Agencia Bolivariana de Prensa originally published the following article by Ivan Marquez, of Colombia’s FARC. It was translated by Fight Back! staff.

By Ivan Marquez

The whole world is witnessing the decline of the most brutal empire in human history: that of the United States. The White House feels the tremor of losing control of the world, and that is why it is desperately trying to impose a global fascist dictatorship that will allow it to live beyond its sunset.

Tucked in the eye of the hurricane of its anguish, the United States believes it has carte blanche to act arbitrarily  against countries of the hemisphere, as it throws punches at Russia, China, North Korea, Syria and Iran – who know how to defend themselves. This impotent anger is based on the fact that these countries are neither subordinate nor anyone's satellites. Hence its aggressiveness.

Cuba and Venezuela are targets, and undoubtedly less materially powerful than the capitalists of the United States, but they are much, much, more powerful in decorum and in dignity. This is the force they have. They don't need anyone to spare their lives. They know how to resist. They are people of the lineage of Bolívar and Martí, of Chávez and Fidel, who do not bow down or humiliate themselves. And the Latin American peoples have never had an affection for the Monroe Doctrine of the terrible monster of the North.

It is time to unleash the world's solidarity towards Cuba, which has been blocked and attacked since 1959. Nothing justifies the destruction of that country's sovereignty or the socialist work of its revolution. Reason obliges us to condemn the application of Title III of the Helms-Burton Act, the transgression of international law and the laws of commerce, which affect not only Cuba but also third countries.

Hands off Venezuela! Washington is punishing this brave people, with its dream of Bolivarian socialism that is erected as a retaining wall against the plundering of oil, gold, diamonds and minerals that generate new energies; that is why it conspires to overthrow the legitimate government of President Maduro, worsening the humanitarian crisis with its inhuman measures of sanctions, expropriation of companies like Citgo, and the freezing of funds that are needed for the purchase of food and medicines.

If they don't give it what it wants, the United States takes it anyway. With blatant lies it creates media manipulation. It threatens wars of invasion. It releases its crazy hawks to justify the outrage. It doesn't care about UN resolutions. It doesn't care about destroying the planet, and it despises the efforts that seek to stop climate change.

We must make people aware – by reading from the pages of history – that empires are neither immortal nor eternal. That the answer to the outrages is the mobilization of the peoples into a world rebellion. An alliance of peoples and sister republics must be created on all continents superseding religious beliefs, skin tones and all social prejudice, if life and human dignity are to be preserved.

An alliance of sovereign states and peoples for dignity and respect. The construction of a better world demands today the mobilization of resistance against global tyranny. Inaction is of no use. Wonderment and paralysis are of no use. We must react, we must move on to a united response of the world against the outrage. We need unity to defeat centuries of injustice, with the certainty that we will have on our side the immense majority of the people of the Americas.

The strategy of domination that combines a powerful battery of firepower, technology, manipulation of the mind, cultural warfare, pedagogy of fear, applied science, diplomacy, destabilization, incitement of conflicts, will not deter the struggle for human dignity.

May 5, 2019

#Colombia #Venezuela #Imperialism #Chavez #Socialism #HandsOffVenezuela #BolivarianSocialism

At around 11:20 p.m. on the night of April 14, the National Electoral Council (CNE) announced the results, which were closer than the 2012 Presidential election when Chavez also defeated Caprilles by about 55% to 45%.

Shortly after the CNE announced the results, Maduro gave a speech in Caracas to supporters, in which he reaffirmed his commitment to Chavez's revolutionary pro-worker policies. Because of the close results, he welcomed the CNE to audit the results and called on the opposition to stand by the will of the Venezuelan people. Wielding a small blue copy of the Venezuelan constitution in his right hand, he ended his speech by paying homage to Chavez's legacy of social justice and anti-imperialism.

Despite no reported irregularities by the CNE or any of the 200 international observers, Caprilles, the son of a wealthy corporate oligarch linked to Kraft Foods, and the right-wing opposition call for a recount. Caprilles and the rich in Venezuela fear Maduro and the revolutionary process in Venezuela started by Chavez.

Maduro, a former bus driver and trade unionist, was announced by Chavez as his successor shortly before the former president's death. In his brief tenure as acting president, Maduro has strengthened relations with the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV), which participates in the United Socialist Party of Venezuela. Maduro called the PCV an example of the great sacrifices and pains that “the struggles of revolutionaries have incurred.”

The April 14 election marks the 16th democratic vote taken on Chavez, the PSUV and the ongoing Bolivarian Revolution. The Venezuelan people have voted in favor of the Bolivarian Revolution in 15 of those 16 elections and referendums, indicating the overwhelming mass support for deepening and expanding the national democratic process.

#Venezuela #Caracas #Chavez #VenezuelaElections #Maduro #Americas

Lucha y Resiste: Hablanos sobre el movimiento de los trabajadores, los sindicatos y la Central Unitaria de Trabajadores de Venezuela (CUTV), en la Venezuela de hoy. Como ha cambiado la situación desde que el movimiento nacional democratico eligio al Presidente Chavez en dos ocasiones?

Pedro Eusse: Actualmente, los trabajadores venezolanos rechazan a los lideres golpistas y contrarrevolucionarios de la Confederación de Trabajadores de Venezuela (CTV). Esa es la confederación que durante cuarenta años le dió la espalda a los trabajadores y se colocó al servicio de los intereses del capital y de los gobiernos coruptos de la oligarquía. Desde los ultimos cuatro años, cientos de sindicatos de base han abandonado a la CTV y los nuevos que se han constituido no han ingresado a esa organización. En cambio, los sectores sindicales progresistas que apoyamos a la Revolución Bolivariana, nos hemos fortalecido, como es el caso de nuestra CUTV, pero ademas surgió, este año, una nueva central sindical denominada Unión Nacional de Trabajadores (UNT) con la que sostenemos fraternas relaciones. En Venezuela se desarrolla una declarada lucha de clases en el marco del proceso democratico de liberación nacional que lidera el Presidente Chavez. Los sectores mas reaccionarios del capital, sobre todo las corporaciones norteamericanas, arremeten contra el gobierno y la clase trabajadora, cerrando empresas, echando a la calle a los trabajadores, lo que esta provocando cada vez mas, una respuesta combativa y organizada de los trabajadores.

Lucha y Resiste: George Bush y el gobierno de EEUU apoyaron el golpe de estado contra el Presidente Chavez en abril del 2002. El golpe de estado fracaso ante el poder del pueblo que se lanzo a las calles y por la lealtad de la Fuerza Armada venezolana, quienes apoyaron el proceso democratico. Que hicieron los sindicatos durante el fallido intento de la derecha?

Pedro Eusse: Debo admitir que los sindicatos no tuvieron tiempo de reaccionar ante el golpe de estado de abril del 2002. El golpe fue dado el jueves 11 de abril en la medianoche y el sabado 13 en horas de la manana estaba siendo derrotado por la demoledora acción del pueblo y la Fuerza Armada. Sin embargo, entre el 12 y 13 de abril los dirigentes sindicales bolivarianos y progresistas estabamos coordinando de manera clandestina la organización de una huelga general en contra del golpe y por la restitución de la democracia.

Lucha y Resiste: Aparece en la prensa estadounidense que los lideres de los sindicatos, especialmente de los petroleros, se opusieron al Presidente Chavez, lo llamaron dictador y lo acusaron de intervenir en el proceso democratico de los sindicatos. Cual es la historia verdadera?

Pedro Eusse: La verdad es que los sindicatos, en general, no han actuado en contra del Presidente Chavez, por el contrario, la mayoria se ha opuesto activamente al golpismo y a las acciones criminales de la derecha contrarrevolucionaria. En cuanto a los sindicatos petroleros, es cierto que algunos dirigentes reaccionarios de esos sindicatos actuan en la oposición, pero desde hace mucho tiempo, por corruptos, no cuentan con el apoyo de los trabajadores. Los dirigentes sindicales al servicio de la patronal como Carlos Ortega, de la CTV, acusan a Chavez de dictador simplemente por que no se ha puesto de rodillas ante el gran capital ni ha sido complaciente con los politicos corruptos de la derecha. Ellos si han sido verdaderos dictadores, al prohibir la democracia en sus organizaciones sindicales. Lo que ha sucedido es que en estos años de proceso revolucionario, en Venezuela toda la sociedad se esta democratizando incluyendo los sindicatos y eso significa que los trabajadores se hacen protagonistas del destino de las organizaciones sindicales, para convertirlas en instrumentos de lucha, lo que no conviene a los mezquinos intereses de los lideres sindicales de la derecha, quienes solo defienden sus privilegios y el poder de los dueños del gran capital.

Lucha y Resiste: Ocho meses despues del fallido golpe de estado, intentado por los ricos para sacar a Chavez, los gerentes petroleros unidos con los patronos de las corporaciones, paralizaron las empresas y sabotearon la producción petrolera, dejando a los trabajadores fuera de sus empleos. Por que algunos líderes sindicales se unieron a los patronos y que hizo la CUTV durante este período?

Pedro Eusse: Algunos falsos líderes sindicales de la CTV, como el profugo de la justicia Carlos Ortega, junto a los jefes de la federación de camaras empresarial (Fedecamaras) y los altos gerentes de la industria petrolera, por supuesto con el apoyo de los grandes medios de comunicación, llamaron a un paro nacional y realizaron acciones de sabotaje para derrocar a Chavez. Como explique antes, estos falsos lideres sindicales de la CTV son militantes de la derecha, comprometidos con los intereses del gran capital, sumisos al imperialismo yanqui, quienes acumularon poder y privilegios durante los cuarenta años de gobiernos de la oligarquía. Ahora quieren sacar a Chavez del poder y revocar la Constitución bolivariana, en contra de la mayoritaria voluntad popular, para hacer de Venezuela el paraiso del neoliberalismo donde los ricos sean cada vez mas ricos y los pobres cada vez mas pobres. Durante el lock out y sabotaje a la industria petrolera, la CUTV desarrollo una campana de denuncia sobre las intenciones de la contrarrevolucion y organizamos junto a muchos de nuestros sindicatos afiliados, acciones de presion para que fracasara el lock out patronal y golpista.

Lucha y Resiste: Cual fue el resultado del lock out de los patronos?

Pedro Eusse: La acción criminal de los patronos y de los exgerentes petroleros, provocó grandes dificultades economicas al país, afectando el nivel de vida del pueblo. Por supuesto no lograron su antipatriotico proposito de derrocar a Chavez, pero sí perjudicaron a la mayor parte de la poblacion. La industria petrolera tuvo perdidas por el orden de los 7.600 millones de dolares, el PIB descendió a niveles nunca antes conocidos, el desempleo de un 11 % se elevó a un 20 %. El gobierno revolucionario vió disminuir de forma alarmante los recursos para la inversión social, en educación, salud, vivienda, promoción del empleo, etc. Sin embargo, tambien como respuesta al lock out y el sabotaje de la derecha, el movimiento obrero y popular fortalecio su apoyo a la revolución.

Lucha y Resiste: En Estados Unidos tenemos un presidente puesto por la Corte Suprema siguiendo un proceso electoral sucio en Florida, donde el hermano de Bush es el gobernador. Tenemos en California un gobernador que puede ser sacado de su puesto, por el Partido Republicano que inició el referendo. El Presidente Chavez puede enfrentarse a un referendo llamado por una oposición reaccionaria y apoyado por los grandes ricos y las corporaciones estadounidenses. Como responderían los sindicatos venezolanos ante esto?

Pedro Eusse: El movimiento sindical progresista y revolucionario defenderá la vigencia de la Constitución bolivariana y al proceso de cambios, en todos los terrenos. La oposición reaccionaria no tiene apoyo popular para sacar a Chavez a traves de un referendo revocatorio, eso ellos lo saben y por eso opinamos que en realidad a ellos no les interesa la realización de ese referendo. Esa oposición no cree en la democracia y así lo han demostrado. Por eso, las organizaciones sindicales que apoyamos a la Revolución Bolivariana, junto al movimiento popular, estamos alertas por que sabemos que detras del llamado a referendo revocatorio se esconde un nuevo plan desestabilizador y subversivo de los grandes ricos y el imperialismo yanqui, que ya empieza a manifestarse con acciones violentas, como la bomba lanzada contra el Palacio de Miraflores (palacio de gobierno en Caracas) hace pocos días.

Lucha y Resiste: Hay algunas evidencias de que la AFL-CIO apoyó a los líderes sindicales que planearon el golpe de estado junto a la camara empresarial. Como puede establecerse una nueva relación que beneficie a los trabajadores de ambos paises, construida entre la AFL-CIO y el movimiento sindical venezolano?

Pedro Eusse: Fue de conocimiento publico que un poco antes del golpe de estado la CTV recibio de parte del Centro Internacional de Solidaridad de la AFL-CIO, una cantidad importante de dinero, miles de dolares, que fueron utilizados para las acciones contra la democracia realizadas por la CTV junto al gremio patronal. Pero no solo eso, la representación de la AFL-CIO en la OIT (Organizacion Internacional del Trabajo) ha abogado en favor de la CTV y en contra del gobierno de Chavez de manera reiterada. Nos preocupa que esa situación todavía persista, a pesar de que abiertamente los lideres de la CTV participaron en la planificación y ejecución de un golpe de estado en contra del unico gobierno (aparte de Cuba) que se opone al ALCA. Además, los jerarcas de la CTV ante las camaras de TV apoyaron al dictador Carmona Estanga, quien en menos de 48 horas dejó sin efecto a la Constitución que el pueblo venezolano aprobo en consulta democratica en 1.999. Es necesario que los trabajadores y las fuerzas democraticas del sindicalismo norteamericano exijan una explicación al liderazgo de la AFL-CIO acerca de su relación con la golpista CTV.

Lucha y Resiste: Como ves tu papel personal en el proceso nacional democratico que esta haciendo tremendos cambios en la sociedad venezolana?

Pedro Eusse: Personalmente, estoy interesado en contribuir al desarrollo de un movimiento de los trabajadores mas conciente, organizado, unido y fuerte, que nos permita defender la Revolución de las amenazas que nos acechan, sobre todo desde el imperialismo yanqui, y lograr que este proceso se oriente hacia la construcción de una sociedad distinta a la inhumana sociedad capitalista, bajo la dirección fundamental de la clase trabajadora. También entiendo que la solidaridad internacional de los pueblos es indispensable y considero que debo trabajar por promoverla y desarrollarla.

Lucha y Resiste: Que pueden hacer los sindicatos de los Estados Unidos y el pueblo en general, para apoyar a los sindicatos y a la revolución nacional democratica de Venezuela?

Pedro Eusse: En primer lugar, hay que conocer y difundir la verdad de lo que sucede en Venezuela, para derrotar la mentira que imponen los grandes medios imperialistas de comunicación. En segundo lugar, es necesario que se levante una amplia y masiva oposició n a la injerencia del gobierno de los Estados Unidos en la vida politica venezolana. En ese sentido, considero que la solidaridad con nuestra revolución debe organizarse para que funcione de manera permanente y coordinada a nivel de todo este país y sobre todo para que se haga sentir con fuerza.

Chicago, 22 de septiembre del 2003

#Labor #Interview #Venezuela #Interviews #CentralUnitariaDeTrabajadoresDeVenezuela #AFLCIO #Chavez #Americas

The United Confederation of Venezuelan Workers is currently the country's main trade union federation and plays an important role in defending the patriotic, national democratic government headed by Hugo Chavez.

Pedro Eusse has been a long time labor organizer and an active participant in the process of democratizing the labor movement in Venezuela. In spite of being the Secretary General of the CUTV, Eusse is still directly involved in the struggle for workers' rights and the improvement of Venezuelan worker's benefits.

Fight Back!: Tell us about the Venezuelan workers' movement, the unions and the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores de Venezuela (CUTV), or United Workers' Confederation of Venezuela. How has the situation changed since the national democratic movement has elected President Chavez on two occasions?

Pedro Eusse: Actually, the Venezuelan workers reject the coup leaders and counterrevolutionaries of the Venezuelan Confederation of Workers (CTV). The CTV has turned their back on the workers for the past forty years and they work in the service of the interests of capital and corrupt governments of the oligarchy. During the last four years, fifty unions at the base have abandoned the CTV and new unions that form are not entering into the CTV. In making change, we in the progressive union sectors are helping the Bolivarian Revolution; we make it stronger, as is the case of our Confederation, the CUTV, and also appearing this year, a new union confederation named National Union of Workers (UNT) with whom we hold fraternal relations. In Venezuela, a declared struggle of the classes has developed in the framework of the democratic process of national liberation that is led by President Chavez. The most reactionary sectors of the rich, just about all the U.S. corporations, attack the government and the working class, closing businesses, throwing their workers into the streets, and every time this provokes evermore a fight back response and organizing by the workers.

Fight Back!: George Bush and the U.S. government supported the coup de etat against President Chavez on April 11, 2002. The coup failed miserably, because of people power in the streets and the loyalty of the Venezuelan armed forces who support the democratic process. What did the unions do during the failed coup attempt by the reactionaries?

Pedro Eusse: I must admit that the unions did not have time to react after the coup in April 2002. The coup went from Thursday, April 11, at midnight until Saturday, the 13th; in the early hours of the morning it was thoroughly defeated by the demolishing action of the people and the armed forces. Nevertheless, between the 12th and 13th of April, the leaders of the Bolivarian and progressive unions, we were coordinating in a clandestine manner the organization of a general strike against the coup and for the restitution of democracy.

Fight Back!: In the U.S. press, it appears that the leaders of the unions, especially the oil workers, are opposed to President Chavez. The news media call him a dictator and accuse him of interfering in the democratic process of the unions. What is the story?

Pedro Eusse: The truth is that the unions in general have not acted against President Chavez. On the contrary, the majority have actively opposed the coup attempts and the criminal actions of the rightist counterrevolutionaries. In the case of the oil workers union, it is clear that some reactionary officials of this union work in the opposition, but for years and years they are corrupt, they cannot count on the support of the workers. The union officials are serving under patronage, such as Carlos Ortega, of the CTV, accusing Chavez of simply being a dictator because he refuses to kneel in front of big capital, nor is Chavez complacent with the corrupt politics of the right. They are the true dictators that prohibit the democracy of union organizations. What has already happened, is that in these few years of the revolutionary process in Venezuela, is that all of society is democratizing, including the unions, and the significance is that the workers, they are the protagonists of the destiny of their union organizations. The workers are converting them into instruments of struggle, that the unions survive not for the mean interests of the union officials of the right who only defend their privileges and the power of the bosses with huge capital.

Fight Back!: Eight months after the failed coup, the rich attempted to overthrow Chavez again. The officials of the oil workers union joined with the bosses of the corporations to paralyze industry, to sabotage oil production, throwing the workers out of their jobs. Why did some union officials unite with the bosses? What did the CUTV do during this period?

Pedro Eusse: Some phony union leaders of the CTV, such as the fugitive from justice, Carlos Ortega, joined the bosses of the Chamber of Commerce and the highest management of the oil industry, of course with the help of the big media outlets, they called for a national work stoppage and they carried out acts of sabotage to overthrow Chavez. As explained before, these phony union officials of the CTV are militants for the right, compromised with the interests of big capital, submissive to yankee imperialism, who built up power and privileges during the forty years of oligarchic governments. Now they want to sack Chavez from power and revoke the Bolivarian Constitution, against the popular majority will, to make Venezuela the paradise of neo-liberalism where the rich are always richer and the poor are always poorer. During the lockout and the sabotage of the oil industry, the CUTV developed a campaign to denounce the intentions of the counterrevolution and we organized to join together many of our union affiliates for actions, to put pressure on and cause the failure of bosses' and coupmakers' lockout.

Fight Back!: What was the result of the bosses lockout?

Pedro Eusse: The criminal action of the bosses and the oil industry management provoked great economic difficulties for the country, affecting the standard of living of the people. Of course they did not achieve their anti-patriotic purpose of throwing out Chavez, but they did harm the major part of the population. The oil industry lost on the order of $7.6 billion during the two-month lock out, the gross domestic product was falling to levels never before seen, and unemployment was 11% and rose to 20%. The revolutionary government sought to diminish this alarming pattern by resorting to social investments – in education, health, housing, promotion of employment, etc. Furthermore, in response to the lock out and the sabotage of the right, the workers' movement and popular movement strengthened, thus helping the revolution.

Fight Back!: In the U.S. we have a president chosen by the Supreme Court following a dirty election process in Florida, the state where Bush's brother is governor. In California, the Republican Party initiated a recall referendum, trying to throw out the governor. President Chavez may face a referendum called by the reactionary opposition and supported by the rich and U.S. corporations. How will the unions in Venezuela respond to this?

Pedro Eusse: The progressive and revolutionary union movement defends the validity of the Bolivarian Constitution and the process of change, in all fields. The reactionary opposition is putting across a recall referendum, but does not have popular support for getting rid of Chavez, they know this, and for this reason we believe that in reality, they are not interested in achieving the referendum. This opposition does not care about democracy as has already been demonstrated. For this reason, the union organizations that support the Bolivarian revolution are joining with the popular movement. We are on guard because we know that behind a recall referendum the opposition is hiding a new plan for destabilization and subversion by the very, very rich and the yankee imperialism, that already begins to show itself in violent acts such as the bomb thrown against the Palace of Miraflores [the government palace in Caracas] just a few days ago.

Fight Back!: There is some evidence that the AFL-CIO helped those union officials that joined the Venezuelan Chamber of Commerce in plotting the failed coup. How can you establish a new relationship between the AFL-CIO and the Venezuelan union movement that benefits the workers of both Venezuela and the U.S.?

Pedro Eusse: It was public knowledge that, shortly before the coup, the CTV received from a section of the Center for International Solidarity of the AFL-CIO a large sum of money. Thousands of dollars that were used for anti-democratic actions resulting in the CTV joining with industry management. But not only this, the representation of the AFL-CIO in the OIT, or International Workers' Organization already pled in favor of the CTV and against the government of Chavez in the way stated earlier. We are worried that this situation continues to persist. Despite this, the union officials of CTV openly participated in the planning and execution of the coup against the only government (apart from Cuba) that is opposed to the Free Trade of the Americas Agreement (FTAA). Besides, the hierarchy of the CTV, in front of the TV cameras, supported the dictator Carmona Estanga, who, in less than 48 hours, abandoned without effect the constitution that the Venezuelan people approved in a democratic consultation in 1999. It is necessary that the workers and the democratic forces of U.S. trade unionism demand an explanation from the leadership of the AFL-CIO concerning their relationship with the coup-makers of the CTV.

Fight Back!: What is your personal role in the national democratic process that is making such tremendous changes in Venezuelan society?

Pedro Eusse: Personally, I am interested in contributing to the development of a workers' movement that is more conscious, organized, united and strong, that allows us to defend the Revolution, the Revolution that the reactionary opposition is threatening and lying in wait for, above all of this is yankee imperialism, and to win others over so the process orients itself to build a distinct society from the inhuman capitalist society, under the fundamental direction of the working class. Also I understand that international solidarity of the peoples of countries is indispensable and I think that I should work to promote and develop this.

Fight Back!: What can U.S. unions and solidarity activists do to help the unions and the national democratic revolution of Venezuela?

Pedro Eusse: In the first place, you have to know and defend the truth of the facts in Venezuela, to defeat the lies that the big imperialist media communication outlets put forward. The second thing is that it is necessary to raise up a loud and massive opposition to the interference of the U.S. government in the political affairs of Venezuela. This is the way I think the solidarity with our revolution ought to be organized – to function in a permanent way and coordinated at the level of the whole U.S. – and, above all, that you make it felt with force

#Venezuela #Labor #Interview #Interviews #UnitedConfederationOfVenezuelanWorkersCUTV #CentralUnitariaDeTrabajadoresDeVenezuela #AFLCIO #Chavez #Americas