On April 16, newly elected Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro called on workers to resist the wave of right-wing violence that broke out after the recent presidential election. Speaking defiantly to a crowd of workers in Miranda state on Tuesday, April 16, Maduro said, “If they continue with violence, what we can do is to radicalize this revolution.”

The people of Venezuela elected Nicolas Maduro as the new president on April 14 in a special election held after the unexpected death of President Hugo Chavez. Maduro, a member of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), won 50.66% of the vote to defeat right-wing opposition candidate Henrique Caprilles, who earned 49.07%.

Following the tragic death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan National Electoral Council announced a new Presidential election for April 14, 2013. In the election, Acting President Nicholas Maduro of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) is running against right-wing leader Henrique Capriles.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following letter that Freedom Road Socialist Organization conveyed to the government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on the passing of President Hugo Chavez.

El lunes, 1 de agosto, 500 personas manifestaron en Plaza Venezuela, en Caracas, para protestar los ataques de Israel contra Líbano y Gaza, y para protestar el apoyo estadounidense frente la agresión israelí. Oradores, poetas y cantantes denunciaron el imperialismo estadounidense y el sionismo que están manejando este conflicto.

Este pasado sábado 24 de septiembre, diferentes organizaciones sociales marcharon en Washington para exigir el respeto a la soberanía de Venezuela y Colombia y la retirada de las tropas imperialistas de Irak. El contingente fue respaldado por los Círculos Bolivarianos y la Red de Acción Colombiana. Círculos Bolivarianos se movilizaron de Chicago, Cincinnati, Filadelfia, Boston, Miami, y Utah, y se movilizó la Juventud Bolivariana. También participaron las siguiente organizaciones: Red de Solidaridad con Méjico de Chicago, Comité Anti-Guerra de Minneapolis / San Pablo y de Cincinnati, Noticias ¡Lucha y Resiste!, Solidaridad con Cuba de Nueva York , grupos de solidaridad palestina de Chicago, Nueva York, Nueva Jersey y Minneapolis / San Pablo, y el grupo ‘paro global de las mujeres’. Todos marchamos bajo las banderas de Venezuela y Colombia. Entre las consignas se escucho El Alerta de la espada de bolívar, el pueblo unido jamás será vencido en ingles y español, tropas fuera de Irak ya, el pueblo de Venezuela en peligro, levántate y lucha, al igual que libre, libre Palestina.

Pedro Eusse es el Secretario General del SIndicato de la Industria de Bebida y Alimentos, y el Secretario General de la Confederación Unitaria de Trabajadores de Venezuela (CUTV). La Confederación Unitaria de Trabajadores de Venezuela es actualmente la más importante confederación sindical en el área comercial y juega un papel importante en la defensa del gobierno patriótico y democrático de Hugo Chávez.

Editor’s note: In January, Kati Ketz traveled to Venezuela on a delegation of youth to show solidarity with and learn about the revolutionary process underway there.

Washington D.C. – Over 500 students, trade unionists and solidarity activists gathered here, March 4 – 6, for the National Venezuela Solidarity Conference. They founded the Venezuela Solidarity Network and united the forces struggling against U.S. intervention in Venezuela. The conference was a huge success. Attendees gathered in support of Venezuela’s Bolivarian Revolution, lead by President Hugo Chavez.

Caracas, Venezuela – Gifts were exchanged by the 15,000 delegates throughout the 16th World Youth Festival held here, Aug. 7-15. One of those gifts was more than a store-bought present – it was a banner that came with a promise. U.S. labor activists gave National Union of Workers representative Jacobo Torres the, “Say no to NED” banner that activists marched with outside the AFL-CIO convention in July in Chicago.