Chavez, the President of Venezuela, does a regular TV programme, Alo Presidente. In the latest one he dedicated twenty minutes to In Defence of Marxism (www.marxist.com). What this demonstrates is that solidarity action with Venezuela is very important and that any action that supporters organise around the world should be reported to In Defence of Marxism. Any action that you carry out will get into the Venezuelan press; the people like to hear about it.
President Chavez dedicates 20 minutes to In Defence of Marxism on the TV programme "Alo Presidente"*
Chavez, the President of Venezuela, does a regular TV programme, Alo Presidente. In the latest one he dedicated twenty minutes to In Defence of Marxism (www.marxist.com). Chavez had received a copy of Reason in Revolt sent to him and personally signed by Alan Woods. Chavez spent the whole time on the programme with the book in his hands. And towards the end of the programme, after having congratulated Zapatero and the Spanish people for having won the elections, he explained that the book had been sent to him by Alan Woods.
He read out quite a long quote from the book, the bit in the section on physics which explains the need for a catalyst to accelerate the molecular processes in the transitional phase, of the change from one physical state to another. He ended by quoting the bit that says that if the catalyst is missing the transitional phase will be longer, etc. Then he raised the idea that the "misiones educativas" [special literacy programmes], the Plan Vuelvan Caras (jobs), and the local elections in August must become the catalyst of the revolutionary process in Venezuela.
He then went on to explain that Alan Woods is a leading figure of the publication In Defence of Marxism, that in the Spanish speaking countries is represented by the Spanish journal El Militante. Then he read out Alan's note to Chavez in the book and also a part of the accompanying letter. First he read the bit that explains that Reason in Revolt was written in 1995 when internationally the bourgeoisie was launching an offensive against the ideas of socialism, taking advantage of the collapse of Stalinism.
Then he read the whole of the Hands off Venezuela international statement and he explained that In Defence of Marxism were the organisers of this campaign. He quoted Manzoor Ahmed, one of the Marxist MPs elected to the Pakistani Parliament and then listed the other Pakistani MPs who had signed the Hands off Venezuela appeal. He also read out other signatories. This led to some laughter because of the way some of the names were pronounced. The audience were splitting their sides laughing, and Chavez joined in.
He read out from the list of signatories many of the names. He mentioned Pepe Martin, many from the PSOE and the UGT, Pilar in the name of the Telefonica Moviles union committee, Txus from Vitoria. He then read out several from Italy. He spent a lot of time in reading out the French, German and US signatories. He also read out signatures from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Greece, India, Iran, Luxemburg, Mexico, Peru, Sweden and Britain.
At the end he passed the list to the "canciller" (Foreign Minister) and to his Department for International Relations and he told them that they must put In Defence of Marxism in touch with all the others that support the Bolivarian Revolution and he ended by saying that more and more, people belonging to different left currents are beginning to realise that the Bolivarian Revolution is part of their own project to build an international alternative to Neo-liberalism and Globalisation.
What this demonstrates is that solidarity action with Venezuela is very important and that any action that our supporters organise around the world should be reported to us. Any action that you carry out will get into the Venezuelan press; the people like to hear about it.
March 22, 2004
You can find a Summary of "Alo Presidente" Number 185 from the Palace of Miraflores, March 21, 2004 at:
http://www.aporrea.org/dameverbo.php?docid=15033
Note* An educational TV programme presented by Chavez himself.
____________________________________
In Spanish:
El Presidente Chavez dedica más de 20 minutos
a In Defence of Marxism
en su programa televisivo "Aló Presidente"*
Chavez, el Presidente de Venezuela, produce un programa regular de televisión, Aló Presidente. En su última transmisión dedicó veinte minutes a In Defence of Marxism (www.marxist.com). Recibió una copia de Razón y Revolución que Alan Woods le había firmado y enviado personalmente. Chavez estuvo todo el programa con el libro en las manos. Y casi al final, después de felicitar a Zapatero y al pueblo español por ganar las elecciones, explicó que Alan Woods le había enviado el libro.
Leyó una cita bastante larga del libro: la que explica en la parte de física la necesidad del catalizador para que los procesos moleculares aceleren la fase de transición, de cambio de un estado fisico a otro. Terminó donde dice que sin el catalizador la fase de transición se prolongaría demasiado, etc., luego planteó que las misiones educativas, el plan Vuelvan caras (empleo) y las elecciones locales de agosto tienen que ser un catalizador del proceso revolucionario venezolano.
A continuación citó que Alan Woods es un dirigente de la publicación In Defence of Marxism que en los países de habla hispana se halla representada por el periódico español El Militante. Luego leyó la dedicatoria del libro y una parte de la carta, primero donde se explica que Razón y Revolución fue escrito en el año 95 cuando internacionalmente la burguesía lanzaba una campaña contra las ideas del socialismo aprovechando el colapso del estalinismo.
Luego leyó íntegro el texto de la resolución internacional de la campaña Manos Fuera de Venezuela y explicó que ha sido lanzada por In Defence of Marxism. Citó a Manzoor Ahmed, uno de los diputados marxistas elegido al Parlamento Paquistaní y luego nombró a los otros parlamentarios paquistaníes firmantes de la campaña. Leyó otras firmas, lo cual produjo la risa del público por la pronunciación, y Chavez se sumó a ellos.
Leyó los nombres de muchos firmantes. Mencionó a muchos del PSOE y de la UGT, entre otros al Comité de Telefónica Móviles. Luego a varios de Italia, se detuvo mucho en Francia, Alemania y EEUU. También citó los nombres de firmantes de Argentina; Australia; Austria; Bélgica; Brasil; Dinamarca; Grecia; India; Irán; Luxemburgo; Méjico; Perú; Suecia; y Gran Bretaña.
Al final le pasó la lista al canciller (ministro de exteriores) y a su departamento de asesores de relaciones internacionales y les dijo que tenían que poner en contacto a In Defence of Marxism con todos los demás que apoyan la revolución bolivariana y terminó diciendo que cada vez más gente de distintas tendencias de izquierda se da cuenta de que la revolución bolivariana es una parte de sus mismos proyectos de construir una alternativa internacional frente al neoliberalismo y la globalización.
Esto lo que demuestra es que la solidaridad con Venezuela es clave y la información de cualquier acto que nuestros seguidores lleven a cabo en todo el mundo debería de ser enviada a nuestra página Web. Cualquier acción que organicemos saldrá en la prensa y a la gente le gusta oírlo.
22 de marzo 2004
Resumen Alo Presidente # 185 desde el Palacio de Miraflores el 21 de Marzo 2004 http://www.aporrea.org/dameverbo.php?docid=15033>
Nota* Un programa educativo en televisión presentado por el propio Presidente Chavez
Original: Chavez dedicates 20 minutes to In Defence of Marxism on the TV programme "Alo Preside