On May 7, the Hands Off Venezuela Campaign made a presentation at the 1st annual Winnipeg Social Forum, held at the University of Winnipeg in Manitoba. Joining some 60 people who had participated in a full day of presentations, workshops, discussions, musicians, food, and street theatre, the supporters of Hands Off Venezuela and Fightback participated in a lively discussion on the important issue of Venezuela. Cy Gonick of SMAC facilitated the session.

John Peterson, from the U.S. HOV campaign, briefly introduced the film "Venezuela Bolivariana", an overview of events in Venezuela from the 1989 "Caracazo" uprising to the aftermath of the 2002 coup against democratically-elected President Hugo Chavez. Unfortunately, due to technical difficulties, the film was cut short. Peterson picked up where the film left off, bringing the audience up to the present situation in Venezuela. Many questions were asked after his introduction, and many in the enthusiastic and attentive audience expressed an interest in forming a Winnipeg HOV committee. Peterson also informed the audience of the World Festival of Students and Youth taking place this summer in Caracas, Venezuela, and issued an appeal for trade unionists in Canada to support the latest petition of the campaign (see Open Letter to U.S. Trade Unionists).

After the event, many of those present visited the HOV / Fightback table to sign the HOV petition, pick up leaflets and other materials, ask further questions, etc. There was broad interest in the revolutionary events taking place in Venezuela, with eagerness to build solidarity and raise awareness through film showings, visits by trade unionists from Venezuela, visits to Venezuela to learn from the grassroots movement, etc.

"Winnipeg, with its history of class struggle and workers' movements is a great place to build upon the Hands Off Venezuela campaign, which I believe will play a huge role in the fight to allow the Venezuelan people self-determination free from U.S. intervention. Educating the people of the world about working, evolving alternatives to capitalism and imperialist governments is key in the struggle for a world wide workers' revolution," said Aly Malabar, an HOV supporter in Winnipeg.

A meeting to formally launch the Winnipeg HOV committee will be announced soon. We invite you to join us in this important campaign. The effects of the Venezuelan Revolution will be far-reaching, and will shape the politics of the entire hemisphere in the coming years. Please write us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to get involved or for more information.

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On the eve of May Day, forty people gathered at the Unitarian Church to launch the Hands off Venezuela campaign in Vancouver. Four speakers briefly addressed the meeting before the floor was opened up for discussion – both political and tactical.

Well-known Vancouver City Councilor Tim Louis (from the Coalition of Progressive Electors) linked the Bolivarian revolution to the struggle for socialism in Canada. Political Science professor Peter Prontzos discussed US imperialism in Latin America past and present, and Jay Hartling reported on the recent trip of the Bolivarian Circle of Vancouver (Bob Everton) to Venezuela. Miriam Martin from Fightback and the International Hands off Venezuela campaign reviewed the gains of the revolution so far and emphasized the need for the revolution to be carried to its logical conclusion - socialism. An organizing committee was struck, and it was agreed that public events should continue monthly—including pickets, film screenings, parties with food and music, and a book launch for Alan Woods’ new book The Venezuelan Revolution - A Marxist Perspective. $100 was collected to be shared with some youth from the church’s Social Justice Committee, who will be attending the World Festival of Students and Youth this summer in Caracas. The collection also contained 35,000 Bolivars!

The launch was filmed and will be aired on Global Justice television on Shaw cable 4.

If you are interested in getting involved with the Hands off Venezuela campaign in Vancouver, please contact vancouver[at] handsoffvenezuela.org.

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