Hands Off Venezuela

On 21st May the 2011 National Conference of Hands Off Venezuela in Britain will be taking place in London. Free to members, or join on the day, and hear speakers coming from Venezuela as well as debate and wider discussion in solidarity with the Bolivarian Revolution.

We have now confirmed the speaker from Venezuela: Julio Bañez, a Caracas firefighter, heavily involved in the relief efforts for the flood victims in December 2010, revolutionary activist of the Socialist United Party of Venezuela (PSUV) and part of an attempt to set up a Firefighters Union. The flood relief efforts in Bolivarian Venezuela included the government requisitioning empty flats and empty hotel rooms to temporarily house those affected, some where also temporarily lodged in ministries and even the Miraflores presidential palace.

Also speaking will be John McDonnell, MP, the Venezuelan Ambassador Samuel Moncada, Alan Woods, Jeremy Dear (National Union of Journalists) and others. We will have a session on what lessons can be learnt from the revolutionary movements in Latin America for the struggle against cuts in Britain, with speakers from the Latin American Coordination Against Cuts (COLACOR) and the Latin American Workers Association (LAWAS).

On the same day of our conference, a picket has been called against Alvaro Uribe (former Colombian president) who will be speaking at a meeting of "investors" (read looters). As soon as we finish the conference we plan to go together and join this action, as Uribe was prominent in all the attempts to destroy the Venezuelan revolution while he was in power. More details here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=166783623381315 (4pm-7pm Saturday 21 May 27 Sussex Place, Regent's Park, NW1 Nearest tube: Baker Street)

There will be another anti-Uribe picket on Monday 23, when he will be speaking at LSE: 5pm-8pm Monday 23 May LSE Campus, Houghton Street, WC2 Nearest tubes: Covent Garden, Holborn, Temple

As advanced capitalist countries embark on austerity programs, cutting spending on health care, education, increasing tuition fees, etc. Venezuela's Bolivarian Revolution has massively increased spending in health care, created hundreds of thousands of free university places and stood up to the pressures of imperialism.

As a result, it has earned the wrath of Washington and the local oligarchy who organised several attempts to remove the democratically elected president Hugo Chavez through military coup, economic sabotage, bosses lock out, etc.

The September 26, 2010 elections gave the Socialist United Party of Venezuela (PSUV) a renewed majority in the National Assembly, but with a reduced vote. Next year's presidential elections will be crucial for the future of the revolution.

Come and hear more about Venezuela's revolution. Speakers from Venezuela and Britain. Plenty of time for debate and discussion. More details coming soon.

Saturday May 21st,  10am - 5.30pm @

VENUE MAP MAP: http://goo.gl/maps/0kgh

RSVP to the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=159032667492993

FREE for members. Join on the day for £7.50 (£5 unwaged, no one turned away for lack of funds)

To register in advance to save time on the day email: london@handsoffvenezuela.org