Letter from Ricardo Galindez: Join the Hands Off Venezuela Campaign!

I would like to take the opportunity you have offered to me to speak on the historic developments in my country, which are today the most dynamic on the Latin American continent.

The Venezuelan people have stood up against a past of miseries and humiliations. We have said, “Enough is enough” and have started to lay down the basis of a new country. This is why the old national oligarchy, financed by dollars from the CIA and the Pentagon and supported by the mere puppets like the Colombian government or Blair in United Kingdom, have united in a “holy crusade” to rescue the “holy land”.

We have taken the first few steps, headed by the government of President Chavez, and we conquered a consciousness of political dignity and also healthcare and education services, things that in the past only existed in our dreams. Although this is little compared to what we deserve and what we can achieve, the oligarchy believes that we do not deserve these things. This is why the oligarchy, with the help of their great economic power and the intrusive dollars of US imperialism, have organised coup d’etats, marches, economic sabotage and propaganda campaigns to manipulate the situation.

However, all this power has not been enough to stop us. We have defeated them in every battle, and have consolidated our victories by taking measures to strengthen state control over our main industry. We have organised popular battalions through the Bolivarian Circles and UBEs (Electoral Battle Units). The working class itself has built its own organisations like the National Union of Workers (UNT), which has become the main trade union federation of our country.

In our thirst for justice we demanded the nationalisation of certain companies. As a result of this struggle the Chavez government has heard our demands and has nationalised the Venepal group and granted resources to run the company under the co-management of the workers and the state. This means that the doors are opened to the rescue of thousands of workplaces ignored by “Golpista” bosses.

We are here today not only to tell you about the results of our efforts but also to recognise that those results would not have been possible without the participation and militant solidarity of thousands of workers, intellectuals, members of parliament from many countries, students, democratic activists and revolutionary militants from all over the world.

We are here today and tomorrow we will be in other cities in Ireland and the UK in order to let you know that the days ahead are going to be even more difficult. The assassination of more than one hundred brothers and sisters, amongst them the prosecutor Danilo Anderson, and the provocation known as the “Granda Case” launched by US imperialism through the puppet Alvaro Uribe Vélez, clearly show this. It is very important that the militant solidarity with our revolutionary process is strengthened. President Hugo Chavez has described this process as a revolutionary, anti-imperialist process which is against capitalism. He has also recently said that the only way out of the crisis created by capitalism is socialism - true socialism. Socialism is the system where the workers have power and decisions made at all levels are the result of a democratic discussion of the oppressed and exploited people through their grassroots organizations. The leadership of these organizations would not be privileged and would be democratically elected. The people who elected them would be able to recall them at any time. These leaders would live as the workers live, ensuring that they always think as working people.

Comrades, the Venezuelan Revolution is a living process that requires your conscious solidarity. To give your solidarity is like planting the tree of life which tomorrow will bear fruit. This fruit can be used to carry out your own future revolution, the terms of which will be decided by the workers and the people of your country. This will be a struggle against an enemy already weakened by our victory.

I invite you to strengthen the Hands Off Venezuela Campaign by spreading the branches across the United Kingdom and Ireland and bring the campaign firmly into the consciousness of those that live here.

Ricardo Galíndez

I would like to take the opportunity you have offered to me to speak on the historic developments in my country, which are today the most dynamic on the Latin American continent.

The Venezuelan people have stood up against a past of miseries and humiliations. We have said, “Enough is enough” and have started to lay down the basis of a new country. This is why the old national oligarchy, financed by dollars from the CIA and the Pentagon and supported by the mere puppets like the Colombian government or Blair in United Kingdom, have united in a “holy crusade” to rescue the “holy land”.

We have taken the first few steps, headed by the government of President Chavez, and we conquered a consciousness of political dignity and also healthcare and education services, things that in the past only existed in our dreams. Although this is little compared to what we deserve and what we can achieve, the oligarchy believes that we do not deserve these things. This is why the oligarchy, with the help of their great economic power and the intrusive dollars of US imperialism, have organised coup d’etats, marches, economic sabotage and propaganda campaigns to manipulate the situation.

However, all this power has not been enough to stop us. We have defeated them in every battle, and have consolidated our victories by taking measures to strengthen state control over our main industry. We have organised popular battalions through the Bolivarian Circles and UBEs (Electoral Battle Units). The working class itself has built its own organisations like the National Union of Workers (UNT), which has become the main trade union federation of our country.

In our thirst for justice we demanded the nationalisation of certain companies. As a result of this struggle the Chavez government has heard our demands and has nationalised the Venepal group and granted resources to run the company under the co-management of the workers and the state. This means that the doors are opened to the rescue of thousands of workplaces ignored by “Golpista” bosses.

We are here today not only to tell you about the results of our efforts but also to recognise that those results would not have been possible without the participation and militant solidarity of thousands of workers, intellectuals, members of parliament from many countries, students, democratic activists and revolutionary militants from all over the world.

We are here today and tomorrow we will be in other cities in Ireland and the UK in order to let you know that the days ahead are going to be even more difficult. The assassination of more than one hundred brothers and sisters, amongst them the prosecutor Danilo Anderson, and the provocation known as the “Granda Case” launched by US imperialism through the puppet Alvaro Uribe Vélez, clearly show this. It is very important that the militant solidarity with our revolutionary process is strengthened. President Hugo Chavez has described this process as a revolutionary, anti-imperialist process which is against capitalism. He has also recently said that the only way out of the crisis created by capitalism is socialism - true socialism. Socialism is the system where the workers have power and decisions made at all levels are the result of a democratic discussion of the oppressed and exploited people through their grassroots organizations. The leadership of these organizations would not be privileged and would be democratically elected. The people who elected them would be able to recall them at any time. These leaders would live as the workers live, ensuring that they always think as working people.

Comrades, the Venezuelan Revolution is a living process that requires your conscious solidarity. To give your solidarity is like planting the tree of life which tomorrow will bear fruit. This fruit can be used to carry out your own future revolution, the terms of which will be decided by the workers and the people of your country. This will be a struggle against an enemy already weakened by our victory.

I invite you to strengthen the Hands Off Venezuela Campaign by spreading the branches across the United Kingdom and Ireland and bring the campaign firmly into the consciousness of those that live here.

Ricardo Galíndez