Joint Meeting London – Victory in Bolivia & Ten Years of the Venezuelan Revolution

Around 40 peopled gathered together at Bolivar Hall London last night to attend a meeting, organised by Hands Off Venezuela and the Bolivia Solidarity Campaign, to celebrate and discuss the recent constitutional victory in Bolivia, and the ten-year anniversary of the Venezuelan revolution.

The new Bolivian constitution is a big step forward for the revolution. It is the first constitution to have been formed by a peoples’ assembly, and gives Bolivians new democratic powers. Amancay Colque, Secretary of the Bolivia Solidarity Campaign, described how the State now has constitutional powers to take control of the country’s natural resources, including hydrocarbons, which have been plundered by foreign multinationals for decades.

Amancay also outlined the new rights for indigenous peoples. They now have the right to political representation at all levels. They are also entitled to autonomy should they wish it. This is of course a key issue in a country where over half the population are indigenous.

Most importantly, the new constitution gives power to the working class, allowing them to challenge the exploitation of employers by entitling them to defend their jobs through industrial action, including the occupation of factories and workers’ control. Direct control over work places through workers councils would help to form the embryo of a new socialist society.

An important ally to Bolivia, the Venezuelan revolution, has now reached its ten-year anniversary. The achievements so far have inspired millions worldwide. Social spending per person has tripled, poverty halved, free healthcare expanded, illiteracy eradicated, unemployment fallen, and wage inequality reduced.

Nestor Lopez, First Secretary of the Venezuelan Embassy, outlined some of the achievements, and explained how the Venezuelan Government has funded social welfare programs by regaining control of the nation’s oil industry, previously under the control of the corrupt oligarchy.

Nestor also supported the constitutional amendment being voted on this Sunday 15^th Feb to abolish term limits for officials. Nestor pointed out that officials, including the President, would still be subject to democratic elections. “If this is the will of the majority, then the abolition of term limits is surely democratic.” Nestor finished by saying that for the revolution to move forward, complete control of the State by the people must be achieved.

The ten-year anniversary of the Venezuelan revolution was marred last month by the brutal killing of two workers, and the wounding of several others, during an illegal police eviction of workers who had occupied the Mitsubishi factory in protest of severe job cuts. Police have already been arrested in connection with these unlawful killings, but this incident shows that the Venezuelan revolution is far from complete. 

Jorge Martin, International Secretary of the Hands Off Venezuela Campaign, also referred to the abolition of term limits, pointing out that “we have no term limits here in Britain, or the US, or Canada for example”. Jorge also commented on how the worldwide mass media are blindly repeating the distorted views of the Venezuelan oligarchy, who are presenting this amendment as a violation of democracy, using phrases like ‘Chavez President for life’, and ‘Indefinite re-election’. Jorge explained that the right-wing opposition to the amendment is in no way an attempt to defend democracy, instead it’s a disguised struggle against democracy. They do not want the revolution to continue because it threatens the interests of the rich.

It is, of course, ironic that these supposed ‘concerns’ over democracy are being waged by the very same people who attempted the overthrow of the democratically elected Chavez government in 2002. It’s also worth pointing out that Venezuela is the only country in the world to have the democratic right to recall any official, including the President, should they wish it.

The audience seemed inspired by the speakers. Many interesting questions were asked, and many interesting contributions were made, including one lady who pointed out that, though Bolivians were very pleased with the new constitution, they also felt it wasn’t revolutionary enough, especially on the question of land reform. Jorge Martin responded by saying that, although parliament and constitutions can play an important role in a mass movement, the revolution can only be completed by the masses themselves.

All three speakers finished by stressing the importance of international solidarity. Amancay called for working people around the world to embrace the Bolivian constitution as their own. Nestor referred to Karl Marx, and stressed that revolution requires great strength and determination. And, Jorge stressed that the struggle in Latin America to build peoples power and socialism is a solution for the oppressed and exploited all over the world. “Let’s make sure that the 21^st Century is a century of socialism, not capitalism”.