New York, NY – Over 400 people attended an event for Venezuela at Holyrood Church in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City, September 26. The main speaker of the evening was Venezuela’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Jorge Arreaza, with introductions from the church, Black Agenda Report, and the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization. The talk was organized by the Venezuelan Welcoming Committee.

Arreaza spoke about how the U.S. sanctions against the country mean Venezuelans are unable to receive crucial medical services and treatments or imported food. He also mentioned how the United States is after Venezuela’s oil.

Along with the sanctions, Arreaza spoke about the myths spread about Venezuela by the U.S. and its puppets, such as Colombia. The U.S. and Colombia both claim Venezuela isn’t democratic, while funding a right-wing, racist opposition that has attacked black Venezuelans, as well as voting locations. They are attempting to prop up Juan Guaido as the new ‘president.’ Arreaza pointed out how Guaido himself recently posed in a photograph with drug traffickers in Colombia.

Despite the Unites States’ attempts to overthrow Maduro and its use of propaganda to spread lies about Venezuela, Arreaza insisted that Maduro and the Venezuelan people will not back down.

“The Bolivarian revolution is a historical process,'' said Arreaza. “It’s the same struggle as 200 years ago. The good news is that we’re going to win.”

After a speech that also celebrated Venezuela’s victories, Arreaza closed out the event by pronouncing that the working class of the U.S. will also rise up against their ruling class, stressing the importance of international solidarity. The crowd chanted “¡Chávez vive! ¡La lucha sigue!” together, promising continued support of Venezuela and the Bolivarian Revolution.

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