Bolivian trade union and social movement leaders support open letter to US trade unionists

Jaime Solares, the main leader of the Bolivian Workers’ Union (COB), the country’s trade union confederation, together with Bolivia’s most important trade union and social movement leaders have signed the "Open Letter to US trade unionists".

The Open Letter, launched by the Hands Off Venezuela campaign, draws attention to the belligerent statements of the Bush administration against Venezuela and warns that this is the kind of language that in the past has been used to prepare for war and intervention. The Open Letter therefore calls on trade unionists in the US to put pressure on Washington to prevent any further US interference in Venezuela.

Among the Bolivian leaders signing the appeal are Miguel Zubieta, the main leader of the Bolivian Miners’ Trade Union Federation (FSMTB); Angel Durand, leader of the Landless Peasants Movement (MST); Felipe Quispe "El Mallku", leader of the Pachacutik Indian Movement (MIP) and one of the country’s most respected Indian leaders; Abel Mamani, the leader of the El Alto Neighbourhood Juntas Federation, which played a key role in the mobilisations which brought down the Sanchez Lozada government in October 2003; and Carlos Luna, the leader of the El Alto State University Students Centre (UPEA). Also signing the appeal are three of the country’s most well known political prisoners: the Colombian peasant leader Pacho Cortés, who has already spent two years in jail wrongly accused of "narco-terrorism"; Gabriel Pinto, leader of the MST who has already been in jail for nearly a year, accused of having participated in the Ayo-Ayo uprising; and Marcelino Jancko, a founding member of the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS), leader of the Chaparé peasants and jailed since April 2003 on trumped up charges of "carrying explosives". The Peruvian militant Cesar Zelada, coordinator of the Hands Off Venezuela campaign in Perú, who also spent three months in jail in Bolivia on trumped up charges of "carrying explosives" also signs the appeal.

Jaime Solares, the main leader of the Bolivian Workers’ Union (COB), the country’s trade union confederation, together with Bolivia’s most important trade union and social movement leaders have signed the "Open Letter to US trade unionists".

The Open Letter, launched by the Hands Off Venezuela campaign, draws attention to the belligerent statements of the Bush administration against Venezuela and warns that this is the kind of language that in the past has been used to prepare for war and intervention. The Open Letter therefore calls on trade unionists in the US to put pressure on Washington to prevent any further US interference in Venezuela.

Among the Bolivian leaders signing the appeal are Miguel Zubieta, the main leader of the Bolivian Miners’ Trade Union Federation (FSMTB); Angel Durand, leader of the Landless Peasants Movement (MST); Felipe Quispe "El Mallku", leader of the Pachacutik Indian Movement (MIP) and one of the country’s most respected Indian leaders; Abel Mamani, the leader of the El Alto Neighbourhood Juntas Federation, which played a key role in the mobilisations which brought down the Sanchez Lozada government in October 2003; and Carlos Luna, the leader of the El Alto State University Students Centre (UPEA). Also signing the appeal are three of the country’s most well known political prisoners: the Colombian peasant leader Pacho Cortés, who has already spent two years in jail wrongly accused of "narco-terrorism"; Gabriel Pinto, leader of the MST who has already been in jail for nearly a year, accused of having participated in the Ayo-Ayo uprising; and Marcelino Jancko, a founding member of the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS), leader of the Chaparé peasants and jailed since April 2003 on trumped up charges of "carrying explosives". The Peruvian militant Cesar Zelada, coordinator of the Hands Off Venezuela campaign in Perú, who also spent three months in jail in Bolivia on trumped up charges of "carrying explosives" also signs the appeal.