade… While you’re in the neighbourhood, why not visit revolutionary Cuba and join the millions of people who will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution at the huge May Day rally in Havana on May 1, 2009?

The deadline for registering for the Venezuela solidarity brigade is March 1, 2009.
FOR MORE INFORMATION email brigades@venezuelasolidarity.org, or phone Lara Pullin 0433 449 024, Roberto Jorquera 0425 289 394 or Lisa Macdonald 0413 031 108.
_____________________________________________________

AVSN MELBOURNE ORGANISING MEETING

Join the Melbourne AVSN Committee in organising our solidarity work.
6.30pm Thursday, February 12th @ The Resistance Centre, Level 5, 407 Swanston St, Melbourne
Ph 0418 691 403
_____________________________________________________

STAY UP TO DATE WITH NEWS FROM VENEZUELA

To receive a daily digest of news and analysis of the latest developments in the Venezuelan revolution, subscribe to the AVSN's news e-group. Simply send a blank email message to: Venezuela_Solidarity_Network-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

JOIN THE AUSTRALIA VENEZUELA SOLIDARITY NETWORK .... and get involved!

Annual membership of the AVSN is only $20 ($10 concession). Just send a cheque or money order with your contact details to PO Box 5421CC, Melbourne 3001, or deposit the membership fee into AVSN's Commonwealth Bank Account number 063-262 1032 7976

TO JOIN UP CLICK HERE OR DOWN LOAD A MEMBERSHIP FORM

Stop the killing of trade unionists! Bring hired killers to justice!

A statement by the Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network
December 10, 2008

The Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network condemns the murder of Venezuelan trade unionist Simon Caldera, who was shot in Aragua state on December 4. Caldera was a leader of the pro-revolution Bolivarian Construction and Industry Union.

Caldera is the fourth trade unionist to be murdered in one week in Aragua. His murder follows the shocking killings of three pro-revolution militants from the National Union of Workers (UNT) - Richard Gallardo, Luis Hernandez and Carlos Requena - on November 27. All four were victims of drive-by shootings.

The assassination by hired killers of activists organising oppressed people to win their rights has mainly been used in recent years by large landowners against supporters of land reform in Venezuela. More than 150 land reform activists have been killed since the revolutionary government of President Hugo Chavez began its land reform policies in 2001 – policies that benefit impoverished campesinos at the expense of large landowners.

Such murderous actions are an attempt by the rich elite to use violence and terror to protect their interests against the advances of a powerful movement of the oppressed in Venezuela. Under the revolutionary leadership of Hugo Chavez, Venezuela now has the highest minimum wage in Latin America and many pro-worker laws have been implemented.

The capitalist bosses' attacks on these union activists follows the elites’ defeat at the ballot box. On November 24, more than 5 million people voted for the pro-Chavez candidates in the regional elections, winning 17 out of 22 states and more than 80% of municipalities in a poll that was understood as a virtual referendum on constructing "socialism of the 21st century".

In Aragua, the anti-worker, pro-capitalist governor Didalco Bolivar lost the elections to a member of Chavez’s United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). This vote clearly indicated the people’s desire for change in a state where the police have a history of repressing workers' struggles.

The Bolivarian revolution has made enormous steps forward in tackling poverty and securing basic human rights for the majority in Venezuela. However, the murder of these activists makes it clear that there remains in Venezuela powerful counter-revolutionary forces willing to use any means to destroy the movement of the oppressed and maintain their own privileges.

Gallardo, Hernandez and Requena were all participants in an industrial dispute involving the Colombian-owned Alpina food processing company, leading to speculation that the attack was carried out by right-wing Colombian paramilitaries hired by the company. The day before, the Alpina workers had also been attacked by the police.

Workers in Aragua responded to the killings immediately, with 17 trade unions taking to the streets and blocking major highways in days of protests.

Speaking at the inauguration of the new governor of Aragua, Chavez called for a full investigation into the killings, declaring: "In Venezuela we cannot permit the installation of this perversion, these hired assassinations." Chavez also said that the Aragua police force must be completely transformed and threatened to nationalise any company that violated workers' rights.

These responses of the working people in Aragua and the revolutionary Chavez government show the determination of the Venezuelan people to defeat such violence.

All trade unionists and other supporters of workers' rights and social justice should stand with the Chavez government and Aragua’s workers to condemn in the strongest possible terms the use of such terrorist acts against the people, and to demand that those responsible face justice.

The AVSN offers its condolences to the families and comrades of the four murdered trade unionists — killed for their courageous struggle for working people’s rights. This tragedy only strengthens our determination to build greater international solidarity with the Venezuelan people and their Bolivarian revolution.

Disaster Assistance Urgently Needed in Haiti

September 20, 2008
Statement from Canada Haiti Action Network on the recent disaster in Haiti


Ottawa - Haiti has been devastated in recent weeks by a succession of storms, namely Hurricanes Fay, Gustav and and Ike, and Tropical Storm Hanna. Fay was the first to hit, on August 15, and Ike was the last, on September 7.


The full scale of the disaster is only just emerging. Partners in Health (Zanmi Lasante), a pioneering health services provider in Haiti, estimates as many as one thousand people may have perished, and more than one million people have been left homeless. Severe damage to food production has occurred throughout the country, especially in the Artibonite region.


An eyewitness report from journalist Reed Lindsay on CBC Radio One's The Current on September 15 said Gonaives, Haiti's third-largest city, remains under water and residents are still stranded on rooftops, one week after Hanna struck. Dr. Paul Farmer, just returned from Gonaives, reported similar conditions to the same broadcast.


The Haitian government and international agencies are responding to the crisis, but movement of supplies is slow and the scale of the disaster requires a much larger response.


Once again, Haiti has been devastated by natural phenomena whose human consequences are greatly magnified by the deterioration of the country's forest cover and the weakening and undermining of the national government by foreign powers, including Canada. In September 2004, Gonaives was slammed by Hurricane Jeanne. More than three thousand people lost their lives and the city had still not recovered when these latest storms hit, four and a half years later,

Haiti's government does not have the material resources nor the freedom of action to undertake the kind of massive hurricane preparation that saved all but a few lives in the neighbouring country of Cuba, hit by the same storms. That's because it has been the victim of constant interference and intervention from foreign powers that do not wish for the country to prosper. The latest chapter in this long, sad history of intervention was the overthrow of the elected government of Jean-Bertrand Aristide in February, 2004. The U.S., France and Canada sent soldiers to Haiti to participate in that assault.


Today, a 10,000-member foreign military, police and political contingent under the sponsorship of the UN Security Council and known by its acronym, MINUSTAH, plays a preponderant role in Haiti's internal affairs. Anne Volcy, an elderly Canadian of Haitian origin, sums up the popular view of MINUSTAH as follows, "They need to know that Haitians are angry to see foreign soldiers pointing weapons at them even in this hour of crisis. We need logistical help to build a country, not deadly weapons to kill people."


The Canada Haiti Action Network (CHAN) considers the response of the Government of Canada to the disaster in Haiti as entirely inadequate. The government has committed $5.6 million in relief funds, plus the possible sending of the Canadian military's Disaster Assistance Relief Team. Much more funding is required. The Network urges the Canadian government to substantially increase its assistance and to direct it to the Direction de la Protection Civile (Office of Civil Protection) of the Ministry of the Interior of the Haitian government.



The Network also appeals to the Government of Canada to press international financial agencies for a speedy cancellation of Haiti's outstanding foreign debt, in its entirety. As agencies such as the Jubilee Network have pointed out, this is an odious and illegitimate debt and a significant barrier to social and economic development in Haiti.


We call on the parties in the present federal election to discuss the present crisis and to examine Canada's role in that country, including the events of February, 2004. We urge Canada's major news organizations to increase their reporting of the humanitarian disaster in Haiti and to critically examine the events of 2004 and their aftermath.


We encourage all those wishing to donate to disaster relief in Haiti to visit the websites of Partners in Health - Zanmi Lasante (www.pih.org) or Lakou New York in collaboration with Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees (www.lakounewyork.com/2008floofrelief.html).


-Canada Haiti Action Network and its affiliated chapters in 12 cities across Canada


Media Contacts:



For more information, see: http://canadahaitiaction.ca

In defence of democracy and sovereignty for Venezuela

A statement from the Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network
September 14, 2008


On September 11, Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez gave the United States ambassador in Caracas 24 hours to leave the country. The announcement was made in solidarity with Bolivia, after Bolivian President Evo Morales expelled US ambassador Phillip Goldberg for collaborating with the far-right opposition movement that has been organising violent protests for weeks to seize control of Bolivia's wealthy eastern provinces.

The United States responded by expelling Bolivian and Venezuelan envoys from its territories.

Venezuela and Bolivia’s actions were responses to a series of destabilising actions in Latin America “made in the USA”, Chavez said on September 11.

On September 10, a recording was broadcast on the television program The Razorblade in which a new coup and assassination plot against Chavez is discussed by former and active military officers. "We are going to take over Miraflores Palace, we are going to take over television plants", the recording said. Also outlined was a plan to take over control of the Army general command with "the troops inside", and possibly to strike while Chavez was on a plane, aiming to "blow him up or capturing him with planes while in the air”.

Venezuela’s National Assembly has announced a special commission to investigate the coup plot. National Assembly president Cilia Flores said the privately owned media and opposition political parties “are promoting war” in Venezuela, “openly urging people to rebel, generate violence and not recognise the democratic government".

In Bolivia, which with Venezuela is at the forefront of a Latin America-wide rebellion against neo-liberalism and US domination, a “civic coup” was unleashed by the right-wing opposition on September 9. The violent attacks on government supporters and infrastructure aims to destabilise the government and depose Indigenous president Evo Morales, aims publicly supported by the US ambassador to Bolivia.

The coup plot in Venezuela and the violence in Bolivia follow other attempts this year by the US administration and the Latin America governments it controls to intimidate and destabilise the Venezuelan revolution, and to create a pretext for military intervention against it.

On March 1, in violation of all international treaties regarding national sovereignty, the Colombian government of President Alvaro Uribe - which receives more US military funding than any other country in Latin America - bombed Ecuadorian territory to assassinate Colombian leftists waging an armed struggle against the Uribe government. Ecuador and Venezuela responded by mobilising troops to their respective borders with Colombia to defend their national sovereignty. Subsequently, the Colombian government tried to claim the existence of documents that link the Venezuelan government and Chavez to “terrorism” and “narco-trafficking”, which Venezuela denounced as absolute lies.

Then on July 1, after 58 years, the US Navy reactivated the Fourth Fleet, a high level command dedicated to supervising US warships and submarines in Latin American and Caribbean waters.

Meanwhile, the US continues to provide millions of dollars of military and financial aid to the Colombian government, and the opposition forces in Venezuela and Bolivia. It also maintains a constant media campaign that portrays Chavez as an insane dictator leading the Latin American people on a path to destruction.

In fact, the opposite is true. The pro-poor, pro-peace policies of Venezuela’s revolutionary government are inspiring millions more people into struggle against their exploitation and strengthening Latin American unity against imperialist plunder of their resources.

For centuries, the US has aided and abetted violence and conflict throughout Latin America, and trampled democratic and human rights. Every new step towards democracy, peace and stability in the region weakens imperialism’s ability to do this. As Chavez said on September 11, addressing the US administration: “Do not think … that you are going to do what you did to Chile 35 years ago on a day like today. Unfortunately, the Chilean revolutionary people were alone in South America; but today it is not like that.”

The Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network (AVSN):

● Joins with all supporters of peace and democracy in Latin America to condemn the most recent plan to assassinate Chavez and undermine the elected government of Venezuela.

● Calls on the Australian government to respect and defend democratic principles by expressing its support for the elected government of Venezuela against any attempt to illegally overturn it.

● Notes that without peace and justice in Bolivia, and across Latin America, there can be no peace for revolutionary Venezuela, and calls on the current, and soon-to-be-elected US governments to immediately cease all interventions into the sovereign nations of Latin America. We extend our solidarity to President Evo Morales and the people of Bolivia who are struggling to defend their right to economic, social and political freedom.

● Congratulates all Venezuelans who have mobilised to defend their democracy and right to self-determination, and pledges to continue our efforts to strengthen international understanding of and solidarity with your struggles.

Peace and Justice For Colombia

Update No Monday 8th September 2008

Dear friends:

Today is exactly one month since Liliany Obando was incarcerated by the Colombian government and despite her legal defence team applying for home detention to allow her to care for her children she remains in the maximum security prison of "El Buen Pastor" in Bogota. Her legal team will appeal the court ruling as it violates the rights of Liliany's children as well as
her constitutional rights as head of family.



A precedent was established last week by the Colombian legal system granting house arrest to former congresswoman Yidis Medina found guilty of bribery in one of the infamous cases of para-politics.



*"Former congresswoman Yidis Medina was allowed to leave prison Friday to serve her four and a half years of house arrest for bribery after months of fighting between Colombia's prison authority and the Supreme Court…"Medina was found guilty last month of taking illegal favours from government officials in return for voting for the constitutional amendment that permitted the 2006 re-election."*

Through her legal team, Liliany has received messages of solidarity from those involved in the National and International campaigns across Australia, Canada, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States.



Her lawyer forwarded a statement expressing the thoughts from Liliany that she is emotionally touched and tremendously encouraged by such a broad mass of support for herself and for all Colombians subjugated to such treatment at this troubling time. Liliany through PJFC thanks you all for your support and expressions of solidarity.



PJFC urges you to continue putting pressure on the Colombian government to free Liliany immediately or to grant her home detention while her case is heard. This is her right guaranteed in the Colombian legal system as she is head of family.

The violation of Liliany's constitutional rights is also the violation of the rights of her two young children

Please write to the International Organisations on human rights demanding that the Colombian government release Liliany Obando or to grant her home detention.



Send your messages to:

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights at cidhoea@oas.org

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: oacnudh@hchr.org.co

Send copy of your messages to:
pjfcolombia@gmail.com; denuncias@fiscalia.gov.co; contacto@fiscalia.gov.co; auribe@presidencia.gov.co; cspp_presidente@etb.net.co; derechosh_fensuagro@yahoo.es



Yours in solidarity,

Peace and Justice for Colombia, PJFC

Website: www.colombiasolidarity.net

Donate to Cuba’s hurricane relief fund

To make a donation to help Cuba recover from the devastation caused by hurricanes, you can make a transfer or deposit, in either Euros or Canadian dollars only, via the banks listed below. Do not use US dollars or US banks, as the funds may be confiscated under the US’s economic blockade of Cuba.

The deposit must state that the beneficiary is the Banco Financiero International S.A., Havana, Cuba, with the subject “Ayuda Humanitaria por daños causados por el Huracan” for identification.

For donations in Euros, you can use:

Dresdner Bank A.G.
Swift code: DRESDEFF
Account no: 499/08089929/00/888

Or

Credit Mutuel
Swift code: CMBRFR2B
Account no: 118080091600020396811003

For donations in Canadian dollars, you can use:

National Bank of Canada, Montreal Swift code: BNDCCAMM
Account no: 02929623600100101

or

Toronto Dominion Bank, Toronto Swift code: TDOMCATT
Account no: 0360-01-2201925 TORONTO

Please inform the Consulate of Cuba in Sydney at <> of the amount and date of your deposit, and your name.