Venezuela – A great confrontation is under way in Venezuela. On one side stands Venezuela’s elite – backed by the Bush administration and the big oil companies. On the other side of the barricades stand Venezuela’s oppressed and patriotic, people who are rallying around their progressive president, Hugo Chávez.

The U.S. Bolivarian Circles and the Colombia Action Network are organizing a joint contingent for the September 24th, 2005, March on Washington to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq.  We will announce our rallying point at a later date, but we promise to be visible on the streets in front of the White House!

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following account from the Bolivarian Contingent that participated in the Sept. 24 march against the war on Iraq.

In addition to the internal debates over the future of labor, there are two struggles over foreign policies that will happen at the July convention of the AFL-CIO. One is a campaign underway to get the AFL-CIO to break its ties with the National Endowment for Democracy. A second is to end AFL-CIO support for the state of Israel’s occupation and oppression of Palestine.

Pedro Eusse is the Secretary General of the Food and Beverage Union, and the Secretary General of the United Confederation of Venezuelan Workers (CUTV).

Caracas, Venezuela – Despite the rain, 500 people demonstrated here, at Plaza Venezuela, Aug. 1, to protest Israel’s attacks on Lebanon and Gaza, and the U.S. support for Israel’s` offensives. Speakers, poets and singers denounced U.S. imperialism and Zionism from the stage.

Venezuelan socialists netted another electoral victory, Feb. 15, winning a popular referendum on constitutional changes. The changes will remove the two-term limit on elected office.