RALLY AND PRESS CONFERENCE:

POT-BANGING PROTEST IN LOS ANGELES IN SUPPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF VENEZUELA

Place: Westwood Federal Building, Los Angeles California
Date: Tuesday 17, 2002
Time: 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

In defense of the democratically elected government of President Hugo Chavez, and the “Bolivarian Revolution.” In rejection of a vicious opposition and its international allies who refuse to acknowledge the seven electoral processes that Mr. Chávez and his political project have won by overwhelming majority on the last four years.

IN THE SPIRIT OF SIMON BOLIVAR!
U.S. HANDS OFF VENEZUELA!
THE PEOPLE OF VENEZUELA NEED SOLIDARITY NOW!
NO MORE U.S. OPERATIONS TO BRING A COUP IN VENEZUELA!
ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES (OAS) MUST STOP UNDERMINING
PRESIDENT CHAVEZ!

Sponsored by:
Circulo Bolivariano de Los Angeles, CISPES, Office of the Americas, The Committee to Defend the Democratically Elected Government of Hugo Chavez, Veterans For Peace, The FMLN, Coalition For World Peace, International Action Center (Partial endorsers)

Contact:
(323) 852-0721, (818) 982-1412, (626) 201-8527, (626) 282-9431

So good to see creative response to the oilmen's lockouts & economic terrorism, all orchestrated with active support & connivance of the oil slugs in the Whte House.

The only "early election" we need in the Americas is in Florida, where thousands of Afro-american eligible voters were prevented from voting by Dubya's brother Jeb Bush in Nov. of 2000.

"What do we want? Regime Change!"
"Where do we want it? In Washington, DC!"

update

class conflict and U.S. intervention

"....wake up...."

anti-chavez challenged

GW Bush enjoys immense popularity. Why do you suppose that is?

---because of sept 11, which the us govt had a role in fomenting. Go see
http://emperors-clothes.com/indict/update630.htm
Bush admin played on the emotions of the ameriac people at this time.

Chavez is trying to screw over Venezuela in the same manner that Castro screwed over Cuba.

--screw venezuala? what do you mean? The embargo against cuba is what is screwing cuba. Even us businessmen oppose it. America is screweing over cuba, and withthe aid of the elites of venezuala is trying to screw venezuala.

The citizens are resisting as well they should.

---who is resisting? You dont indicate the demographic. Who makesw up your 'citizens'? It is the big buysinessmen, wealthy elites etc who are resisting, not the poor people. For you, a citizen is someone who is materially privileged.The real citizenary are resisting the opposition tyrants and trying to make the media, which controls public perception, more accountable. You should know all about corrupt media: its epidemic in the us.

Communism Sucks! Socialism Sucks! Anarchism Sucks! Capitalism rules!

if capitalism rules, it is not thru its merits, but thru its alliance with political power.
communism has it problems, but to opose socialism is to oppose social justice, which i see you detest. You clearly detest poor people and democracy, as show by your support of the venezualan oposition which launched a coup and started a dictatorship.

Meanwhile, here is a report by greg wilpert:




LATIN AMERICA


Evidence for the passions in and polarization of Venezuelan society was clearly on display on October 10, at the anti-government demonstration, and on October 13, at the pro-government demonstration. Both protests managed to draw crowds that probably exceeded any previous demonstration in Venezuelan history. Estimates for each demonstration range between 400,000 and well over one million.

The October 10 anti-government demonstration, however, made many people very nervous because leading up to it were numerous rumors of an impending coup. While the media/opposition was mobilizing the population to go to the demonstration, Chavez disclosed that the government had aborted a coup and arrested some of its plotters. While more coup plotters were supposed to be arrested in Caracas’ upper-middle class neighborhoods, neighbors took to the streets and prevented the police from making their arrests. Other active-duty military officials began making pronouncements on television against the government, much like happened shortly before the coup attempt last April. Both the opposition and government supporters were very nervous about what might happen that day.

As is usual, the media provided total coverage of the opposition demonstration, which was indeed very large. For the opposition leadership it was consummate proof that nearly everyone in Venezuela rejects the Chavez government. For government supporters it was intimidating and had the desired effect of giving the impression that they had lost in the battle for public opinion.

Two days later, on the state-run television channel, Chavez and members of his party compared amateur video coverage with that provided by the television stations. These showed that some private stations were claiming to transmit live images of the demonstration, when, according to the amateur video, the demonstration had already passed the point that the TV stations were supposedly showing, thereby making the demonstration appear larger than it actually was.

While the opposition had the media’s complete support and had prepared several weeks for its demonstration, Chavez’ Fifth Republic Movement party (MVR) prepared only two days for its October 13 demonstration to commemorate the protests that brought Chavez back to power six months earlier, on April 13. Galvanized by the need to show that not everyone opposes Chavez, many Chavez supporters went to this demonstration who had never gone to a demonstration before. They surprised each other at the immense turn-out and devotion of the demonstration. As one participant commented, “It is difficult to describe with words what I felt and saw on these people’s faces when Chavez finally appeared: love, devotion, hope, faith… I don’t know, since the Pope’s last visit here I had not seen anything comparable to this.” They were relieved to see that they were not the only ones who still supported the government, contrary to what the media was telling them.

Despite the success of the pro-government demonstration, or more likely because of it, some opposition politicians, such as Antonio Ledezma of Alianza Bravo Pueblo, still insisted that most of the demonstrators were paid to be there and estimated that the amount per demonstrator was about $30 per person.

Some government supporters now believe that this demonstration was as important as the one that brought Chavez back after the April coup. It showed the nation that Chavez still enjoys widespread support and that the media are presenting a very distorted image of Venezuelan society.

However, the opposition insisted on pursuing its plans for ousting the president and proceeded with a general strike on October 21, jointly sponsored by both the union federation CTV and the main chamber of commerce, Fedecameras. While the eastern, wealthier part of Caracas was practically shut down for the day, the western, poorer part of the city presented a more mixed picture of calm activity. The opposition announced that the strike was a resounding success because, according to their figures, over 80% of all normal work-day activity had come to a halt. For them the strike was incontrovertible proof that a vast majority of Venezuelans oppose the government and that the president’s resignation must follow.

The government, on the other hand, said the strike was a failure because only the more visible shops were closed, making everything only look like a Sunday, while in actuality most people did go to work. Another reason the strike constituted a failure, according to government spokespersons, is that it did not achieve what it set out to do, the resignation of the president.

Whatever the case may be in terms of participation, such a joint business owner and worker strike, is really a lock-out in which the workers get paid. Workers thus have a double-incentive not to work: pay and a closed workplace. To conceive this as proof of anyone’s opposition other than the business sector’s, takes a fairly wild imagination.


Gregory Wilpert is a freelance journalist and sociologist, who is currently working on a book on Venezuela during the Chavez presidency, which will be published by Zed Books in 2003.

Dear Bush admirer,
With all due respect, before acussing President Chávez of trying to screw Venezuela, please do, do your correspondent research through Venezuelan political, social and moral history. Don't just turn into a parrot repeating what the rest of the people say. Learn that President Chávez and our new constitution are more democrats than the word democratic itself. Find out why, then do talk nonsenses, but out of your ignorance. Find also the meaning of the word tolerance, from your heart. Many thanks in advance. PEACE AND DEMOCRACY FOR THE WORLD. A Venezuelan with homework done.

El derrocamiento del Golpe de Estado del 11 de Abril fue hecho por el Pueblo humilde, excluido que es la mayoría (como en gran parte del mundo) . Ese pueblo no aceptó el país que proyectaron los grandes medios de Comunicación social, que llegaron a falsear la verdad incluso para los medios extranjeros.

Quienes dieron el Golpe de Estado el 11 de Abril mostraron a los venezolanos lo que pretendían, un gobierno profundamente autoritario, entreguista, excluyente, racista, fascista pues, de allí la consciente movilización del pueblo Venezolano, profundamente amante de la Democracia, consciente de sus errores y defectos, pero sobre todo conscientes de que es perfectible. Los Golpistas mostraron sus garras y también sus aliados del Norte, quienes erróneamente bendijeron reconociéndolo casi de inmediato al gobierno de facto.

Hoy Venezuela sigue enfrentada con los mismos sectores, que pretenden sin éxito paralizar el país, paralizar la industria del Petróleo, felizmente los Venezolanos sabemos de la experiencia de este continente, Golpes en Chile, Argentina, Intervenciones extranjeras aupando Guerras y pisoteando las Soberanía, asesinatos, desplazados, desaparecidos, atentados, torturados, muertos, sabemos de que son capaces quienes por siempre detentaron el poder.
Felizmente el fantasma del Comunismo desapareció y hoy los pueblos sin temor a ser perseguidos, asesinados, o encarcelados, exigen y reclaman futuros posibles, dignos, de desarrollo y bienestar, son ejemplos Brasil, Ecuador, (tocara estar atentos con Argentina).

Lamentablemente en Venezuela ante la ausencia de un argumento convincente, políticamente serio y racional para estar en contra de un Presidente elegido DEMOCRÁTICAMENTE en dos oportunidades por mayoría abrumadora, la oposición se da a la tarea de decir que en Venezuela viene el Comunismo y que como en Cuba no habrá comida, que habrá que hacer colas para todo, que todos seremos jineteros; lo que no dicen es que en Cuba estudian medicina mas jóvenes indígenas venezolanos que en todas las universidades del país.

Los venezolanos defienden este gobierno porque tomo en cuenta a los mas excluidos, recupero para el pueblo nuestra hermosa Historia y sobre todo porque le planteó a los venezolanos un país posible por construir, lamentablemente los Golpistas siguen a través de los Grandes medios de Comunicación Social Locales generando una gran Matriz de opinión en contra del Gobierno de Chávez, nacional e internacional, para justificar lo que en todo el continente se repudia, los Gobiernos de Facto, autoritarios y de profundo corte fascista. Tal fue el papel de los medio aliados con poderosos sectores económicos que desde siempre habían usufructuado la riqueza petrolera del país, junto a los poderosos extranjeros, que llegaron a falsear la verdad incluso para muchas, quizás millones de personas en el mundo.
Hoy siguen haciendo lo mismo están vendiendo una realidad virtual, en la que la Plaza Francia (ubicada en uno de los municipios + pudientes del país) pretenden sea Venezuela, que unos cuantos ex-militares allí uniformados sean las Fuerzas Armadas, que unos cuantos seguidores sen la mayoría del pueblo, que tener los Grandes Medios de Comunicación es tener la razón, deseen una vuelta por la Pág. de la oposición www.militaresdemocraticos.com y vean la propuesta de pais, odio, venganza, violencia, exclusión, xenofobia,racismo.

Y si quieren ver y leer el sentir de la mayoria del pais, esa a le que le es imposible estudiar o trabajar en Europa, que a veces ni conoce a Caracas la Capital y que esta consciente que el país deseable no lo tenemos, pero lo podemos construir en PAZ y DEMOCRACIA, visiten www.antiescualidos.com o www.aporrea.org

Please Mr. Captain America, do you know what you are saying. Please give me a break. If you lived here in Venezuela you would know what is really going on. The press and the media have a "terrorist bombing" of insults against President Chavez. I bet Mr. Bush would close down CNN if they constantly had TV ads that said "Fuera el loco" (kick out the crazy man) or things like that. Here the opposition is very violent and are constantly hurting and threatening civilians who support the government. In the high society of this country (where I currentl stand) you cannot dare to say "I think the government is right" because you are looked at with hatred and kicked out of the group of people. In the American schools, teachers are constantly teaching the students that the government "sucks" the president "is crazy" and so on. Any businesses that open are shot or threatened. People who want to work are not able to because the opposition wont let them. Where I live in Maracaibo, there is a ship with 7 million liters of oil and a large quantity of gas. It is also on strike, but the ship is very close to shore. Reports say that if that ship the "Pilin Leon" explodes, everything in a 15km radius would dissapear. I don't know what you would call it but I call it TERRORISM. I thought President Bush had a "War on Terrorism". Well I think his "war on terrorism" is just a mask for his real operation: taking the oil away from every oil producing country. If you pay close attention you will notice that every oil producing country has terrorism or a neighbor country has terrorism. That way he can take all the oil he wants. Look at Irak for example. President Bush wants our President out of Miraflores because he won't have an oil resource when he starts with his invasions in the Middle East. He needs desperately our oil. The US was very involved in the April 11 events. What people don't understand is that the poor people of this country nor the military people never had a say or any rights. Pres. Chavez handed that to them, for that we are greatful. Now if you look back into Venezuelan history you will meet real opressors. Back then there wasn't any freedom of speech. I don't understand how people can say that in Venezuela there isn't freedom of speech when every 3 seconds an antichavista ad comes up in Venevision, Globovision, RCTV, Global TV, Meridiano TV, and Televen. They contain all kinds of offensive speech and mocking. Our president hasn't shut down any stations while Lusinchi closed one because a reporter commented on his affair with a lover outside his marriage. Romulo Betancourt is for rich people the father of democracy and for the poor the worst dictator that ever lived. He would excecute anyone who said "Abajo Betancourt!" (down with Betancourt). That government was so bad that even guerillas were formed against him. All the presidents 50 years before Chavez were corrupt and all the rights were to rich people and people who spoke well of the government. Carlos Andre Perez used to do something with the university rebels in which his forces would open up the rebel's neck and pull their toung out through there. He called this process "La Corbata" (the tie). So how can people say that there is no freedon of expression? When the April 11 coup the US was the second of only two countries to accept Carmona's regime. He hunted down the governments supporters, representatives, governors, ministers, etc. If Chavez is kicked out, God forgive and help us. I don't know what they will do with all of us government supporters. When Marcos Perez Jimenez, a dictator that was our best president, was kicked out the next day people where crying writing everywhere "Perdonanos, no supimos lo que hicimos" (forgive us, we didn't know what we did). I hope history doesn't repeat. The truth is: VENEZUELA IS NOT READY FOR A DEMOCRACY. Our best times have been with dictators. If the President has to control people from now on with the military, I'm sure we could live less worried. There is a world crisis right now due to 9/11. Statistics report that it will take Venezuela one year to recover from this strike. I leave you with this and you will be surprised to hear that I am still in school. Of course I am an Honor Roll student so I just want you to think about this. I will answer any questions you have.

Are the average citizens armed? Would that give the
general population a '2nd' to form local response ( citizen police militias ) to the
inevitable heat drawn on the rural 'soft targets' the
Criminal Intelligence Agency will sponsor to provide the tried and true 'strategy of tension' together with the
usual economic threats? Can the people take up small arms?
How many weapons are in private owership? Thank you for any
information.

Dear North American friends..Our new Bolivarian Constitution is FAR AWAY of being "Comunist"....that's REALLY ridiculous and it shows ignorance about our DEMOCRATIC process, making a comparation between Castro and President Chavez is REALLY stupid...we are fighting defending OUR OIL...cause Mr Bush want it for Free....so, he and his "partisans" (nostalgic of the cold war) are playing VERY dirty and creating an opinion distorted about our New Democratic Constitution... Comunism in the 2002? a New "Castro" in Venezuela?...just Funny..... Venezuela is not Cuba and before to emit any destructive commentary READ our Constitution wich is the more Democratic in America
I'm a 27 years old lady, Chemical Engineer
from the land of the American Number 1 (over G Washington and Abraham Lincoln) SIMON BOLIVAR
suhelyp@hotmail.com
Bush...wanna oil???...not for Free my friend....

President Chavez, is doing the right thing for the country by dismantling that estate within the estate called PDVSA. It was about time that venezuelans knew the reality inside PDVSA and their dodgy dealings. Changes do not come that easy, you got to fight.
This strike in my opinion got nothing to do with better pay conditions or for better public services, on the contrary it is for political reasons. Those who support the oposition should be worried about finding the right person to represent the democratic coordinator and draft a proper goverment plan that could contest this administration.

I am a US citizen and I back chavez and what he is doing in venezuela. I wish the poor and masses of our country had a say in our political process.

In brazil for example over 90% of the people voted and they got Lula!! a real hero!
Here in the U.S. only 30% of the people voted.. With less then half of that for bush.. So that means aprox 13% of the United States population voted to get Resdient bush into office. Hes never accomplished anything in his life but throw poor people out on the street in texas and electricute a whole bunch of prisoners.. how can someone admire a crook like george bush???

We want democracy in the USA! just like in venezuela!!!
viva chavez and lula and all the other democratic left who are standing up for the people!!

narconews update

latintrade update

abc news update

Court Orders Halt to Venezuela Oil Strike

narconews

Nessie interviews Giordano on Venezuela, the media, and anarchism

(update) "Military backs Venezuela president
Chavez has packed key command posts with his supporters"

some old news from a couple weeks ago:

Venezuela’s Catia TV Illegally Raided & Shut Down

"....The orders came from the current Metropolitan Mayor of Caracas, Venezuela (and an ex-"journalist"): Alfredo Peña, supporter of the attempted coup d’etat of April 2002 that Catia TV, among others, defeated."

.... and an update from yesterday:

Catia TV lodges lawsuit against Caracas Metropolitan Mayor Alfredo Pena

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anticrisis

"On August 31, President Hugo Chávez handed over land deeds to campesino representatives from the states of Barinas, Carabobo, Cojedes, Lara, Portuguesa, and Yaracuy at the Cuara Farm School in Jiménez de Quibor, Lara. The farmers were also given plows and tractors, as well as new credits for farming."

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update on Catia TV:
after international outcry from media activists, shady mayor Alfredo Pena re-opened Catia TV.

but some activists (Reporters Without Borders, for example) have been ignorant about the context..... Who is Alfredo Pena?

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Say NO! at WTO, Venezuela tells developing nations
WTO/Cancun thread

developing countries building solidarity against corporate USA / WTO agenda.... Venezuela, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Cuba, Egypt, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, the Philippines, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chili, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, South Africa, Thailand....

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anticrisis

lynx

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