www.venezuelasolidarity.co.uk e: info@venezuelasolidarity.co.uk

■ Venezuela at the UN■ Venezuela to Raise Spending 46% in 2012

■ Millions Register for New Housing Programme■ TUC & Labour Meetings Show Solidarity

www.thompsons.law.co.uk

With thanks to

■ Vol 1 ■ Issue 3 ■ Winter 2011-2012

vivavenezuela!

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viva !

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Countdown to the 2012Presidential Election

Also inside:

2 WINTER 2011-2012 ■ VIVA VENEZUELA!

...EDITORIAL...EDITORIAL...EDITORIAL...EDITORIAL...EDITORIAL...EDITORIAL...

The presidential election will dominateVenezuelan politics over the next year,with two countering visions for thecountry.

Hugo Chávez will be standing at the head of abroad coalition with a promise of continuing thesocial inclusion and progress witnessed overthe next decade. Thousands of socialmovements, grassroots organisations of alltypes as well as political parties have signed upto support Chávez’s re-election.

With less than one year to election day, pollsseem to indicate Hugo Chávez is theoverwhelming favourite. Recent polls haveshown his levels of approval at around 70%and estimate that he would receive around60% in the presidential election.

No doubt Hugo Chávez’s support has beenboosted by Venezuela’s economic recovery,with its economy expected to grow by 4.5% in2011. The Chávez government’s decision toensure that the living standards of the majoritywere defended even during recession bymaintaining social spending has also been akey factor. This is in stark contrast to countrieswhere the poorest have been punished bygovernment policies.

To challenge Chávez, Venezuela’s right-wingcoalition of parties is currently seeking to electa single candidate, with primaries to be held inFebruary. Incredibly, despite denouncingVenezuela’s independent National Electoral

Council (CNE) for 12 years for alleged fraud andbias in spite of all the independent verificationsof their electoral processes, the opposition hasasked the CNE to run their primaries! Currentlypre-candidates are campaigning acrosscountry, holding rallies and appearing acrossthe media. With more than 60 parties formingpart of the right wing coalition, it’s clear thatVenezuela’s democracy is alive and vibrant.

As election day nears, there will be outsideattempts to undermine support for HugoChávez, with the hope of affecting the outcomeof the vote. Washington has lined up $20m tosupport the opposition’s campaign againstChávez during the coming elections. Given thatVenezuela is a much smaller economy than theUK, this would be the equivalent to the USgiving $150m to fund an election campaignhere!

Most of the right-wing potential candidatesactively supported the short-lived 2002 coupd’état against Hugo Chávez. Some call forreplacing ‘the chavista regime’ with ‘popularcapitalism’ and have already promisedprivatisations. Added to their strong links withUS neo cons and US destabilising agencies, thiswould make an electoral victory for theopposition a serious threat to Venezuela’sdemocracy and social progress.

This shows how much is at stake. The outcomeof this election will determine whether socialprogress in the country continues – or there isa return to the inequities of the past.

Countdown to 2012Presidential elections –Chávez Increases Support

Venezuela’s presidentialelection has now been

confirmed for 7 October2012. Many new readers of

Viva Venezuela may besurprised to know that this

will be the 16th nationalelection in Venezuela

since President Chávezwas first elected in 1999.That is more than nearlyany other country in the

world!

Contributors to this issue were:■ Lee Brown■ Francisco Dominguez■ Catriona Goss■ Matt Willgress and

■ Tim Young

This magazine ispublished by theVenezuela SolidarityCampaign

is delighted to sendsolidarity and support

to VSC and theVenezuelan People

Chávez launches the election campaign

3WINTER 2011-2012 ■ VIVA VENEZUELA!

...VENEZUELA IN THE NEWS...VENEZUELA IN THE NEWS...VENEZUELA IN THE NEWS...

Its findings show that in Venezuela 77% saydemocracy is preferable to any form ofgovernment, the continent’s highest scoreagainst an average of 58%. Asked to grade

how democratic their country is, Venezuelacame third with 7.3 out of 10 and fifthregarding satisfaction over the functioning oftheir democracy.

It was recently announced that 3,679,339households, totalling 10.8 million people,have registered with the Government’snew housing programme. This aims to

construct over two million homes by 2017, andalso carry out renovations, repairs andenlargements. Over 80,000 homes were built inOctober alone.

It will particularly benefit the poorest and manywomen - 41.28% registering have singlemothers as the household head. In all, 73.74%said they needed their own or new housing,citing reasons such as renting privately, sharingwith multiple families or living in high risksituations such as steep hills prone tolandslides.

Registration began in Caracas and other regionsin May, then across the country over thesummer. Information gathered is used to planpolicy. Visits to families registering to verify thedata have reported very high accuracy so far.

President Chávez has blamed the socialexclusion and underdevelopment historicallyproduced by neo-liberalism as the principalcause of Venezuela’s long-term housing crisis.

Independent survey ranks Venezuelahigh on democracy and progressVenezuela tops the list of Latin

American nations that valuedemocracy and continues to

perform well above average ona range of other indicators,

according to the 2011Latinobarametro survey. The

independent survey interviews20,000 people in 18 Latin

American countries.

Venezuela to Raise Spending 46% in2012 to Aid Growth and Inclusion

Expenditure will jump to 297.8 billionbolivars ($69.34 billion), with FinanceMinister Jorge Giordani announcingthat “it will be possible to grow [the

economy] 5% in 2012 thanks to ourinvestments in oil projects and socialprogrammes.”

“Public spending in Venezuela is a tool tostimulate economic growth,” said Giordani,adding that Venezuela was dedicated to socialjustice and “protecting the economy from thestructural international crisis.”

MillionsRegistered inNew HousingProgramme

Venezuela’s government willboost spending by 46% in 2012,

with new resources to fundprogrammes in job creation,

housing and agriculture.

The authors say perceptions of democracy areclosely linked to how government andinstitutions are meeting people’s economic andpolitical needs. Accordingly, for confidence intheir government, Venezuela came third. Venezuela had the third highest ranking forsatisfaction of income distribution, as it did forseeing their government as being “for allpeople”, rather than for “a few powerful groups”.

Despite negative press coverage of itseconomy, Venezuela ranked high (5th) onwhether people believed their economicsituation would improve over the next year, with46% believing it would. Polls indicate in Britainonly 10% think similarly. Regarding those whosee their economy as the greatest problem,Venezuela had the second lowest regionalscore. Crime was seen as its biggest issue,while it ranked 5th highest regardingtransparency of the state.

The report highlights discrepancies betweendomestic support for Venezuela’s governmentand some international assessments, notingthat while international advisers praise theChilean government, “the (Chilean) people pourout into the streets by the hundreds ofthousands”. Yet it’s “the opposite case inVenezuela, where the people respond positivelyto the governing actions of President Chávezbut the world classifies him negatively.” Theyconclude the international community “focuseson things that aren’t what matter most to thepeople in the country.”

Supporters sign up for President Chávez’s election campaign

The house building programme in practice

4 WINTER 2011-2012 ■ VIVA VENEZUELA!

...VENEZUELA AT THE UNITED NATIONS...VENEZUELA AT THE UNITED NATIONS...

In October, a Venezuelan delegation headed by Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduropresented a report on Venezuela’s human rights advances at the UN headquarters

in Geneva. This was part of the Universal Periodic Review of Human Rights thatassesses the human rights situations in all 192 UN Member States. Below we

include some translated extracts of the speeches made at the UN.

“Venezuela... is immersed in a gigantichistoric effort to build a democratic andsocial state...as enshrined in ourConstitution ratified by a popular vote in

1999. The Venezuelan people have fought ahistoric struggle over the past 12 years to givebirth to something new, just and humane -having come from a legacy of oppression andinjustice...

The Venezuelan people inherited from Europeancolonialism a state that was designed for thesubmission of the majority to the domination ofthe oligarchy and for the discrimination againstlong neglected sectors such as women ...andespecially the indigenous peoples who weresubjected to genocide and African people whofaced the barbarism of slavery....The State wasdesigned for the elites against the people sothat it responded to people's struggles withviolence and with laws that perpetuatedeconomic, social and cultural inequalities ...Over the past 12 years, Venezuela has reducedpoverty and inequalities at an astonishing rate,while at the same time freedoms and

democratic participation have been extended.

...From 1999 to 2010, the Venezuelan peoplehave participated in 15 elections,demonstrating our expansion of democracy[and] ...a clear sign of the political freedomsenjoyed as never before in our history.The achievements of the Venezuelan State canbe seen in indicators such as the reduction inthe number of households in extreme poverty,from 21% in 1998 to 7.1% in 2010. Thus,Venezuela has successfully met the MillenniumDevelopment Goal of halving the number ofhouseholds in extreme poverty…[and]Venezuela is the country with lowest levels ofinequality in Latin America.

Venezuela is the fifth country in the world tohave explicitly recognised in law the right tohave access to food. The government haspromoted food programmes to distribute goodsat fair prices….. [and so there has been] a 58%reduction in child malnutrition. In Venezuela,education is a human right and a social duty….The number of children and adolescentsenrolled in school increased by 24 per centbetween 1998 and 2010, standing at 7.7

Venezuela at the United

At the UN, Venezuelan Foreign MinisterNicolas Maduro announced a donation of$38,000 to the UN Fund for Victims ofTorture. The funds were collected during aconcert called “Let’s HumaniseHumanity,” put on by the Simon BolivarYouth Orchestra in Geneva.

“We want to thank, on behalf of PresidentHugo Chávez, all those who madepossible the concert. We hope thatthrough the musicians’ human warmth wecan transmit the essence of allVenezuelans,” Maduro said, adding “I amconfident that this donation will be usefulin fighting against the problems ofviolence and death affecting humanity.”

“Let’s HumaniseHumanity”-Venezuela Donates$38,000 to UN Fundfor Victims of Torture

UN Human Rights Council hears about Venezuela's

Nicolas Maduro, Venezuelan Foreign Minister:

George Guy John Thompson Acting General Secretary President

UCATT Stands in Solidarity withthe People of Venezuela!

No US Intervention!

www.ucatt.org.uk

UCATT Stands in Solidarity withthe People of Venezuela!

No US Intervention!

5WINTER 2011-2012 ■ VIVA VENEZUELA!

...VENEZUELA AT THE UNITED NATIONS...VENEZUELA AT THE UNITED NATIONS...

Nations

million in the academic year 2009/10. Likewise,net enrolment rates increased by 28% innursery education. In 2010, UNESCOrecognized Venezuela as the country with thefifth highest levels of higher educationenrolment in the world and the second highestin Latin America and the Caribbean.

With regard to social rights, it is important tomention the health policies developed byVenezuela, which are governed by theprinciples of universality, equality andsolidarity...In 2003 Venezuela created a healthplan called "Mission Barrio Adentro", thanks towhich 24 million Venezuelans, 80% of thepopulation, are now served by 13,510 freepublic health centres ...

In terms of gender equality, the government hasimplemented policies in all its institutions forthe effective exercise of women’s rights andtaken positive steps [against] discrimination….The Bolivarian Constitution establishes, for thefirst time in our history, a true system ofprotection for people of indigenous and Africandescent and recognises their contribution toVenezuela’s identity. This is complemented withmechanisms to ensure political participation atall levels ...[such as] the guaranteeing ofindigenous representation in institutions likethe National Assembly...

Obviously our society is still confronting seriousand very real problems. …[However] we areconvinced there is no alternative path to agenuine and profound democratization of oursociety. This can only be achieved througheffective transfer of power to the people andthe concrete realization of the human rights ofall Venezuelans... The path taken by Venezuelaas an independent republic, on the road tosocialism, has demonstrated that it is possibleto break the chains of hunger and oppression..and move towards a society of equal men andwomen and that is truly multicultural andhumane.

achievements Elias Eljuri, President of the National Statistics Institute:

“The Bolivarian government hasinvested $400 billion dollars on socialissues, making it possible to fulfil thegoal of eradicating poverty and

hunger. We have met the [UN MilleniumGoals] of gender equality and we are on trackto achieve the goals of universal primaryeducation and reducing child mortality. Inaddition, UNESCO recognized Venezuela in2005 as a country free of illiteracy.

...We have achieved the goal of providingcare and free medicines to more than 30,000 people living with HIV-AIDS....

The number of people receiving a pension hasincreased exponentially and is approaching 2million people.

…We have set up 6,000 places where 900,000 low-income people can eat free food. Ourschool feeding program benefits more than 4million children.

Over 354,000 people with disabilities havebenefited from “Mission José GregorioHernández.”

This summary.. represents our massive policyof ensuring social inclusion and equality.

“

“Nicia Maldonado, Venezuelan Minister for Indigenous Peoples

“Before the invasion of the lands inAmerica in 1492, indigenous peopleslived in peace, in harmony withnature, had different cultures,

languages, music, natural medicines …manyof these ancient civilizations were among themost advanced of the time. But with theEuropean invasion, we were robbed of ourlands, enslaved, persecuted …

500 years later came Venezuela’s Bolivarianrevolution. What has this revolution done [forindigenous people]?

Indigenous rights are embodied in the legalsystem, official texts are now printed inindigenous languages, there has been thecreation of a Ministry for Indigenous People, ahealth system that provides training forindigenous doctors… Chávez has returnedapproximately one million acres of ancestrallands [to indigenous people]

“

6 WINTER 2011-2012 ■ VIVA VENEZUELA!

...REMEMBERING THE VICTIMS...REMEMBERING THE VICTIMS...

necessities, the social unrest which had beenbrewing came to a head. On February 27th ahuge uprising began, lasting two days. Theprotesters were met by the armed forces,resulting in a massacre of an estimated 3000Venezuelans, many of whom were buried inanonymous mass graves.

In a precursor to the current law, in February2011 71 victims who had originally been buriedin such a grave were laid to rest in a specialpantheon built in homage to all the victims. The new law will establish a Truth and JusticeCommission in order to identify and sanctionthe perpetrators of human rights violations, aswell as to discover the identity and number ofvictims. The Commission, made uprepresentatives of both state institutions andmembers of the Relatives and Friends ofVictims Front, will produce a report aiming to“clarify the truth”.

The law also promotes rescuing the historicalmemory of the crimes and provides for “moraland legal” reparation for the victims’ families. It

also includes incorporating this stage ofVenezuela’s history into education courses.

Although the exact number of victims is still notknown, it is thought at least 4000 people weremurdered and around 1000 ‘disappeared’during this period of repression.

As part of its process of creating a Venezuelafor all, the Chávez-led government has made aclear commitment to universal human rightsand to justice for the victims of abuses underprevious governments. This legislation willensure that this darker chapter of Venezuelanhistory is not forgotten.

Venezuela Remembers theVictims of Pre-Chávez Oppression

On October 18th the VenezuelanNational Assembly passed the “Lawagainst Forgetting,” in order toofficially investigate - and remember -

the politically-motivated state repression in theperiod prior to Hugo Chávez’s election in 1998.

During this time Venezuela was governed by apermanent right-wing coalition for forty years(1958-1998) in a period constitutionally knownas the Fourth Republic. Politically-motivatedstate repression was common in this era, whichsaw huge levels of economic and socialinequality. A situation of impunity meant thatmany victims and their families never gotjustice. Victims included progressive politicalactivists, student leaders and intellectuals,peasant organisations, trade unionists andmany others.

Perhaps the most notorious case of suchabuses was the ‘Caracazo’ of 1989. After anIMF-inspired economic package wasimplemented which saw price hikes in publictransport and a scarcity of consumer

Supports the VenezuelaSolidarity Campaign

Billy Hayes Jane LoftusGeneral Secretary President

The ‘Caracazo’ uprising of 1989 - brutal repression

7WINTER 2011-2012 ■ VIVA VENEZUELA!

Leading labour movement figures declaredtheir solidarity with Venezuela and otherprogressive struggles in Latin America atpacked fringe meetings at September’s LabourParty Conference and TUC Congress. Chairing the TUC meeting, NUT GeneralSecretary Christine Blower described the eventas "probably the best supported fringe atconference".

Len McLuskey, Unite General Secretary,(pictured with Venezuelan Ambassador SamuelMoncada) opened the meeting by paying tributeto the work of ALBA – the progressive bloc ofcountries in the region including Venezuela,Cuba and Nicaragua – noting that “whilst theprospect for trade unionists in non-ALBAcountries is bleak,” these countries have ledthe way in providing “real and materialbenefits” to the dispossessed, includingVenezuela which “has been able to reducepoverty by 50%.” Speaking at the event,Ambassador Samuel Moncada thanked the

TUC & Labour Meetings Show Solidarity

■ Vol 1 ■ Issue 3 ■ Winter 2011-2012

vivavenezuela!

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viva !

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■ If you join VSC online at:www.venezuelasolidarity.co.uk foronly £12 you receive a free DVD ofOliver Stone’s South of the Border. You can also join by cheque for £12 (£6 unwaged) to Venezuela Solidarity

Campaign, c/o PO Box 56210, London N4 4XH

Join the VSC

union movement for its support and drewparallels between Venezuela and strugglesglobally, saying "we are all struggling againstoverpaid bankers being subsidised byunderpaid workers. It is an international crisiswhich needs international answers."

At Labour Conference, a fringe of around 200heard the importance of Venezuela and Cuba'swork in fighting for social justice andinternationalism. Addressing the importance ofelections next year, Alvaro Sanchez of theVenezuelan Embassy said their outcome “will

determine whether social progress continues orwhether the country returns to the crassinequalities of the past.”

The meeting was chaired by Diana Holland(Unite and also the Labour Party Treasurer), andheard from Esther Armenteros (CubanAmbassador), Cathy Jamieson MP, Colin Burgonand Stephen Cavalier from Thompsons. VSCwould like to thank Thompsons Solicitors fortheir support in both these events.

Despite numerous clashes, approaching100 delegates registered for VSC’sAGM, which pledged to step upsolidarity in the run-up to 2012.

Speakers included Alvaro Sanchez and JhonGuerra from Venezuela, Richard Gott, MP

Jeremy Corbyn, Laurie Heselden of SERTUCand Colin Burgon, who was elected VSC’s newChair. Outgoing Chair - and new Vice-Chair -Jennie Bremner welcomed delegates bycelebrating VSC’s fifth AGM and "anotherproductive year."

Successful AGM Marks Countdown to Electionsas 100s see Chomsky Condemn US Intervention

NAPO Celebrates Venezuela!

Aparty celebrating Venezuela for 600delegates and visitors was a highlightat NAPO’s Conference this autumn,alongside a well-attended meeting on

Venezuela Shows There is an Alternative. Specialguest Alvaro Sanchez addressed both events,whilst a Latin American disco and live musicentertained the crowds.

The AGM was followed by an event on USrelations with Latin America with NoamChomsky, co-organised by the VSC, CSC andSERTUC, and attended by over 500 people.