Jorge Martín Tour – Montreal and Québec City

After a strong presence at an anti-imperialist march through downtown Montreal on Saturday, the Hands Off Venezuela team participated in a colloquium on agricultural issues at the University of Quebec at Montreal sponsored by a number of groups active on the agricultural and environmental fronts including the Societe Bolivarienne du Quebec. Jorge Martin gave a presentation which outlined the various challenges Venezuelan farmers had faced before the revolution such as the land resources being monopolized in the hands of a tiny oligarchy, and also showed the necessity of a socialist model for agriculture from an environmental perspective as well. A lively question and answer session followed in which many activists who were not entirely familiar with Venezuela's revolutionary achievements displayed a keen interest in the campaign. The Hands Off Venezuela table received many visitors after the talk, many of whom purchasing DVDs and books on Venezuela and assorted revolutionary topics. Notably present at the event was the Venezuelan consulate in Montreal, who set up a table of literature on various Bolivarian initiatives, as well as copies of the Venezuelan constitution in Spanish, French, English, and Italian.



The next leg of the Revolutionary Venezuela tour was scheduled on Monday night for Quebec City, three and a half hours northeast of Montreal. The presentation was sponsored by a cultural centre called Casa Latinoamericana, and drew in a diverse and energized crowd which filled the room to the brink. The crowd took well to Jorge Martin's speech, as he gave a history of Venezuela's radical socio-political transformation from the late 80s onward. Questions of alternatives to capitalism on a global scale struck the right chord with many in Quebec City, as it was in April of 2001 that the city witnessed massive street uprisings in opposition to the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas. It was pointed out that at the time, Hugo Chavez was the only leader at the conference to oppose the agreement, and much discussion was initiated over the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA). The discussion session was very constructive, as the attendees barraged Jorge with questions about every angle of the Bolivarian revolution. The Hands Off Venezuela campaign table also had a number of people coming forward to discuss politics as well as purchase educational material, despite the lack of books in French. In conclusion, the Quebec wing of the tour was incredibly successful and we would like to extend our gratitude to the Bolivarian Society of Quebec, Casa Latinoamericana, and all of those organizers and activists who have worked with Hands Off Venezuela for their hospitality and solidarity.