Hands Off Venezuela

Sanitarios Maracay is a ceramics factory in Venezuela currently occupied by its workforce. The factory is being run under workers control through a system of general assemblies and committees. The workers took over the factory in November 2006, when the owner, a known coup-plotter, abandoned it. They want the factory nationalised and run under workers' control.

This occupation is only one of several taking place in Venezuela at this time. President Chávez has declared himself in favour of nationalisation and introduced experiences of workers control, as shown by the expropriation of Venepal (a paper factory) and CNV (a valve factory) in 2005, but the process is difficult and bureaucratic and can take time. In the meantime the workers of Sanitarios Maracay need practical help to maintain the occupation.

This is an extremely inspiring struggle, part of the push of ordinary working people taking their futures into their own hands, the true significance of the Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela.

Hands Off Venezuela has linked up with the workers at Sanitarios Maracay to provide solidarity and practical help for their struggle. We are writing to ask if we could come to one of your meetings to raise the issue. We have some very inspiring (very short!) videos shot by members of a recent delegation of Hands off Venezuela who visited the factory in December, which would be worth showing.

Useful support for the occupation includes: donations, messages of solidarity, arranging meetings to show the video and discuss the situation, petition signatures (online petition)

If you would like a member of Hands off Venezuela to come to your meeting to make a short presentation about the dispute, please contact us. Alternatively we have attached a model resolution and if you do not have time for a speaker, perhaps you would present this resolution to a meeting.

For further information, please see the Hands off Venezuela website. ( www.handsoffvenezuela.org). To arrange a speaker, in Britain, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or ring Julian Sharpe - 07714125419. For other countries, use the Contact Us form.

Find out more about the struggle of Sanitarios Maracay workers:

Articles

• No to the closure of Sanitarios Maracay – The Bolivarian government must nationalise it (Executive of Sanitarios Maracay Trade Union - November 16th 2006)
• The workers of Sanitarios Maracay form a Factory Committee to implement workers’ control at the factory (Yonnie Moreneno - CMR - November 21st 2006)
• Sanitarios Maracay workers elect a Factory Committee to manage the company and struggle for expropriation (William Sanabria - CMR - November 24th, 2006)
• Workers of Sanitarios Maracay march for the expropriation of the factory under workers' control (Patrick Larsen - IDOM - November 27th, 2006)
• Reports of the December 14 demonstration in Caracas, by William Sanabria (CMR), Rob Sewell (IDOM) and Steven Mather (Venezuelananlysis.com)
• Report of the February 8th demonstration in support of the nationalisations announced by Chavez and demanding the nationalisation of Sanitarios Maracay
• Sanitarios Maracay workers buy raw materials (Wanderci Bueno - FRETECO - March 7th, 2007)

Videos

• Sanitarios Maracay Workers' Assembly
• Hands Off Venezuela delegation tours Sanitarios Maracay under workers control (December 2006)
• Sanitarios Maracay Demo for Factory Expropriation (December 2006)

Pictures

• March for nationalisation under workers control in Caracas (December 2006)
• Visit of the Hands Off Venezuela solidarity delegation (December 2006)
• National March in support of Chávez's nationalisatios and for the nationalisation of Sanitarios Maracay (February 8th, 2007)

Solidarity

• President Chávez: Nationalise Sanitarios Maracay! (Online petition)
• List of signatures collected so far