Egypt’s Revolution Stumbles (tags)
The call for a new constitution was a key political demand of the Egyptian people when they overthrew the thirty-year dictatorship of Mubarak. Motivating this was the desire to begin dismantling the repressive bureaucratic state machinery they had suffered under and replace it with a democratic government that would be guided by their needs and hopes. Such aspirations served to unite the divergent forces that made Egypt’s political revolution and encourage their grassroots organizing efforts.
Venezuela: Coup and Countercoup, Revolution (tags)
"But the coup resistance grew to millions of people, flooding the areas surrounding the presidential palace, and the presidential guard, still loyal to Chavez, moved to retake the palace. Word of the resistance reached military barracks throughout the country, and one in Maracay, outside of Caracas, acted quickly to locate and rescue Chavez and return him to the presidential palace.??By the early morning hours of April 14, Chavez had returned, brought back by the will and power of the Venezuelan people and the loyal armed forces.??These events changed Venezuela forever and awoke the consciousness of many who had underestimated the importance and vulnerability of their Revolution."
NDF-Southern Mindanao on the GRP elections: no illusions (tags)
The EPCC NEWS sources learned today that the general elections under the reactionary Government of the Republic of the Philippines has kicked off with the usual circus that holds sway among the populace and feeds on their decades-old aspiration for true change in Philippine society. The National Democratic Front-Southern Mindanao states its position on the reactionary GRP elections: That the Filipino masses should bear no illusion that the elections will bring about thoroughgoing change in our semi-feudal and semi-colonial society, and that only the People's Democratic Revolution is our way to genuine liberation and national development.
Elections in Honduras: Whitewashing a Path to a Past of Horrors (tags)
"Except that it’s probably the beginning of a story. One that we thought had been left to rest in Latin America years and years ago. One of fear and repression and deaths and disappearances. We know the litany all too well, and we remember the names of its thousands of victims each November. This year we had to add too many new names from Honduras. And, if our government chooses to recognize these elections, this massive whitewash, I fear that many more names will be read from the stage in front of Ft. Benning next year. And perhaps not just from Honduras."
Venezuela, Oil and the struggle for Democratic Socialism in the 21st Century (tags)
The country of Venezuela is a startling paradox of immense suffering and extreme wealth. According to a private Caracas-based polling company, Datanalisis, over 58% of the 25 million people in Venezuela live on less than $253 (Cdn) a month. The level of poverty becomes all the more damning when factoring in that Venezuela is also the world's fourth largest oil exporter. This glaring contradiction remained unchallenged until the election of Hugo Chavez as Venezuelan President.