Milwaukee, WI – More than 20 people filled a room at the Urban Ecology Center in the Silver City neighborhood on April 29 to hear a report from Freedom Road Socialist Organization member Omar Flores on his recent trip to Venezuela. Flores was one part of a FRSO delegation that was invited to participate in a special conference that coincided with the tenth anniversary of the death of Comandante Hugo Chavez, the former Venezuelan president and one of the primary figures behind the ongoing Bolivarian Revolution.

Flores spoke broadly about his time in Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela. The differences between day to day life in Venezuela versus what his experiences have been living in Milwaukee are what stood out to him the most through his trip.

“I think something that was really substantial was getting to meet people from the FMLN, people that were held as political prisoners, people from radical organizations that have been painted as enemies by the United States, is that U.S. imperialism is what brought us all together in that space,” said Flores. “Imperialism is so wide-reaching, but getting to see it in a very tangible way, getting to meet people who’d be directly impacted by it, was impactful.”

“The first thing we saw when we arrived in the country was a person sitting behind a desk, and they’re wearing military garb, and we saw that they had a bunch of insignia that were in support of socialism and communism,” Flores continued. “We can be in that role, for those of us in Freedom Road, this is the future that we’re fighting for, for people that look like us, people we can identify with, being the ones that are running the show.”

“Walking through the city as an American was actually kind of unsettling. We saw thousands of murals that were in support of socialism, in support of communism, and [in support of] internationalism in general. What I didn’t see so much of was advertisements, just empowering revolutionary art,” Flores said. “We walked up to buildings to check them out and there were always people standing outside them telling us to come in. We were confused by this. We don’t have to pay for this, like, you’re not gonna yell at us for trespassing or tell us we can’t use the bathroom or any of that other weird stuff that we get in America? These beautiful places are all just public spaces and anybody can have access to them and they’re not really discriminatory about who could come in or out. That was something really notable, that everything seems to be a public space.”

More than the culture shock, Flores talked about the ways in which the Bolivarian Revolution has transformed society at all levels for people, whether it’s the community, the military, or the government itself.

“When the conference began, we got to hear a handful of speakers, and they were some of the most impactful. One of them, a woman – I can’t remember her name – told this story about how she lived in the slums and still does. The story here in the U.S. is, like, ‘Oh, I lived in the bad neighborhood, or the ghetto, and then I made it out,’ but in Venezuela it’s very different,” Flores said. “For them, it’s more like ‘Well, I lived in the slums and then I made the slums better with my community because we were given that opportunity by the government.’ This was a common story that we heard from a lot of the government officials because they’re all basically recruited from the barrios that they’re from.”

Flores went on: “Another speaker was dressed in military attire and kinda looked like what you might expect a right-winger to look like here in the U.S. so I was kinda unsettled. But then I heard him talk and what he was saying was that the military isn’t like in the U.S. They’re not a rich people’s army, they’re never gonna fight for the corporations; they’re working people in military clothing, and they’ll always operate with that in mind.”

“Delcy Rodriguez, the vice president of Venezuela, spoke about the need for something called a pluripolar world. What that means is we don’t just need different poles in the world challenging U.S. hegemony, but we need socialist poles, progressive poles, to move the world along,” Flores continued. “She said that while multipolarity is a good thing, we also need to be fighting for socialism. Multipolarity alone is not gonna take down imperialism, only socialism can. Hearing the vice president of a country saying that was really exceptional.”

Later in his presentation, Flores highlighted how many buildings that had previously belonged to the rich, like big high rises and corporate banking offices, had been appropriated and repurposed for the people for things like housing and the like.

Another focus of the trip and Flores's report was the case of imprisoned Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab. Saab was kidnapped during a diplomatic trip to Iran when his team stopped for fuel in Cabo Verde nearly three years ago. He has been languishing illegally in federal custody in Miami ever since. Saab is being denied critical medical attention. A court hearing in Miami earlier this year denied him his freedom on the grounds that the U.S. government doesn't recognize him as a diplomat because they don't recognize the Venezuelan government that issued him his credentials in the first place, a bogus argument that they're using to cover for the violation of established international law.

After the question-and-answer section, emcee Alan Chavoya promoted the ongoing spring fundraising campaign launched by FRSO several weeks before. Between all of the attendees, the FRSO Wisconsin managed to raise $800.

The evening ended with a special message from Chavoya, which was first delivered in English and then once more in Spanish:

“We’re gathered here today on April 29, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with members of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization and others who are interested in expressing anti-imperialist solidarity with the people and government of Venezuela, led by the United Socialist Party of Venezuela. Specifically, we are demanding that President Joe Biden end the unjust sanctions against Venezuela. We’re also demanding an end to the unlawful detention of Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab. And we demand all of this now! Free Alex Saab!”

#MilwaukeeWI #Venezuela #BolivarianRepublicOfVenezuela #Americas

Caracas, Venezuela – It has now been more than 1000 days since Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab was first kidnapped by the U.S. government on the island of Cabo Verde, off the west coast of Africa. Since then, he’s been subjected to physical, psychological and chemical torture and moved to a federal detention center in Miami, Florida.

Two members of Minnesota's Anti-War Committee met with Saab’s wife, Camilla Fabri Saab, on Tuesday, March 7, alongside a delegation from the Alliance for Global Justice and progressive lawyers with the Free Alex Saab Movement. Camilla, Fabri Saab, mother to their two young daughters, provided updates on his case, emphasizing that his health has taken a severe turn for the worse.

Saab is missing several teeth due to beatings and has been denied access to all medical treatment beyond aspirin. Camilla’s account of the weaponization of psychiatric treatment in the Miami Detention Center was particularly shocking. First U.S. officials tortured Saab, then they diagnosed him with PTSD resulting from the torture that they themselves inflicted. Using that diagnosis as a pretext, Saab was forced to take pills which made him feel exhausted, dizzy and nauseous to such a degree that he was sometimes unable to even speak on the phone. Prison staff refused to tell him what was in these pills, and it was only after Alex Saab's lawyers intervened that this chemical torture ended.

Saab is a diabetic cancer survivor, making the Miami FDC’s decision to deny him medical attention especially cruel and life-threatening. Four weeks ago, he began to vomit blood. Despite this, he is still being denied the right to see a doctor. Saab’s rapidly deteriorating health means that the urgency of his fight for freedom intensifies day by day.

Everything indicates that this medical mistreatment is intentional U.S. policy, an extension of efforts to immiserate the Venezuelan people as a whole. The dark irony of Saab being deprived of healthcare is that he is being targeted for his efforts to bring exactly that – healthcare – to the people of Venezuela. Under a U.S.-led blockade that prevented Venezuela from importing basic goods like food, medicine, fuel and agricultural supplies, many Venezuelans suffered tremendously. Saab traveled the world as a diplomat for the Venezuelan government in order to secure the basic, critical supplies needed to save Venezuelans from starvation and death by preventable illnesses.

Camilla also provided the Anti-War Committee with an internal U.S. government email from Elliot Abrams, a neoconservative and former U.S. Special Representative for Venezuela. She described this email as a “smoking gun.” District Judge Robert Scola’s ruling against Alex Saab in December of last year relied on the assertion that he is not a diplomat and thus doesn’t have any diplomatic immunity. In the email Camilla presented, however, Abrams admits that Saab was in possession of a diplomatic passport and suggests that the U.S. will have to find a way to discredit the passport, such as claiming that it is a fake, in order to successfully prosecute him. The case against Alex Saab has been clearly politically motivated and illegal from the beginning, but this new evidence is concrete proof.

Since the visit, Camilla and the Free Alex Saab Movement have continued the fight, holding the U.S. government squarely responsible for Saab’s life. Their current demands are:

For the International Committee of the Red Cross to send a representative to the Miami Detention Center; for the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights to denounce Saab’s imprisonment as an illegal detention and a violation of human rights; for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to denounce the illegal detention of a diplomat by the U.S. as a violation of international law; and, immediate freedom for Alex Saab.

Activists in the U.S. know we cannot rely on the legal system to do its job and free Alex Saab. The U.S. government willingly violated international law. It will take a concerted, popular struggle for Saab to see his family again. The Free Alex Saab Movement is calling for activists to take to the streets for a National Week of Action from May 1-7 to build the movement and show U.S. leaders that we will not stand by while Saab, and Venezuelan people as a whole, are criminally attacked.

Free Alex Saab!

#CaracasVenezuela #Caracas #Venezuela #AlexSaab #BolivarianRepublicOfVenezuela #Americas

Caracas, Venezuela – On March 4 a member of the Minnesota Anti-War Committee visited the Feria Conuquera Agroecológico (Agroecological Small Farmer's Market) in Caracas’ Caobos Park and interviewed activist and biologist Giselle Perdomo. Perdomo, who organizes the farmer’s market, detailed how U.S. sanctions have impacted both the struggle for food sovereignty and her own family.

The market is run by Chavistas but is not itself a government program. It works to bring farmers from in and around Caracas to sell in the city. Under the weight of U.S. sanctions, food is very difficult to import into the country, but in the last couple of years the country has seen vast improvements in food sovereignty: Venezuela now produces 94% of its own food after importing 80% for the last 100 years. The farmer’s market is a small part of that effort.

Perdomo’s group also defends Venezuela’s revolutionary 2015 Seed Law that outlawed the use of transgenic or GMO seeds. Without the laws, Venezuelan farmers would be pressured to adopt seeds supplied by transnational GMO corporations in order to sell their crops on the international market. Under that system farmers must buy specially designed seeds, fertilizer and herbicide from the agricultural monopolies year after year, becoming fully dependent. Although the law was passed after his death, Hugo Chávez led the fight against transgenic foods. In one instance he ended a soybean contract with GMO giant Monsanto in 2005, advocating that the land be used instead for indigenous crops and calling transgenics a threat to the nation’s food sovereignty.

Promoting indigenous foods remains key today, although there are hurdles in getting the people to accept them over the international market foods they are accustomed to. Perdomo explained, “So, for example, I plant something that's called purple yam. And even Venezuelans don't know what it is, right? So I offer it here in the market, and many people just ask, you know, what's that? Because it looks like the color of beets. So people just look at it, it's weird. And they go on. So we need to try and change people's attitudes towards things that are local.” To this end the fair bakes the yams into bread to get people used to the taste and works on educating about local foods, how to make organic pesticides, and farming techniques.

Perdomo lost her six-year-old son in part because of the horrors of a medical system under attack by the U.S. Many doctors fled the country, live-saving medicines and equipment were impossible to import, and at times the electricity was spotty in hospitals. “My son, he had difficulties with his muscles. They were all very hard, so he couldn't breathe very well. He couldn't cough. So if he got a cold that was a life threatening thing for him. And taking him to a public hospital was just heartbreaking, because you saw kids queuing up to breathe, to get to the one piece of equipment that’s working. You know, the lighting sometimes didn't work. And then it was just chaos. It was chaos. You should be able to, you know, have a hospital that doesn't give you nightmares.”

It’s different now. Medicines like those that Perdomo’s son needed are more easily available, but it’s cold comfort to her and others who have lost loved ones to the U.S.’s cruel unilateral coercive measures.

The Caobos Park is full of farmers with stands selling fresh produce – plantains, vegetables, honey and much more. One man sells homemade rice wine, and a woman makes infused tea bags. Next to the market a government health program has tents set up to fight obesity. They give people free check-ups and vaccinations, and there is a dance party, soccer and games to promote wellness. Thanks to their enormous strength of will and a people-oriented government, Venezuelans have been able to claw back a sense of normalcy, but still suffer under the economic pressure. Organizations like the Anti-War Committee still call for an end to the U.S. sanctions regime.

But the very nature of the U.S. hybrid war campaign makes it harder to organize around than a traditional invasion. Nevertheless, Perdomo says the anti-imperialist movement must persist: “It has impacts on human health, just like wars with bombs do. And it has impacts on emotional health, just like wars with bombs do. The most insidious thing is that people don't consider it to be war. Therefore there's not a whole lot of newspapers talking about the war on Venezuela because if there aren't explosions, then there isn’t outrage. And there should be outrage because we are suffering, we have suffered. But the flip side of that is we have made resistance a lifestyle and we have made happiness in the face of struggle a lifestyle.”

#CaracasVenezuela #Caracas #Venezuela #BolivarianRepublicOfVenezuela #Americas

New Orleans, LA – On March 11, protesters took to the streets to demand the release of Venezuelan diplomat and political prisoner Alex Saab. The march began at Armstrong Park, where activist Simon Miscenich of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization spoke on the details of Alex Saab’s kidnapping and impending trial.

The U.S. ordered Saab’s illegal imprisonment in Cabo Verde in June 2020. He was on his way to Iran, where he would negotiate access to food, medicine and other vital goods, which U.S. trade sanctions bar Venezuelans from accessing. Saab was extradited to the U.S. in October 2021, and he still awaits trial in Miami, Florida to face false charges of “money laundering” – a charge the U.S. frequently asserts against political foes. March 9, 2023 marked 1000 days since Saab’s unjust imprisonment.

After hearing details of Saab’s case, activists took to the street and marched several blocks. They held a lane of traffic and chanted alongside cars, “One, two three, four! We won’t pay for sanction war!” and “Free, free Alex Saab!”

Finally, the group gathered in front of a monument of Simon Bolivar on Canal Street, which was gifted to New Orleans by Venezuela in 1957. Antonia Mar, another member of FRSO, connected the kidnapping of Alex Saab and the strangling sanctions on Venezuela to a long history of U.S. imperialism in Latin America. The U.S. has historically attempted to bend the continent to its own will for economic gain, but Mar stated, “The Venezuelan government refuses to be subservient to U.S. hegemony, refuses to be victimized by the U.S.’s attempts to gain control over the country.”

The march concluded with several chants calling to “Free Alex Saab!” and “End the killer sanctions now!”

#NewOrleansLA #Venezuela #AlexSaab #BolivarianRepublicOfVenezuela #Americas

Caracas, Venezuela – The Freedom Road Socialist Organization delegation to Venezuela visited downtown Caracas, March 2, and spoke with working-class Venezuelan people. Delegation members include Chicano activist Carlos Montes, student organizer Enya Silva and anti-police crimes activist Omar Flores.

The group visited the home of Simon Bolivar (the Liberator), Bolivar Plaza, and several historic sites. Carlos Montes said, “I enjoyed the popular theater performance in the outside plaza with the public of all ages watching, and the displays of Simon Bolivar.”

FRSO delegate Omar Flores stated, “The city is exceptionally clean, I did not see any homeless people, which is in stark contrast to what I’ve seen in large U.S. cities. Living in the most segregated city in the U.S., Milwaukee, it is also stunning how integrated Caracas is.”

The delegation is participating in an anti-imperialist conference hosted by the PSUV, United Socialist Party of Venezuela, to honor and promote the work and legacy of Hugo Chavez, who passed away ten years ago on March 5.

The group viewed many murals dedicated to Chavez and the Bolivarian Revolution throughout the city, as well as murals calling for an end to the blockade on Cuba; celebrating the victory over fascism at Stalingrad; and calling for the liberation of Palestine. Organizers for the conference are working to promote unity in Latin America and against U.S. imperialism. The demand to stop U.S. sanctions on Venezuela and freedom for diplomat Alex Saab will also be raised.

#CaracasVenezuela #Caracas #Venezuela #Americas #PeoplesStruggles #FreedomRoadSocialistOrganization #Socialism #BolivarianRepublicOfVenezuela

Caracas. Venezuela – On March 1, a Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) delegation landed in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas. Members of FRSO report being shown great hospitality from the Venezuelan people. These members of FRSO were invited to attend an anti-imperialist conference being hosted in Caracas.

FRSO member Enya Silva stated, “I’m excited to learn about how the Venezuelan people continue to grow their economy despite U.S. sanctions, which are specifically used to undermine the Bolivarian government.” The conference will also cover the subject of Alex Saab’s unjust detention in the United States. Enya Silva had been present in the courtroom when Alex Saab was on trial in the U.S. and will be reporting on her experience.

While the United States has reported Caracas as being a desolate wasteland, members of FRSO have reported that the city is thriving. FRSO member Omar Flores stated, “There is an abundance of food, public transit and commuters heading out to their jobs.”

#CaracasVenezuela #Caracas #Venezuela #BolivarianRepublicOfVenezuela #Americas

In his ruling, Judge Scola wrote, “Saab Moran cannot be entitled to diplomatic immunity because he could not – as a matter of law – have been an agent of the Venezuelan government. At the time of his arrest, Saab Moran was, at best, a special envoy of the Maduro regime, which the United States has not recognized to be the official government of Venezuela since January 2019. So, Saab Moran is not entitled to diplomatic immunity in the United States.”

Tom Burke with the Campaign to Free Alex Saab said, “It is clear the White House and State Department are criminalizing the Venezuelan diplomat responsible for defeating U.S. sanctions. Alex Saab made big trade deals that brought food, medicine, oil industry machine parts, and other materials to Venezuela in exchange for oil and gold. Saab defeated every U.S. effort to strangle the Venezuelan economy. Saab helped to advance the Bolivarian revolution, benefiting all the working people and their children, and U.S. leaders aren't happy about that.”

Cassia Laham, a Miami anti-war activist, said, “The U.S. government’s legal arguments were weak and pathetic. In any other court, in any other country, Alex Saab would have walked free. The judge's ruling proved the political nature of this case and of Saab's kidnapping. The U.S. deems Venezuela a ‘national security threat’ simply because it takes care of its own people without bowing to the dictates of U.S. imperialism. And this can only be done with the help of heroes like Alex Saab.”

In June of 2020, the U.S. government blocked Alex Saab’s plane, which was in route to Iran, forcing it to land in Cape Verde. Saab was on his way to Iran on behalf of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to secure resources and humanitarian goods for the people of Venezuela. Then it asked Cape Verde's government to arrest Saab and detain him. The next day an Interpol arrest warrant suddenly appeared. U.S. intelligence agents rifled through Saab’s belongings and opened his Venezuelan government diplomatic pouch and sealed documents, an outrage to diplomats everywhere.

Then, in October 2021, the U.S. renditioned Saab to Miami, Florida despite there being no extradition treaty between the United States and Cape Verde. This occurred one day before an election in Cape Verde where the leading candidate promised to release Saab if elected.

Since then, Saab's defense team has tried challenge this illegal farce by proving his status as a diplomat. All indications are that Judge Scola’s ruling was a foregone conclusion discussed at the highest levels of the Biden White House and Antony Blinken's State Department.

 There will be an appeal from Alex Saab’s defense team, including the thorough fact-based defense arguments of Jonathan New. This, though, will force Alex Saab to sit in a Miami prison cell for many weeks, perhaps months longer than the 900 days the U.S. has already detained him.

Laham said, “Alex Saab is being punished by the U.S. empire because he was successful at beating U.S. sanctions. He is one of many political prisoners being held in U.S. prisons and we know he will not find justice inside a U.S. courtroom.”

#MiamiFL #Venezuela #PoliticalPrisoners #sanctions #AlexSaab #BolivarianRepublicOfVenezuela #Americas

Miami, FL- Nearly 30 international solidarity, peace and justice activists packed into a crowded courtroom at the Wilke Ferguson Federal Courthouse in downtown Miami on the morning of Monday, December 12 to show support for kidnapped Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab. The special hearing before federal judge Robert Scola, Jr. was on a motion by Saab’s defense team to dismiss the charges against him because he is an official diplomat of the Venezuelan government and should therefore be immune from any prosecution in the United States.

Alex Saab was illegally imprisoned on the island Republic of Cabo Verde, at the directive of the United States on June 12, 2020, for “conspiracy to commit money laundering.” It is an entirely fabricated charge but one that is often used by the United States against those who it views as political opponents. The action was taken in secret, without notifying his defense team and without any necessary or relevant documentation. Alex Saab was then illegally renditioned to the United States from Cabo Verde [also known as Cape Verde] – which does not have an extradition treaty with the United States – on October 16, 2021.

In Miami, local activists were joined by supporters from across the state and country, and even from as far away as Tunisia. They gathered at 8 a.m. outside of the federal courthouse with signs and a banner that read, “Free Alex Saab! Venezuelan diplomat: Kidnapped by the empire.”

At 9 a.m. the activists made their way into the courtroom to witness the hearing. Sitting behind the defense bench, they watched as Alex Saab entered the room a moment later, escorted by federal marshals. He was in a light-brown prisoner uniform, with shackles around his waist and feet, all connected to the handcuffs around his wrists. He wore navy blue Adidas sandals with white socks, his hair was tied in a bun, revealing a tattoo on his neck with his wife’s name: Camila. He seemed in good health and good spirits and conversed with his lawyers.

The defense began its case with the first of three witnesses, and myriad official documents from the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Bolivarian Republican of Venezuela, and even documents from former U.S. government officials – all of which should prove Saab’s status as a special envoy to Iran for the Venezuelan government since 2018.

One of his defense attorneys, Jonathan New, began opening arguments by putting Saab’s 2020 arrest into context.

“Venezuela was trying to overcome years of crippling economic sanctions placed upon it by the United States,” New said. “It was under these circumstances that President Nicolas Maduro appointed Alex Saab as a special envoy to undertake missions to Iran to access secure food, medicine and fuel for Venezuela.”

He explained how the U.S. sanctions, coupled with the global economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, made Saab’s job securing humanitarian goods for the people of Venezuela even more important. He added that Saab traveled multiple times to Iran, “at great personal risk to Mr. Saab given that we were at the height of the COVID pandemic and nowhere close to having vaccines ready.”

The defense showed that the United States knew about these diplomatic trips, and in fact reported on them in various news outlets. As a special envoy, Saab had successfully negotiated with the Iranian government multiple times and secured oil tankers, medical supplies and food from Iran to Venezuela.

“This did not sit well with the United States, as Saab was actively working to reduce the effects of U.S. sanctions,” said attorney New.

The defense went on to say that the issue before the court is simply to decide whether Alex Saab was a special envoy for Venezuela when he was arrested in Cape Verde. If so, the court must dismiss U.S. government’s phony conspiracy charges against him and set him free. As attorney New noted: “If it looks like a duck, acts like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck. Mr. Saab was and is a special envoy.”

Meanwhile the strategy by the prosecution, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Kramer, was less clear. On the one hand, Kramer stated the prosecution will attempt to prove that the legal documents from Venezuela pertaining to Saab’s diplomatic status were somehow forged or falsified; on the other hand, he said the prosecution will also argue that Saab had a “different” type of diplomatic status that does not fall under the Vienna Convention’s diplomatic immunity agreement. It seemed like the government is grasping at straws with these two wildly disparate arguments.

The hearing will continue through the week. More updates from Miami to come.

#MiamiFL #Venezuela #AlexSaab #BolivarianRepublicOfVenezuela #Americas

Miami, FL – An important hearing takes place on Monday, December 12 in the case of Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab. With solidarity activists planning to protest outside the Federal Court building in Miami chanting, “Free Alex Saab,” inside a judge will hear arguments from Saab’s defense that should force him to be set free.

Saab’s defense will assert his status as a Special Envoy to the President of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro. As a special envoy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, he is immune to prosecution by the U.S. government.

“The U.S. is singling out Alex Saab for punishment because he is key to bypassing the illegal U.S. sanctions placed upon Venezuela,” says Cassia Laham of the Free Alex Saab Committee. “This kidnapping of a diplomat comes after multiple illegal attempts by the United States at coup d’états and regime change against the Venezuelan government.”

All the U.S. maneuvers against Venezuela have failed so far. In 2002, popularly elected President Hugo Chavez reversed the U.S. backed coup. Later that year, Chavez defeated a management lockout of the oil industry by firing 18,000 managers and bosses. The current president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, defeated another U.S. backed coup on April 30, 2019. Then in 2020 Maduro foiled a U.S. mercenary-led invasion force who were captured by people’s militias before they even hit the beach.

“Alex Saab has done nothing wrong. He certainly does not belong in a U.S. jail,” said Tom Burke, with the Committee to Stop FBI Repression. “He’s a special envoy who made trade deals for food, medicine, technology, and other things that benefit the Venezuelan people. It is U.S. sanctions that need to be on trial. U.S. sanctions are illegal, an act of war.”

Alex Saab was illegally imprisoned in the Republic of Cabo Verde at the directive of the United States on June 12, 2020. Then he was illegally renditioned to Miami from Cabo Verde, despite there being no extradition treaty, on October 16, 2021.

Under the Vienna Convention, a credentialed diplomat such as Saab has absolute immunity from arrest, even in a time of war. Saab has also appealed to the US 11th Circuit Court based on his diplomatic status.

Laham says, “It is now over 900 days since Alex Saab was first jailed by the United States. The U.S. is now negotiating for Venezuelan oil and needs to end the sanctions, war, and aggression against Venezuela. They need to respect Venezuela and reestablish normal ties.”

Burke and Laham will join other solidarity activists and rally to “Free Alex Saab!” on Monday, December 12 at 8 a.m., Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. U.S. Courthouse, 400 N Miami Avenue, Miami, Florida.

There is also a protest to “Free Alex Saab!” in New York City at the United Nations, 46th Street and First Avenue, at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, December 9.

Then a large Milwaukee coalition hosts a Human Rights Day program at 4 p.m., Saturday December 10, at 2319 East Kenwood Boulevard that includes the movie, Alex Saab: A Kidnapped Diplomat.

As well, there will be a Detroit protest demanding “Free Alex Saab!” at the Rosa Parks Federal Building in at 6 p.m., 333 Mount Elliott Street, on Monday, December 12.

#MiamiFL #Venezuela #HandsOffVenezuela #AlexSaab #BolivarianRepublicOfVenezuela #Americas

Los Angeles, CA – This past weekend, the Los Angeles district of FRSO hosted Venezuelan political activist Dozthor Zurlent as he continued his speaking tour of the United States. Zurlent is a political activist and was an advisor to the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. He's currently traveling the country to talk about the successes and current challenges facing the Bolivarian Revolution, as well as using his trip to rally support for Alex Saab, a Venezuelan diplomat who is being held hostage by the U.S. government. Zurlent’s other stops on tour included Florida and Wisconsin in late October and early November.

The event was held November 20 at the Church of the Epiphany in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles. The choice of venue was intentional as the church has a long history of supporting and sheltering activists and revolutionaries. In the past it served as a shelter for refugees from El Salvador, provided protection for Brown Berets as well as being the headquarters of La Raza, a Chicano newspaper published in the 1960s and 70s.

After a brief introduction on the guest speaker and the history of the church by FRSO and National Alliance against Racist and Political Repression members Sol Marquez and Luis Sifuentes, Zurlent began his speech. He started by talking about how both Venezuela and Aztlan are linked together, saying, “This is a land of struggle, a land of courage. People are linked together in struggle in spite of the fascists. It is the struggle of generations, and we are part of that struggle. Only through revolution will we achieve a society where we can all live together in unity.”

After his opening remarks, the audiences were then shown a brief video on Alex Saab, before Dozthor started the second part of his presentation, where he spoke at length about the goals and achievements of the people of Venezuela highlighting their ongoing struggle against imperialism, or what he called the “supra state,” and the people’s mission to build a communal state from the bottom up rather than the top down.

One of the major successes that Zurlent mentioned was the massive housing initiative first undertaken by Hugo Chavez that has since resulted in millions of houses being built all across the country.

The next part of the presentation focused on the sanctions that the United States has imposed on Venezuela. Zurlent said “The goal of the sanctions was to hurt the country, but the Venezuelan people are the ones who are the most hurt. They want us to get desperate, to say it's all Maduro's fault and to overthrow him. But we already have defeated all their tricks. They've tried three times to kill Maduro, they've tried to sabotage our water, to make our lives miserable and to promote a civil war. But in spite of all this, we continue to grow.”

Since 2014, the United States has levied many sanctions against Venezuela and its government in attempt to cripple the South American nation's economy and force them to sell their resources such as their oil reserves, which are among the largest in the world to American corporations.

Dozthor concluded his speech by restating Venezuela's commitment to the masses, by saying, “This is not a top down revolution. We're not in a hurry to declare ourselves a socialist country, but we are in a hurry to build popular power. We are not going to give up, we are going to continue to build this new system.”

After he finished speaking, the next speaker, Carlos Montes of FRSO, spoke briefly about the history of international solidarity and cooperation that Freedom Road has with Venezuela.

The final speakers for the evening were Jenny Bekenstein of FRSO and Centro CSO and Jared Hamil, a Teamster Shop Steward at UPS and an FRSO member. The two of them talked about their experience in Venezuela. Bekenstein said, “I was impressed by the high level of political consciousness the average worker in Venezuela has. They all have an encyclopedic knowledge of their nation and its history. It's really their first line of defense against imperialism.”

Hamil talked about the need for workers to show solidarity, saying, “The owners of UPS are the same class at home as they are in Venezuela. The average worker in the U.S. has more in common with the average worker in Venezuela than they do with their boss. I urge everybody to show solidarity with workers abroad, but don't forget to fight your boss at home.”

#LosAngelesCA #Venezuela #BolivarianRepublicOfVenezuela #Americas

Milwaukee, WI – Dozthor Zurlent, a lifelong political activist and one-time advisor to the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, has been touring the U.S. since mid-October talking about the achievements and the struggles of the Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela. His trip has also raised the call to free Alex Saab, a Venezuelan diplomat being held as a political prisoner in the U.S. After beginning his travels in Florida and then moving on to Michigan, Zurlent made three separate stops across the state of Wisconsin, engaging enthusiastic activists in each place.

He made his first stop in Wisconsin on October 29, visiting the campus at Lawrence University in Appleton. After a three-day stint that saw him travel to both Chicago and Minneapolis, Zurlent returned to Wisconsin for a presentation in Madison on November 2 and finally a talk in Milwaukee on November 3. These events were all hosted by the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) with co-hosts from the Appleton and Milwaukee branches of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) in their respective cities.

Zurlent’s presentations focused primarily on a few specific examples of the gains made by the working and oppressed peoples of Venezuela as a result of the process that continues through the Bolivarian Revolution.

“What’s happening now in Venezuela, any student, any graduated student from high school, has the opportunity, not only to go to higher education, but those who didn’t have access to education before, now have special plans, and they can go to university now. Those who were working in menial jobs and stuff, now they have university degrees, they have masters, they have doctorates,” said Zurlent of the construction of new universities that led to more than 200,000 new college students and the elimination of illiteracy in the country.

Zurlent continued, “That’s what you get when you have a government that is really concerned with the well-being of the people. That’s what you get when you have a government that really works hard to provide for people, and to make people involved in the resolution of problems.”

Since 2012, when then-president Hugo Chavez launched the Great Mission Housing Venezuela, millions of homes have been built for the most impoverished in the country.

“Two days ago, we reached 4.2 million houses built. And it is the house for the family that was very poor, and they get it for free. 4.2 million free housing units for people in the country. If you multiply that by four, the average family in Venezuela, you have 16 million people who have benefited from the housing,” Zurlent explained.

“And they don’t have to pay taxes on those houses – we think that mortgage and taxes are a second form of slavery. Because you are now paying off your mortgage for your whole life, to a wealthy bank owner, and if some reason, you get sick or you get an emergency and you can’t continue paying, they take your house away, you lose everything. And on top of that, let’s say that you pay off the mortgage and everything, you still have to pay taxes every year,” Zurlent continued. “In Venezuela, you don’t have to pay taxes on your house. And if someone, let’s say for some reason you ask for a loan, and you lost your job or something happens and you can’t pay the loan, the bank can’t take your house. It’s your house! [If] it's your primary house, no one can take it away from you. It’s a right. Your house is a right.”

Other points Zurlent highlighted include the overwhelming leadership of women in the development and carrying out of the revolutionary policies, particularly regarding the local control over production and resolving issues at the grassroots level. He spoke in some detail about this local structure, discussing the different units of organization from the “street council” to the “commune” to the “communal city”, and how the people in the communities have a direct say over what is produced and why.

Similarly, Zurlent spoke about the evolution of law enforcement and policing in Venezuela since the start of the Bolivarian Revolution. Revolutionary education and training of the police has transformed them from an institution that existed previously to uphold the interests of the rich and powerful into a body that protects the people’s interests and the laws that benefit the majority. Most police, especially at the local level, do not even carry weapons let alone guns. Zurlent shared an experience about when he got lunch in Milwaukee and was shocked when an officer sat nearby with an assortment of weapons on his person.

He also explained the different approach to simple criminal charges, using the anecdotal example of a person who broke into a home and stole some electronics. “In Venezuela, instead of being taken to jail, this person is brought before a local assembly and asked about why they did what they did,” Zurlent said. This practice is in sharp contrast to the way alleged crimes are handled in the U.S. with many people who are accused of violations serving time in jails and prisons when in fact they’re innocent.

Zurlent closed his presentations at each of his stops with a reminder about the resiliency of the Venezuelan people. He called for strengthening international solidarity between Venezuelans and the people of the U.S., and for advancing the struggle to take down imperialism once and for all.

“In spite of all the attempts of U.S. imperialism, but also from Europe, to subjugate and dominate and to overthrow our government, and to destroy our revolution, we are able to unite our struggle and fight back and defeat all their attempts, and not only defeat their attempts, but in resilience, and in resisting and advancing, we were able to keep some of our most wonderful programs working,” he said. “We kept building new houses. We kept providing people with free healthcare, with access to university. With all the limitations that the sanctions and blockades and COVID brought upon us, we didn’t give up.”

Zurlent continued, “And history has told us that the Venezuelan people are people who are willing to struggle. It was Venezuelan people who went to Colombia and liberated Colombia and Panama. It was the Venezuelan people who went to Ecuador and liberated Ecuador. It was the Venezuelan people who went to Peru to free Peru and Bolivia. And it is the Venezuelan people who are, right now, trying to open a new path for the rest of the people of the world, to tell them to count on us, we are there to struggle with you. It is only one struggle, and we can be a certain distance [apart], but distance doesn't matter if we are united, if we are willing to fight together, and if we are willing to build a new future.”

#MilwaukeeWI #HugoChavez #Venezuela #BolivarianRepublicOfVenezuela #Americas

Minneapolis, MN – On the night of November 1, Minnesotans gathered at an event hosted by the Anti-War Committee to hear a rare first-hand report from an advisor to former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, Dozthor Zurlent.

Zurlent, the author of Globalization of the Capitalist Crisis, Understanding Development, and Supra-State vs Communal State, spoke about the successes and hurdles faced by the revolutionary Bolivarian process, new diplomatic opportunities in today’s Latin America, and the imprisoned diplomat Alex Saab.

Beginning with a chant of international solidarity, Zurlent spoke about visiting George Floyd Square, the memorial at the location of George Floyd’s 2020 murder at the hands of the Minneapolis Police Department: “It doesn’t matter the distance, it doesn’t matter the borders, we are the same people. And George Floyd, the same as many others, [was] murdered by this criminal system that oppresses people not only here in the United States but all over the world. It really is a system that is trying to put people against the wall, a system that is all the time trying to put people down, and it’s a system that is looking to increase profits, increase their wealth at the expense of people.”

Zurlent explained that the revolutionary Bolivarian process in Venezuela is “creating a system built from the ground up and we call it the inversion of the pyramid where the base of the pyramid is at the top and the apex is at the bottom. Meaning, people at the top and the wealthy people at the bottom, with the head down of course.”

An example of this orientation is the government’s mission to provide housing to poor Venezuelans, with 4.2 million housing units built so far, providing housing for as much as half of the Venezuelan population.

Zurlent stated, “We as Venezuelans don’t have to pay taxes on the property of our houses. No one can take your house away from you. Housing is a human right in Venezuela. Even if you for some reason cannot pay a loan, no one can take your house as a collateral and no one can take your house away from you.”

Zurlent also spoke about the campaign to free Alex Saab, a Colombian-born Venezuelan diplomat who was involved in efforts to bring food, medicine and gasoline to Venezuela: “He was kidnapped in Cape Verde under direct U.S. orders. He was kept in captivity for over a year, and then he was transferred to the United States and he is still kidnapped in a United States jail in Miami. No real charges have been presented against him. And as a diplomat he has immunity, and still the U.S. didn’t respect that and they are still holding him illegally in a U.S. jail. So today we are asking for his liberation and demanding President Biden to immediately release Alex Saab from his illegal detention and to stop the blockade and the sanctions against Venezuela.”

Dozthor ended his report by saying, “If we want revolution, then we are revolutionaries. And that’s my proposal. Let’s call ourselves revolutionaries, and let’s create revolution, let’s change the structures of society, let’s create a real different world for all of us, for our children, for our future. And let’s create it together. Let’s work together. The Venezuelan people, the U.S. people, we are probably two countries formally, but we are one struggle. Thank you very much.”

#MinneapolisMN #HugoChavez #Venezuela #BolivarianRepublicOfVenezuela #Americas

Caracas, Venezuela – The United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) opened their 5th Congress, March 5, with music and a cheering crowd, followed by serious speeches of the PSUV leaders. The international delegation, including the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, with ambassadors from People’s Korea, China, South Africa, Cuba, Russia, Bolivia, Palestine and Nicaragua, were welcomed by every speaker.

Diosdado Cabello, first vice-president of the PSUV, described the 1572-plus delegates representing the workers, indigenous, Afro-Venezuelan, women and youth sectors participating. Women are more than half the delegates and more of the leadership. The largest PSUV section of members are in their thirties, having grown up with the Bolivarian Revolution. For nearly half the room this is their first congress.

In the afternoon, when Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro took the stage, he led a minute of raucous clapping and cheering in memory of President Hugo Chavez. It turned to chanting by the PSUV youth, “Chavez did not die! He made us millions!”

Flanked by the former President Evo Morales of Bolivia and the former president of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, and Vice President of Venezuela Delcy Rodrigues, Maduro spoke of the continuing struggle to develop and broaden the economy in Venezuela. The president spoke about the “at your door” food delivery for more than 70% of the people, the over 3 million new apartments and houses built, the necessity to start new production factories for the many goods that the U.S. embargo is trying to deny Venezuela. The U.S. policy is failing.

President Maduro hammered on the theme of the 5th Congress, “Resistance, Rebirth, Revolution.” He spoke at length about problems the PSUV needs to overcome, especially corruption in government.

“The PSUV is based on ethical principles defined by President Chavez, so mistakes get confronted and corrupt people get punished,” said Maduro. He continued, “Sometimes people wear a red shirt to obscure who they really are, but we will find out!”

President Maduro finished by reminding the cadres that they need to resist the U.S. empire and the sanctions which they can overcome through developing their own economy, currently boosted by high oil prices. Growth and improvement is apparent everywhere, despite two years of difficulty with COVID. Over 90% are vaccinated with Russian, Chinese or Cuban versions of the vaccine. There is a new sense the economy is going to grow dramatically if U.S. sanctions can be overcome.

The idea of rebirth was described as the young cadre being trained to leave the colleges and go to the workers and other sectors of the people to teach them to take power and learn from them, to then improve their lives – to build party unity with the millions of PSUV voters throughout society.

The revolution component involves new organizations in workplaces and communities to change power dynamics in a country where the vast majority of the economy is in private hands. The PSUV is planning to shift ownership to public, collective, communal, and state ownership.

#CaracasVenezuela #Caracas #OppressedNationalities #Venezuela #Americas #PeoplesStruggles #Socialism #UnitedSocialistPartyPSUV #BolivarianRepublicOfVenezuela #PSUV5thCongress

Caracas, Venezuela – The United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) opened their 5th Congress, March 5, with music and a cheering crowd, followed by serious speeches of the PSUV leaders. The international delegation, including the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, with ambassadors from People’s Korea, China, South Africa, Cuba, Russia, Bolivia, Palestine and Nicaragua, were welcomed by every speaker.

Diosdado Cabello, first vice-president of the PSUV, described the 1572-plus delegates representing the workers, indigenous, Afro-Venezuelan, women and youth sectors participating. Women are more than half the delegates and more of the leadership. The largest PSUV section of members are in their thirties, having grown up with the Bolivarian Revolution. For nearly half the room this is their first congress.

In the afternoon, when Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro took the stage, he led a minute of raucous clapping and cheering in memory of President Hugo Chavez. It turned to chanting by the PSUV youth, “Chavez did not die! He made us millions!”

Flanked by the former President Evo Morales of Bolivia and the former president of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, and Vice President of Venezuela Delcy Rodrigues, Maduro spoke of the continuing struggle to develop and broaden the economy in Venezuela. The president spoke about the “at your door” food delivery for more than 70% of the people, the over 3 million new apartments and houses built, the necessity to start new production factories for the many goods that the U.S. embargo is trying to deny Venezuela. The U.S. policy is failing.

President Maduro hammered on the theme of the 5th Congress, “Resistance, Rebirth, Revolution.” He spoke at length about problems the PSUV needs to overcome, especially corruption in government.

“The PSUV is based on ethical principles defined by President Chavez, so mistakes get confronted and corrupt people get punished,” said Maduro. He continued, “Sometimes people wear a red shirt to obscure who they really are, but we will find out!”

President Maduro finished by reminding the cadres that they need to resist the U.S. empire and the sanctions which they can overcome through developing their own economy, currently boosted by high oil prices. Growth and improvement is apparent everywhere, despite two years of difficulty with COVID. Over 90% are vaccinated with Russian, Chinese or Cuban versions of the vaccine. There is a new sense the economy is going to grow dramatically if U.S. sanctions can be overcome.

The idea of rebirth was described as the young cadre being trained to leave the colleges and go to the workers and other sectors of the people to teach them to take power and learn from them, to then improve their lives – to build party unity with the millions of PSUV voters throughout society.

The revolution component involves new organizations in workplaces and communities to change power dynamics in a country where the vast majority of the economy is in private hands. The PSUV is planning to shift ownership to public, collective, communal, and state ownership.

#CaracasVenezuela #Caracas #OppressedNationalities #Venezuela #Americas #PeoplesStruggles #Socialism #UnitedSocialistPartyPSUV #BolivarianRepublicOfVenezuela #PSUV5thCongress

Free Alex Saab! A Conversation with Camila Saab, wife of Venezuelan diplomat kidnapped by Biden Administration

Saab has played an important role in allowing Venezuela to bypass economic sanctions imposed by the U.S., which is attempting to destabilize the Maduro government. Saab’s business acumen and clever tactics are part what allows Venezuela to obtain chemicals and minerals needed for material inputs, equipment and replacement parts for a productive and growing economy. The Venezuelan economy is set to grow rapidly this year after two troublesome years caused by U.S. sanctions and the COVID pandemic.

Despite intimidating U.S. Navy patrols, ships from Iran with much needed oil-refining chemicals and machine parts are arriving at Venezuelan ports. Oil production is back online and reached historic highs in December. Many economists are predicting stabilization, and new growth of over 7% for Venezuela in 2022.

The AFGJ Webinar is co-sponsored by over two dozen groups including United Anti War Committee (UNAC), the Committee to Stop FBI Repression (CSFR) and the Solidarity Committee of the Americas of Women Against Military Madness.

Tom Burke, speaking for the CSFR said, “We denounce this sham trial of Alex Saab as an outrageous act of aggression against the sovereign Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. This U.S. kidnapping of a Venezuelan diplomat shows the U.S. empire’s efforts to harass and sanction Venezuela knows no bounds. We will expose these court proceedings to the world.”

Activists in Florida are rallying outside the Miami courthouse during Alex Saab’s next hearing on February 16. Help send a message to the Biden administration: “Free Alex Saab!”

#TucsonAZ #AntiwarMovement #PeoplesStruggles #PoliticalPrisoners #AllianceForGlobalJustice #PoliticalRepression #AlexSaab #BolivarianRepublicOfVenezuela

Caracas, Venezuela – Geovanni Peña, the director of the National Institute of Prevention, Health and Worker Safety, states, “Capitalism is the biggest reason for COVID deaths. Here, the Venezuelan government protects the working class and the people feel a collective social responsibility to protect each other. This is why we only have six Delta variant cases, while Delta increases exponentially throughout the USA and other countries.”

The United States, one of the major epicenters of the world for capitalism, is leading the world in COVID deaths and COVID cases, with over 36.5 million cases and over 600,000 deaths. India and Brazil are capitalist countries with far-right leadership and they are second and third for the number of COVID cases and deaths. Compare these countries with anti-capitalist countries, such as Cuba, with 440,000 cases; and Venezuela with 311,000 cases detected and 3682 deaths.

Fight Back! interviewed Geovanni Peña, the director of the National Institute of Prevention, Health and Worker Safety, to learn more about how Venezuela has handled the pandemic. Here are excerpts from that conversation.

“Unlike the USA, Venezuela has implemented countrywide regulations, since the pandemic began, that continue today. During ‘closed week’ in Caracas, the streets are far more empty. The only open shops in the afternoon are essentials, such as supermarkets, pharmacies, healthcare clinics. Every other week is closed week.

“Schools have also stayed closed the entire pandemic, with students learning virtually, through WhatsApp texts – if they only have phone but no internet – or by picking up materials every 15 days. Teachers and parents have been very creative in helping the children. Schools may open in their fall semester, in October and we expect all teachers will be vaccinated by then.

“We will look at the rates and the data to decide if schools will open in October. We will only open if it is safe. We will not put children or staff at risk. In Venezuela, lives are more important than schools opening. While the schools have been closed, the government continued to provide the meals to the children.”

Geovanni also discussed the laws including wearing masks in stores and outside.

“One of the biggest dangers in the USA was the propaganda and lies about COVID. Here, Venezuelans are immune to lies. They support the science. The people here use masks because they are conscience and responsible. They are conscious of themselves and our society. Venezuela was unlike Brazil, USA or England, where the cases were exploding everywhere or Ecuador, where they had so many cases, they were throwing dead bodies in the street. Our successful control of COVID during the pandemic is due to President Maduro and the regulations he’s put in place. And he didn’t do it alone, he set up a council of the various ministers of the government and health experts. We had very high full recuperation rates and very low deaths.

“Here, the town decided to take care of one another. We have a united sense of community. We significantly increased protections. There is a low risk of catching COVID here because everyone wears masks, the closed weeks and we have a great healthcare system.”

Former President Chavez turned their for-profit healthcare system into a universal free healthcare system. The government also built more clinics all over the country, especially in areas, like the countryside, which didn’t have close access to them.

“Healthcare should be a human right in every country. In Venezuela, we use diagnostics, free and easy access to healthcare and free treatment for COVID. To help COVID patients and support businesses, the government converted hotels into hospitals. There was also strong communication between the government and the communities. If someone called in with symptoms, a nurse would bring the COVID test to the person’s house.”

Supporting the people through this pandemic is not only about healthcare, but also about maintaining people’s income. During the pandemic, the countries that did not provide sufficient funds to the people resulted in more people taking public transportation and working, thus increasing the chances of COVID spreading.

“President Maduro and the government provided 100% full income to public workers and subsidized private businesses, as long as they continued to fully pay their workers’ salaries. The government also passed a law that immune-compromised people do not have to work, won’t lose their job and will continue to receive their salary.

“The government implemented safety measures in jobs. Each job has a safety delegate and committee. So far, there are over 6000 registered. If there is a suspicion that a worker has COVID or there are unsafe working conditions, the safety committee is immediately activated. They can make a person with symptoms take a COVID test and report unsafe working conditions to the government.”

Other than salaries, rent has been a top concern in many countries, like the U.S. The U.S. had an eviction moratorium in place for a period of time, but it just ended, leaving millions at risk for eviction and homelessness. Venezuela was a different story. The Venezuelan government continued to build more free housing through Gran Misión Vivienda, which has built 3.6 million homes since 2011. The government also issued executive orders, which continue today, concerning rent.

“The government told the people that they don’t have to pay rent, nor do they have to pay rent back, when the pandemic ends.”

Including rent forgiveness, people receive bags of food monthly from the government through the CLAP program for 42 cents per bag. Each box includes items such as rice, pasta, oil, sardines, beans, flour, milk, sugar, etc.

Contract tracing and vaccines are another important aspect of the pandemic procedures to keep people safe.

“When we find a COVID case, we ensure the person and people in contact with the infected person are quarantined. In Venezuela, we have solidarity with one another in the battle against COVID. If someone finds out a neighbor is sick, they will call a doctor for them. We have a little more than 12,000 active cases, including only six Delta variant cases. We have a ton of beds available for patients. Other countries or states in the USA, are running out of beds.

“Due to the blockade, we can only receive vaccines from China, Russia and Cuba. This has slowed down the rate of vaccines coming here. So far, 4 million people here have been vaccinated. We are guaranteeing that 6 million more will be vaccinated very soon. By October, we will have 50% vaccinated.”

The U.S. has a plethora of vaccines, but only 50% of the people have been vaccinated, with some aeras as low as 20%.

“One pillar of our pandemic plan is the importance of educating the public and informing people of the benefits of the vaccine. I don’t know of any anti-vaccination movement here and I would’ve heard about it because I am the director of the National Institute of Prevention, Health and Worker Safety.

Director Geovanni Peña addressed the blockade as well: “I believe we need to stop the blockade and all nations need to join in fighting against COVID together. And all the governments need to protect their people.”

The Venezuelan government and people have done tremendous work in controlling COVID and supporting people through the pandemic.

#CaracasVenezuela #Venezuela #PeoplesStruggles #COVID19 #BolivarianRepublicOfVenezuela #DeltaVariant #Americas

Maracay City, Venezuela – In the worker-controlled Venezuelan Kellogg factory, you see the workers working diligently to make corn flake and sugary cereals in a new package displaying the Venezuelan flag and the words “Together for Venezuela.” They are wearing black caps with red letters that say, “Kellogg made in socialism.”

In May of 2018, the Kellogg bosses told the factory workers that they had the weekend off due to maintenance. When the workers arrived the following working day, they were shocked to see a large sign on the factory, “We closed operations in Venezuela.” The bosses didn’t notify them, in person, of the closure or that hundreds would lose their jobs. The workers also found out that the Kellogg had placed very little severance in their accounts, which didn’t fulfill their union contracts.

“There was no reason for the company to close and leave because all the raw materials were produced in Venezuela, the corn and sugar, etc. The company even left a year’s worth of raw materials within the factory. They closed because of political reasons and not supporting the Maduro’ government. But they committed one mistake: Kellogg left the working class well trained,” says Orlando Contreras, the president of the factory’s union.

The workers and the union hit the ground running to organize so the factory could stay open and the workers wouldn’t lose their jobs.

“The participation of the union was immediate after the factory closed. We called all the workers to tell them what was happening. Then, we made contact with the Confederation of Workers and the state government to receive support in figuring out the steps to reopen the company. The Ministry of Labor helped the workers with contacting the rest of the governmental agencies, the Attorney General and the Defense of the People agency, to gain control of the company,” said Orlando.

A longtime worker and the new factory president Milton Torres says, “It was through the union and the union workers that it was possible to take over the factory. They knew how all the machines worked and how to make quality products.”

“Thanks to us being trained and well-organized, all of us workers reopened the factory and put it into production. We took over the factory to protect the rights of the workers. We enforce the food policies inside our homeland of Simone Bolivar and Chavez. Now, Kellogg’s company here is a socialist enterprise. The basic principles of our socialist enterprise are to dignify the work of our working class, increase the levels of production, guarantee that the equipment is highly maintained, produce good quality products, in a fair price and to be a self-sustainable company to contribute to the economic development of the country,” says Orlando Contreras, beaming with pride.

The workers have increased the production from two cereal types to four. Two week ago, they also contacted the Ministry of Labor to visit the factory and support the workers by increasing sales. The workers asked the Ministry of Labor to prioritize selling their “Socialist Kellogg” cereal and increase the number of places their cereal is sold, since it is all produced in Venezuela, unlike the other imported cereal brands. With more sales, they can increase the production and worker salaries and benefits.

After the takeover, the workers now have an important voice in the company, which they never had before.

“The new ‘Socialist Kellogg’ President Milton Torres and the administration consult with us workers to make important decisions. If the company is doing well, they ask the workers which benefits they want to improve and prioritize. There are currently in discussions around creating a collective board with the union leaders and the administration of the factory,” says Orlando.

Not everyone was happy with this new “Socialist Kellogg,” the staff takeover, or the use of the Kellogg symbol. Kellogg is currently suing the Venezuelan government and the new factory President Milton Torres for $72 million for continuing to use the Kellogg symbol and for using their property.

“If Kellogg returns, we will give the factory back, as long as they keep the same salaries and rights of the workers,” says Orlando.

This worker takeover is an inspiration to the world on how workers and their unions can fight to stop store closings, organize for the rights of the workers, improve their salaries, working conditions and benefits.

#MaracayCityVenezuela #MaracayCity #Venezuela #PeoplesStruggles #BolivarianSocialism #BolivarianRepublicOfVenezuela #Kelloggs #Americas

Caracas, Venezuela -The bustling streets of Caracas are full of masked people, during “open week.” You hear Latin music flowing from the stores, children playing soccer and laughing, merchants selling empanadas. 95% of the people you see are wearing masks outside, since it’s the government mandate.

Every other week is a “closed week,” where everything is closed in the afternoons besides grocery stores, healthcare, gas and other essentials. Many people work from home during the “closed week.” You will still see people in the streets, but far fewer.

Government Human Resources Department worker Oliver Rujano stated, “Our Venezuelan government was one of the best in the world in handling the pandemic. We had very few cases. People here are mandated to wear masks and majority follow it. In the neighborhoods, we all know each other and check on each other. We knew who caught COVID and helped one another. My neighborhood had five COVID cases. Look at the countries with the most COVID cases, like the USA and Brazil. The USA says they are a democracy, but we are the true democracy, the people wish they had, with free healthcare, education and people power.”

Venezuela also took care of its people with housing. Misión Vivienda, the housing program continued to build more houses, with 3.6 million houses built in ten years. There were also protections for renters.

“The people renting apartments were protected and not obligated to pay during the pandemic. They don’t have to pay the rent back either,” said Deputy at the National Assembly for the Workers Sector Oswaldo Vera.

This is unlike the USA, where the eviction freeze is ending and millions are at risk of eviction and forced to pay back over a year of rent.

The Maduro government not only protected renters, but also supported workers with salaries.

“The government guaranteed stability of salaries for the workers. They subsidized the salaries of private company workers, since people were buying fewer services and items. They also provided 100% of the salary for public workers who couldn’t work because their jobs were closed. If someone left work sick, due to COVID, they received their full salary. Also, our nurses were given full protections and PPE for working and treatment and hospitalization for those with COVID were free, unlike the USA,” said Oswaldo Vera.

Vera added, “The government also paid for hotels to be used as hospital rooms to quarantine those with COVID. This also helped the workers, since tourism decreased significantly,” said International Relations Secretary of the Federation of Public Service Workers Tulio Virguez.

Similar to many U.S. cities, the schools were closed due to the pandemic. Teachers continued working by providing online instruction, instruction via text with WhatsApp and for those without any phones or internet, and students picked up assignments from schools every 15 days.

Vaccinations were also a major part of the pandemic plan.

“Teachers started being vaccinated in March, and we expect all teachers to be vaccinated by October, when the schools open,” said Lidia Méndez, an executive of the biggest Venezuelan teachers union.

They have a similar COVID response plan to Chicago, where if one student is sick, they will send the students home. If multiple classes are infected, they will close the school and do an investigation to find the source of the outbreak.

Not all followed the rules of the schools closing.

“There was one school, where the principal disobeyed the law, and the principal kept the school 100% open and most the kids got COVID. That principal was prosecuted and is in home arrest now. He didn’t follow the safety protocol for the kids,” said Tulio Virguez.

One issues the teachers have had during and before the pandemic are the salaries.

“Our salaries low because of the USA economic war against us and inflation related with the dollar. Luckily, we have the government social services of food, public service, healthcare, housing, etc. We’ve had three or four very difficult years due to the USA blockade and sanctions, but we are fighters, and we find ways to keep moving forward,” said Guillermo Madriz, executive member of the teachers union.

“Daily, we are in a fight against the economic war. Every day the inflation and the dollar exchange rate, this changes the salary of the teachers here. Our salaries were much seven or eight times higher before the USA sanctions,” said Cesar Silva, an executive member of the teacher’s union.

The Venezuelan government has supported the people in their needs of housing, healthcare, education and other social services, but the U.S. blockade has taken a toll.

“From 2003 to 2012, we were listed at as the fifth happiest country in the world [according to the Gallup poll]. We had all these free social services started. We had trade exchange with all over the world. Then, the USA blockade began and we couldn’t trade oil. Massive inflation started,” said Cesar Silva.

These sanctions are not just against the government, these sanctions significantly hurt the people living in Venezuela. Even the number of vaccinations entering Venezuela have slowed down due to them being blocked by the blockade.

“We couldn’t pay for the vaccines provided by the World Health Organization vaccine program [COVAX] recently because the USA blocked the wire transfer for multiple weeks,” said Tulio Virguez.

“We want the rest of the world to know that Venzuelans are happy, we drink, we dance and everything, but we need the sanctions to end. They are hurting us, the people,” said Nelson Herrera, Secretary of the Vice Presidency for the Working Class of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV).

The Venezuelan government is providing all the free healthcare, salary, protections and support to its people, but the economic war and blockade is trying to slow their progress, so Venezuelans can’t receive all the vaccinations they need and the salaries they deserve.

#CaracasVenezuela #Caracas #Venezuela #PeoplesStruggles #BolivarianRepublicOfVenezuela #Americas

President Maduro of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela welcomed and spoke to the participants who attended from every part of the globe. These included countries where the working class holds power, like Cuba and China, with officials from their ruling parties, trade union movements, and international relations departments.

“It is necessary to point out that we have proposed as the objective of this meeting, to contribute to a greater understanding of our national reality, providing elements that contribute to the analysis that from each of the political, popular, social and worker organizations of which we are a part: The Bicentennial Congress is carried out around the challenges that Venezuela faces today,” said Adan Chavez, the coordinator of the Organizing Committee of the Bicentennial Congress.

Chavez continued, “Dear colleagues, it is important and necessary to point out that in recent years the Bolivarian Revolution has been facing a brutal multiform aggression, led by the United States government and expressed in a systematic anti-Bolivarian campaign and a criminal blockade, economic, financial and commercial, that considerably impacts the daily life of our people; as well as, in repeated threats of military intervention, mercenary incursions and terrorist actions against it, including the assassination attempt against comrade President Nicolás Maduro.”

Adan Chavez finished by sharing, “It is well known, notorious and meant to send a message, that these actions, directed fundamentally from Washington with the complicity of other governments of the world, are aimed at trying to end the project of broad transformations initiated by Commander Hugo Chávez in 1999; imperial initiatives that have met and will continue to meet head-on with the iron will of the Venezuelan people to ensure respect for their dignity, sovereignty and independence; in defense of the legacy of the Bolivarian leader.”

The Congress is occurring within the framework of the Bicentennial Year of the Battle of Carabobo in June 1821. This was an important battle under the leadership of Simon Bolivar, when a patriotic army of Venezuelans defeated the Spanish empire. This victory for the Venezuelan people led to Simon Bolivar, known forever after as The Liberator, then marching to free the neighboring peoples today living in Colombia, Panama, Ecuador and Bolivia. This historic sense of solidarity will inform the internationalism expressed this week at the Bicentennial Congress in Caracas.

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