Resolutions on the achievements of the Bolivarian revolution

This Hands Off Venezuela conference acknowledges the continued achievements of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in increasing the quality of life for all its citizens by moving away from the destructive capitalist model.

Conference notes that poverty and inequality have continued to decrease in recent years and access to health care and the range of services available continues to expand. Conference is encouraged that enrolment rates in higher education have more than doubled and that solid steps to increase food sovereignty are being taken. This conference also supports all efforts to increase respect for women's rights, sexual diversity and the disabled, put an end to racial discrimination, and applauds the continued experiments in transferring power to the people and the call for not just a participatory democracy but one that is also protagonistic in nature.

Resolution on US aggression against Venezuela

This Hands Off Venezuela conference condemns the continued aggression towards Venezuela from the United States under the Presidency of Barack Obama including the violation of Venezuelan airspace on January 8th 2010 by a P3 bomber and before that by a remote controlled 'drone', and particularly condemns the opening up of seven military bases in Colombia to the US military, a clear threat to Venezuela.

This Hands Off Venezuela conference calls for all Latin American countries to follow the example set by Ecuador and close US military bases in their countries, and remove any US military presence from their own bases, as these only serve to strengthen US imperialism in Latin America.

Resolution in solidarity with the workers of the occupied factories

This HOV Conference shows its solidarity with the workers of the occupied factories in Venezuela. Their struggle is an inspiration for workers all over the world. We support the call for the nationalisation of INAF, Gotcha, Vivex and the other factories in struggle so that production can be put under workers control for the benefit of the Venezuelan people. 

Resolution on the work with the Coordinadora Latinoamericana

This Hands Off Venezuela conference recognises the importance of continued work within the Coordinadora Latinoamericana in promoting solidarity alongside other grassroots campaigns on important Latin American issues. Conference recognises that it is imperialism which force many immigrants to come to Europe and applauds the Coordinadora’s work in solidarity with Latinos in the UK. Hands Off Venezuela conference endorses the campaign for Latin-American Recognition and the struggles for increased migrant workers rights and against the racist immigration controls .

This conference applauds the achievements of the Coordinator Latinomericana and calls for continued solidarity amongst the campaigns involved.

Resolution on the call for a V International

This Hands Off Venezuela conference notes that Hugo Chavez has made an appeal for the formation of a Fifth International. Faced with the capitalist crisis and the threat of war that is putting at risk the future of humanity, "the people are clamoring for" greater unity of THE left and revolutionary parties willing to fight for socialism, he said.

Furthermore, the First Extraordinary Congress of the PSUV passed a resolution calling for the founding of a "Fifth Socialist International as a space for socialist-oriented parties, movements and currents in which we can harmonize a common strategy for the struggle against imperialism, the overthrow of capitalism by socialism,".

This Hands Off Venezuela conference welcomes this initiative and recognises the benefits to solidarity work in defence of the Bolivarian revolution it can bring. It instructs the committee to initiate discussions among HOV supporters and in the wider labour and trade union movement with a view to supporting the formation of a V International and to participate in preparatory discussions towards this.

Solidarity with Honduras

This Hands Off Venezuela conference condemns the undemocratic coup against president Mel Zelaya in Honduras a year ago. We reject the government of Porfirio Lobo which came out of an election which the majority of the people of Honduras rejected as it took place with no democratic guarantees, and was organized and conducted by the coup plotters. We express our solidarity with the resistance movement of the people of Honduras and with the National Peoples’ Resistance Front (FNPR). We also express our outrage at the campaign of selective assassination of resistance activists carried out under the Lobo government. We call on the British government not to recognize the illegitimate government of Porfirio Lobo and to work for the restoration of democracy in Honduras. Conference instructs the HOV Steering Committee to give practical support to the international observers delegation to Honduras in June 2010. 

Resolution on John McDonnell

This Hands Off Venezuela conference congratulates John McDonnell for his tireless work in defence OF and in solidarity with the Bolivarian revolution in Venezuela. Conference condemns the position taken by the previous New Labour Govermment against the Bolivarian revolution and recognizes that things are likely to get worse with the Conservative – Liberal government. Therefore Hands off Venezuela supports John McDonnell’s bid for Labour leader and urges Labour Party members to work to make sure he is on the ballot paper.

Proposed list for the steering committee

Charley Allen, Katrina Annis, Amancay Colque, Darral Cozens, George Deacon, Jeremy Dear, Brie Finegold, Mel Macdonald, Jorge Martin, John McDonnell, William Mora, Will Roche, Rob Sewell, Julian Sharpe, Matt Stevenson, Rodrigo Trompiz, Rob Walsh.