Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

venezuela

By Jim Byrne

President Maduro speaking in Caracas Jan. 23.

Caracas, Venezuela – On January 23, thousands marched in Caracas and listened to a fiery speech from President Maduro to mark two important historic events. In 1958, mass movements joined with patriotic forces in the military to bring down the U.S.-backed dictatorship of Marcos Pérez Jímenez. This was the model of civic-military unity that President Hugo Chávez used in his vision of a Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela. Unfortunately for Venezuelans, the fall of the Jímenez dictatorship was a short-lived victory. The betrayal of this victory ushered in 40 years of violent repression of communists and other dissidents and disastrous economic policies like import substitution and neoliberal privatizations of important public services. By 1989, the massive poverty created by neoliberal policies led to an urban rebellion of workers and the poor, which led to a vicious police crackdown that killed over 3000 people. Three years later, paratrooper commander Hugo Chávez led a military uprising that ultimately failed but created a lasting popularity in the minds of millions of Venezuelans.

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By Jim Byrne

Diosdado Cabello, member of the National Assembly from the Venezuelan United So

Caracas, Venezuela – On January 22, hundreds of international delegates from 52 countries heard from leaders from Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and Brazil to kick off the World Anti-Imperialist Congress.

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By staff

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Caracas, Venezuela – Members of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) delegation Sarah Martin and Jim Byrne, with Syrian Ambassador to Venezuela Khalil Bitar, attending World Anti-Imperialist Congress in Caracas.

#CaracasVenezuela #Caracas #AntiwarMovement #OppressedNationalities #Venezuela #MiddleEast #Americas #PeoplesStruggles #Syria #FreedomRoadSocialistOrganizationFRSO #WorldAntiImperialistCongress

By staff

FRSO delegates with Gladys Requena (second from left), Vice President of Venezue

Caracas, Venezuela – Hundreds of delegates arrived in Caracas from around the world, January 21, the eve of the World Anti-Imperialist Congress. The Congress is being held January 22-24 in Caracas and is hosted by the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), Venezuela's governing party, which has been under sharp attack by U.S. imperialism.

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By Tom Burke

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Caracas, Venezuela—A Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) delegation visited the Bolivarian University of Venezuela on January 20, speaking to political science classes.

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By Cassia Laham

Embassy Protectors speak out in at event in Fort Lauderdale, FL

Fort Lauderdale, FL – Over 60 people from South Florida’s tri-county area gathered at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation Church of Fort Lauderdale to hear a panel and question-and-answer session featuring anti-war activists Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers. Zeese and Flowers are two of the four Embassy Protector activists who spent 37 days protecting international law and peace within the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington, D.C. They are currently facing bogus federal charges brought by the Trump administration that, if convicted, would mean up to one year in prison and $100,000 fines each.

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By Sean Orr

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Chicago, IL – Juan Guaidó is not that smart of a politician. He never seems to care much about strategy, or coalition building, or putting forward a serious political platform. The only political talent Guaidó seems to have is in front of the cameras. He knows how to put on a good show for the audience he wants to please.

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By staff

University of Texas at Arlington PSU event on Venezuela

Arlington, TX – On November 13, the University of Texas at Arlington Progressive Student Union (PSU) hosted a national leader of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Tom Burke, who gave an eyewitness report on Venezuela and the Bolivarian revolution.

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By Sean Orr

Indigenous protesters occupy the parliamentary building in Quito, Ecuador.

Chicago, IL – Last year, Brazil emerged from its greatest political crisis since the dictatorship to find that Jair Bolsonaro, an extreme right winger, was now president. His victory marked the high point of the so-called ‘roll-back’ of the Pink Tide, a political phenomenon that saw left-wing governments elected across Latin America, on platforms of sovereignty and freedom from U.S. interference. Bolsonaro’s election was a moment openly celebrated in the halls of the White House, as many hoped that the few isolated governments left standing from the Pink Tide movement would soon be snuffed out.

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By staff

Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs Jorge Arreaza.

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

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By Sean Orr

Accords meeting in Caracas.

Chicago, IL – On Monday September 16, the leaders of several opposition parties arrived at the Foreign Ministry in downtown Caracas to participate in the Roundtable of National Dialogue organized by the elected government of Nicolás Maduro. The Roundtable was established in the aftermath of the fascist violence in 2017, which was a response to the Supreme Court's decision to strip the National Assembly of its powers after its refusal to adhere to the country's constitution.

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By staff

Gabriella Killpack chants "No más Trump!" at Caracas rally

Caracas, Venezuela – August 31 marked the last day of the Meeting of International Workers in Solidarity with the Venezuelan People and Its Government. In the morning, hundreds of trade unionists assembled to hear closing remarks and review a final declaration. Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) joined with other delegations came from 25 countries, and all parts of Venezuela, and proudly shouted out their approval. The audience was lively and often broke out in chants.

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By staff

Maduro holds a "No más Trump!" sign as hundreds of trade unionists chant

Caracas, Venezuela – President Nicolás Maduro spoke to labor delegates from 25 countries August 31. They were gathered at the 1st International Meeting of Workers in Solidarity with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, its Government and its People. The conference consists of labor union delegations from nearly all of Latin America and the Caribbean. In addition, Jared Hamil and Gabriella Killpack, trade unionists and members of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), are participating.

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By staff

Jared Hamil and Gabriella Killpack with Francisco Torreal

Caracas, Venezuela – The Freedom Road Socialist Organization's trade union delegation arrived in Caracas, Venezuela for the “1st International Meeting of Workers in Solidarity with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, its Government and Its People,” starting on August 29.

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By Sean Orr

Migdelys Campos, a representative of a worker council that now runs a pharmaceut

Chicago, IL – Venezuela is a country where the dreams of the conscious workers of the world are being made real. It is a nation of 30 million people where, every day, the working class is becoming more conscious of its historic role in building socialism and taking steps to achieve it in the not so distant future. And in the face of an imperialist offensive that threatens them with starvation, where the threat of military invasion hangs over their heads like a storm cloud, they continue their struggle undeterred.

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By Sean Orr

Venezuelans march to demand an end to the blockade.

Chicago, IL – On August 6, U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton attended a gathering of representatives from the right-wing governments of Latin America. There, he announced the next stage in the U.S. campaign to defeat the Bolivarian Revolution: A total blockade of Venezuela. All U.S. citizens are banned from doing business with “the Maduro regime,” and any company – U.S. or international – that does business with the Venezuelan government will be subject to fines, asset seizures and sanctions. While the announcement did not include the immediate deployment of the U.S. Navy to enforce the blockade, Bolton hinted that the option remained on the table if foreign companies and governments did not comply.

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By staff

Washington DC – On August 8, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that the People's Republic of China would continue economic cooperation with Venezuela. Speaking in Beijing, Hua stated the U.S., “should let the Venezuelan people decide their future and immediately stop the bullying behavior.”

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By staff

Tom Burke, of Freedom Road Socialist Organization on right.

Caracas, Venezuela – Under the banner of “Comuna o nada,” translated to English as “Communes or nothing,” 100 leaders of Venezuela’s neighborhood groups gathered on July 30. The forum was held at the Ministry of Popular Power for the Communes and Social Movements. This is where the well-respected Minister Blanca Eekhout is in charge.

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By Tom Burke

Tom Burke, FRSO Organizational Secretary with Alfredo Valdivieso

Caracas, Venezuela – The closing event of the 25th Foro de Sao Paulo (Sal Paulo Forum) on July 28 began with a speech by Monica Valente, the Executive Secretary of the Foro de Sao Paulo and the International Secretary of the Workers Party of Brazil. The next speaker was Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, leading up to a spirited speech by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

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By Sean Orr

Delegates to the Sao Paulo Forum.

Caracas, Venezuela – From July 25 to 28, over 1000 delegates gathered for the 25th Sao Paolo Forum in Caracas, Venezuela. Historically the largest gathering of the Latin American left, the Forum was transformed this year by its hosts into an assembly of revolutionary parties and movements from around the world, with the sole focus of how a new global revolutionary offensive can be launched against imperialism.

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