Venezuela, Caracas – When we arrived in Caracas, we had a 30-minute bus ride from the airport to the hotel where we were staying. Watching the city go by and the beautiful mountains in the background, there were dozens of beautiful murals painted for Bolívar, Chavez and Maduro celebrating the Bolivarian revolution.

During the International People’s Assembly for Sovereignty and Peace of our Americas conference, there were many chants from all over Latin America -¡Viva Bolívar! ¡Viva Maduro! ¡Viva Diaz-Canales! ¡Viva Sheinabum!

The Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression has long supported progressive leaders like President Maduro, and I have been to hands off Venezuela protests where the people supported Maduro, but it truly surprised me to see a room full of people chanting for their leaders. In the United States, I cannot remember the last time I really saw a large crowd of people chanting with love and pride for a politician. Once in a while Trump supporters might try to disrupt our actions, but they often chant to show what they oppose rather than what they stand for.

At home, people have no sense of ownership and pride in most politicians. They get elected on empty promises that no one expects them to follow through on. It was amazing to meet people who live in places where they truly can have governments that believe in the people, and fight for them. In the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Repression we fight for community control of the police, for the right of the people to control what police do, how they do it, and to convict them when they commit crimes. Seeing the love and pride that other countries have for governments where they feel their leaders are fighting for them instead of repressing them for it was an amazing experience.

The more surprising thing for me at the conference was how many people were extremely grateful to see Americans organizing for peace, and were worried about our safety on return. As the United States tries to go to war with Venezuela, I was not sure what people would think of us. However, people had many questions about videos of specific police murders they had seen, ICE kidnappings, National Guard occupations, and other repression. They were incredibly concerned about Black liberation and immigrant rights in the United States.

People from all over Latin America celebrated when they heard about our struggles against heightened police repression, especially with George Floyd in Minneapolis and the small town of Kenosha, Wisconsin in 2020, in supporting student encampments for Palestine, and then ongoing struggles against ICE kidnappings and opposing troops on the streets, with the uprising in LA, the defiance in Chicago, and campaign against troops in DC this year. These struggles are also unfolding in Portland and New Orleans where we also lead protests and movements.

When they asked if we were scared of the police or of repression, I told them that we believe that justice is worth any level of struggle. I also told them how we had won a campaign against FBI repression by freeing Chicano activist Alejandro Orellana in LA.

One Cuban delegate said to me that the Alliance's organizing “prove[s] your resistance in your situation.” As I prepare to return to the United States soon, I am excited to bring all of the excitement and love I experienced from around the world to the struggle for Black and Chicano liberation at home.

#International #Venezuela #AntiWarMovement #MAARPR #Chicano #Opinion #Commentary #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes

Santa Ana, CA – The curbside of Casa Linda Furniture was transformed as community members and activists gathered to honor Noe Rodriguez on December 1, the anniversary of his death. Last December Santa Ana Police Officers Luis Casillas and Isaac Ibarra confronted Rodriguez while he was having a mental health crisis, gave three commands in English only, and fired 29 bullets at the unarmed Chicano.

Erika Armenta, Rodriguez’s wife, spoke in Spanish in front of the wall where Noe was shot. “I don’t have the words to describe the pain my daughters, my family and I have gone through in losing my husband. His life was taken right here on a day like today just one year ago by two police officers of the city, who failed in their job to protect the people of Santa Ana, as they often do.”

The vigil took place where Rodriguez was killed. An alley between a parking structure and a furniture store was now occupied by an altar. On its surface were framed photos of Noe, a bouquet of flowers, candles, and pan y chocolate prepared by Armenta.

Armenta said, “Cases like Noe’s happen very often in our society, which means it is corrupt and we must fight to change it! Demanding justice is a constant struggle.”

Seven women, one man and two children from El Rebaño del Señor de la Parroquia San Columbano joined with Armenta in prayer. The attendance of multiple generations of Chicanos, including some who speak only Spanish, reflected how Rodriguez’s death has been felt in Santa Ana. The city is majority Chicano and has experienced years of racist police terror.

Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC) member Abraham Quintana said, “When Erika and other CSO members confront the city council with the truth, Mayor Valerie Amezcua and Councilmembers Phil Bacerra and David Penaloza expose themselves as shameless servants of the police. They would rather ignore her testimony and defend killer cops like Luis Casillas and Isaac Ibarra than do the right thing and fire them. They are teaching us a valuable lesson: in this system the police are not here to protect us, but to uphold a social system that keeps Chicanos and immigrants down. They are also teaching us that the city is not going to give us justice. We have to take it!”

The people roared, “Justice for Noe Rodriguez!” towards oncoming traffic. “Luis Casillas? Lock him up! Isaac Ibarra? Lock him up!”

Both Luis Casillas and Isaac Ibarra have been involved in killings since Noe’s death. On January 1. Casillas shot Henry Gonzalez Jr. in the head despite warnings from his mother that Henry was suicidal. Then on January 15, Isaac Ibarra helped several officers brutally arrest Freddie Washington at a Holiday Inn in Santa Ana. Later Washington died in police custody under mysterious circumstances. The city has not released more information despite CSO filing a Public Records Act request into the incident.

Armenta’s two daughters, aged seven and nine, proudly sang Te Amo, Papa to commemorate their father. They often join Armenta and other CSO OC members while door knocking for its police accountability campaigns. At the vigil they excitedly served hot chocolate, pan and sandwiches to attendees. Both brave and bright, these daughters have had to grieve and fight for justice at the same time.

The vigil was a testament to the human cost of police killings in Santa Ana. But the city’s response has been the opposite: they have condescendingly downplayed over 150 emails and dozens of public comments demanding justice for Rodriguez’s death. They bring up the Officer Bill of Rights to suggest that firing officers before the investigation is finished could result in a lawsuit against the city.

But the city ignores the fact that right now the city is quietly facing multiple lawsuits because of police killings. Two have been filed for the police killing of Noe Rodriguez and another regarding the 2022 killing of unarmed 72-year-old Miguel Chavez. The city of Santa Ana has paid $24 million in police lawsuit settlements between 2011 and 2020.

“When killer cops are on patrol, what do we need? Community control!” shouted the protesters.

Erika Armenta closed her statement describing her husband: “It is impossible for us to not feel pain and cry when remembering his beautiful spirit, to remember how noble, how happy and kind Noe was. He had a big heart, he loved to dance and sing in high spirits. Anyone who was lucky enough to know him knows who he was, but now all we can do is hold on to the memories of someone who was an amazing friend and who hated the injustices we now see. I think it is important and good to talk to younger generations about my husband’s case because no one deserves what happened to him, and no mental health crisis should be a death sentence.”

#SantaAnaCA #CA #InJusticeSystem #CSOOC #Chicano

East Los, CA — On the evening of September 4, Chicanos from East Los Angeles mobilized to disrupt a local town hall hosted by racist, right-wing Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman at a Chicano restaurant called East Los Tacos.

Hochman's reactionary policies like gang enhancements and his “tough on crime” approach have been proven to not make anyone safer. In fact, they deeply and disproportionately target and harm Black and Chicano neighborhoods. In general, crime in Los Angeles has been decreasing for years.

During his swearing-in ceremony in December, Hochman ordered deputies to ambush Centro CSO and Black Lives Matter leaders who were protesting his policies. They arrested a Black Lives Matter member and pastor, and the LAPD stole CSO’s megaphone, which has never been returned to CSO.

Centro CSO, an organization that has been on the ground in East Los Angeles and Boyle Heights fighting for police accountability, organized the counter-protest alongside impacted families. Gabriel Quiroz Jr with Centro CSO stood up during the town hall and unfolded a banner with the words “Fight the Fort Apache” and asked the district attorney and the East Los Angeles Sheriff’s Station captain who was also in attendance, “When are you going to ban this logo? When are you going to prosecute killer cops? Justice For Jeremy Flores!”

As Quiroz Jr was escorted by sheriffs out of the town hall, other Centro CSO members began chanting, “Jail killer cops!” And “ban, ban Fort Apache!” Those who chanted were also forcefully removed. As they were being escorted out, they continued chanting. Once outside, they held up signs and banners against the windows outside of the restaurant. The restaurant staff were at one point ordered to lower the window shades to block the protesters.

The town hall continued, despite the protesting. The protesters waited for the event to end and for DA Hochman to exit. However, in complete cowardice, Hochman called on deputies to escort him and save him. He was snuck out of the kitchen and jumped into a black truck, while Raza continued to chant, “We will see you again!”

Derek Mejia, a leader of Centro CSO said, “Nathan Hochman thought he could come to East LA to have his pointless little copaganda event, and talk about violent crime in this city, other blatant lies, and everything he’s done to ‘stop crime’ in Los Angeles, when his refusal to prosecute killer cops keeps the real violent criminals [the killer cops] on our streets.”

Mejia continued, “Yet again, Hochman shows he’s all talk and no walk. We were violently thrown out of the event and continually met with harassment and intimidation by the East LA Sheriffs. We aren’t scared by them or Hochman for that matter. These are our streets, not theirs! They are guests in our neighborhoods, and we won’t tolerate their violence and lies!”

Beña Martinez, a leader of Centro CSO, said “How can you have a town hall where only cherry-picked questions would be allowed, and only after he shapes a false narrative of the need for ‘tougher on crime’ policies in a major city where violent crime has gone down over a decade. He’s emulating what Trump is trying to do with this country by gaslighting the masses through the media that crime is some rampant problem instead of creating policy to address real problems we face”

Stephanie Luna, the aunt of Anthony Vargas who was killed by East Los Angeles sheriff's deputies, said, “It’s deeply ironic that while DA Hochman spoke about protecting First Amendment rights, community leaders were thrown out for exercising theirs — and questions about deputy gangs and police violence on our community members went ignored. The moderators chose the questions that fit Hochman's agenda. The concerns raised by many in the room were focused on graffiti and weed shops showing just how out of touch this space is with the real issues our communities face.”

Jazmine Moreno, whose children’s father David Ordaz Jr was murdered by East Los Angeles Sheriffs, said, “I would like to touch on how much control Hochman has over these deputy-involved cases. Yet he won’t ever speak on them. He stood up there and spoke about victims and how as victims of crime we should trust the system to work and do what it’s meant to do. But what about those of us who are victims of crime at the hands of deputies or police officers? We don’t get the same privileges or concerns from him. He couldn’t even stand to hear ‘Justice for David Ordaz Jr’ or ‘Jail killer cops’ without having people escorted out. He claims there’s a time and a place for protesting or freedom of speech yet won’t hear us out. Hochman came to our community for a Latino town hall, but all I saw present were non-Latino bootlickers who do not reside in our community of East LA.”

Carlos Montes, a long-time Chicano revolutionary and member of Centro CSO, said, “I stood up in the end and asked, ‘What are you doing about the deputy Banditos gang at ELA Sheriffs Station?’” Hochman responded during the town hall to Montes’ questions with, “Take it to LASD internal affairs!”

Centro CSO’s plans are to continue pushing the campaign to win community control of the police. If you would like to become involved with Centro CSO’s Police Accountability Committee (PAC), we encourage you to message them on their social media platforms @CentroCSO or email them at CentroCSO@gmail.com

#EastLosCA #InJusticeSystem #Chicano #Latino #CentroCSO #JusticeforJeremyFlores #BanFortApache

Los Angeles, CA – On August 30, at 3 p.m., Chicanos, impacted families of police brutality, people raided by ICE and the FBI, along with supporters will in East Los Angeles, for a march, marking the 55th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium.

The march will begin at Sounds of Music record store, the site of what was once the Silver Dollar; a bar where many including LA Times reporter Ruben Salazar took refuge after LAPD and Los Angeles sheriffs mercilessly beat and attempted to disperse participants in the August 29, 1970 Chicano Moratorium. Salazar was killed by LA sheriffs. The moratorium’s demands were ending the Vietnam occupation and equality for Chicanos.

Tomorrow, a large coalition will be commemorating the 55th anniversary of this event and uplifting current demands such as stand with Palestine, ICE out of LA, Chicano self-determination, community control of police, and defend public education.

The coalition is made up of Centro CSO, Union del Barrio, Black Lives Matter: Los Angeles, Jewish Voice for Peace, About Face LA, UTLA, Teamsters, SEIU, Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), and United Families for Justice, which consists of police killing impacted families of Jeremy Flores, Francisco Núñez and Hugo Cachua.

“I believe it is important to commemorate the 55th Chicano Moratorium, because we once again find ourselves, as a people, in a crucial moment, where staying silent is complicity,” says Centro CSO member and security lead Derek Mejia, “People should be out in the streets on Saturday August 30, standing up against the ICE raids and with Palestine! It is important that we continue and maintain the long history of the Chicano struggle.”

The 55th commemoration will begin at 3 p.m. at the Sounds of Music record store, where attendees will begin marching, and ending at Salazar Park for a rally and entertainment starting at 4:30 p.m. That part of the event will take place at the Whittier Boulevard/Alma Avenue side of the park. The family-friendly event will have free food, water and entertainment.

#LosAngelesCA #CA #Chicano #ChicanoMoratorium #ImmigrantRights #OppressedNationalities #CentroCSO #UniondelBarrio #BlackLivesMatter #JVP #AboutFace #SEIU #Teamsters #UTLA

Los Angeles, CA – On February 17, over 1000 Chicanos gathered at Placita Olvera in downtown Los Angeles to protest against ICE deportations and to fight back against Trump's racist, right-wing agenda.

The rally and march were called for by Chicana activists who used social media to get the word out. Recent protests in Los Angeles have brought out large crowds of Chicanos ready to stand up and fight, with the last one, on February 2, drawing tens of thousands who took to the streets. That afternoon protesters even took over the 101 Freeway, shutting it down for hours and completely overwhelming LAPD, LASD and CHP, which were completely unprepared and caught off guard by Raza fighting back.

The rally and march on Presidents’ Day was officially endorsed and supported by the Community Self-Defense Coalition, which is a new coalition recently announced in Los Angeles, consisting of over 60 organizations and unions. Growing every day, the Community Self-Defense Coalition is determined to defend Raza out in the streets in the face of attacks by migra. The program featured speakers from different members of the coalition like Centro CSO, Union Del Barrio, Black Alliance for Peace SoCal and many more. The spirited march made stops at the Metropolitan Detention Center and City Hall before circling back to Placita Olvera.

During the march, the large protest had a soundtrack and that played music, and ledchants like “Raza si, migra no! ” “La que no salta es migra” (Whoever doesn’t jump is migra) and “El Pueblo unido jamás será vencido” (The people united will never be defeated). The march had multiple banners of the different organizations as well dozens of flags representing countries in South America, Central America, Palestine, and Lebanon.

The leading truck flew a large Aztlán flag through the sunny spring morning in Los Angeles. When the march passed through historic Little Tokyo, the organizers shouted out and gave their respects to the Japanese people who themselves were forcefully displaced and put into concentration camps by the United States during World War II.

Veria Topete, a member of Centro CSO, said at the rally, “It felt very beautiful and empowering being with our community, standing in unity to let our brothers and sisters know that it’s not just their fight it’s our fight and they are not alone. That we are here to stand up and defend them.”

Karina Lopez, who represented Centro CSO on the program, said, “Don’t let this be the last action you take. This is only the beginning of the struggle that we have ahead of us when we organize and connect our struggles, we build power. Trump is also saying he will take over Gaza, we say hands off Palestine! Our fight against repression is connected with the fight to liberate Palestine!”

Centro CSO is a grassroots organization focused on fighting for oppressed Chicanos in East Los Angeles and Boyle Heights. They uplift the demands of Legalization for All, Community Control of the Police and Protect Public Education. They are proud members of the Legalization 4 All Network and affiliates of the National Alliance against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR).

You can find them on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook under the username @CentroCSO

#LosAngelesCA #NAARPR #Legalization4All #LegalizationforAll #ELA #BoyleHeights #Chicano #VivaLaRaza #NoDeportations #ICE #ImmigrantRights #Immigration #FreePalestine #Aztlan #Trump #PresidentsDay #LAPD #LASD #CHP

Los Angeles, CA – Chicano high school students took to the streets, February 20, to protest Trump's ICE raids, arrests, and deportations. All over the city, LAUSD students walked out of school chanting “Stop Donald Trump” and “Raza si, migra no.”

Centro CSO organizers supported East LA students at Garfield High School (GHS) by providing sound, large banners and snacks on the warm day. Gabriel Quiroz Jr led chants with the energetic students like, “Viva La Raza, viva Mexico!”

The GHS students marched to Torres High School to unite the march with more students. The march continued in the heart of East LA with many neighbors waving and honking their horns in support.

The marchers arrived at Mariachi Plaza where students from over six high schools had already arrived for an energetic rally. SEIU 721 provided a large truck and sound system. Many students spoke, denouncing Trump and ICE, expressing support for their families and community.

Longtime Chicano revolutionary Carlos Montes also participated in the march, being a graduate of GHS and a leader in the original ELA high school walkout of March 1968. “I have to be here with you to say no deportations,” stated Montes.

During the rally several LAPD police officers attempted to quickly enter the plaza, but they were met by several safety monitors wearing bright yellow vests asking police not to enter the plaza as this was a well-organized event. One of the LAPD officers, Johnny Altamirano aggressively pushed and knocked down Felipe Cazares, director of external organizing for SEIU 721, who has provided support for the students for the last two weeks. Felipe was laid flat on the sidewalk.

More safety monitors formed a line in front of the police in an attempt to de-escalate the situation. But officer Altamirano called for backup until over 20 police arrived, many wearing helmets and batons. The safety monitors held their line and asked the students to continue the rally and ignore the police. Eventually the police left, and the rally continued without any further incident. Felipe Cazares was taken to the LA General Hospital and released shaken, bruised but not deterred to support our students and community.

#LosAngelesCA #SEIU721 #ELA #GHS #LA #chicano #vivalaraza #Immigration #ImmigrantRights #legalization4all #legalizationforall #nodeportations #ICE #policecrimes

Los Angeles, CA – A dozen local activists disrupted a National Night Out event held at Boyle Heights’ Hollenbeck Police Station on Tuesday, August 6. The determined Chicano activists are part of Centro CSO, a local grassroots organization that mobilized to disrupt LAPD’S propaganda event. Centro CSO demanded accountability and to “jail killer cops.”

Organizers brought banners, chanted and marched the streets in protest of the “peace march”

organized by the Los Angeles Police Department. The protesters were declaring that there can be “No peace without justice!” The police program was disrupted, the protesters did not let the captain from LAPD Hollenbeck station give his speech, as they yelled out the names of Chicanos murdered by officers from Hollenbeck station.

The yearly National Night Out propaganda event is organized by police departments all across the United States in an attempt to wash the blood off their hands, but Centro CSO was there to make sure that the police department knew that their crimes will not be forgiven, and that accountability is needed!

Protesters waited at the end of the march with a banner reading “LAPD, stop killing brown and Black people!” and “Jail killer cops!” Activists were vocal in uplifting the names of Christian Escobedo, Jesse Romero, Jose Mendez and Omar Gonzalez, who were all murdered by LAPD officers that work out of the Hollenbeck Police Station.

They also called out officers of Hollenbeck Police Station who have murdered Chicanos, such as Eden Medina, who murdered both Omar Gonzalez and Jesse Ro