Venezuela: `For every April 11th, may there be an April 13th' -- solidarity messages on anniversary of defeated coup
Celebrating the 8th anniversary of the Venezuelan people’s defeat of the April 11, 2002, coup against Hugo Chavez, and solidarity with the Venezuelan Revolution
By the Socialist Party of Malaysia
April 13, 2010 – This year April 13 marks the 8th anniversary of people’s victory over the US-backed coup d’état against President Hugo Chavez in 2002. The Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) would like to pay tribute to the revolutionary masses of Venezuela who defended the revolution eight years ago with tremendous courage and now are still fighting to shape Socialism of the 21st Century.
Eight years ago, on April 11, 2002, the right-wing oligarchy of Venezuela backed by the US imperialists, with the help of the corporate media, staged a coup against popularly elected president Hugo Chavez, in an attempt to derail the revolutionary process in Venezuela which has been seen as a threat to the vested interests of the filthy rich oligarchy in Venezuela and US imperialists. The coup failed after over a million people took the streets and called for the return of Hugo Chavez. The defeat of the coup demonstrated how the power of the people from below can make substantial changes, and defend the revolutionary process that in turn empowers the people further.
The revolution in Venezuela has been an inspiration and beacon of light for the people around the world who are fighting against capitalism. We have witnessed the rise of new popular power in Venezuela through the setting up of communal councils, workers’ takeover of factories and the establishment of the mass-based revolutionary party -– the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). It has provided us a new alternative to capitalism, the alternative of another world, the alternative of a socialist world.
The revolutionary movement in Venezuela has posed a tremendous challenge to the domestic old ruling elite as well as the imperialist powers in the world. We recognise the revolution in Venezuela is under threat from within and without, but we are confident that the revolutionary masses in Venezuela can overcome all these obstacles and move forward, as they did when they defeated the US-backed coup in 2002.
The Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) also welcomes the call from President Hugo Chavez for the setting up of a new revolutionary international, the Fifth International. The call for the new revolutionary international is a timely and crucial one as the world has been thrown into multiple crises by capitalism and we urgently need to build a credible worldwide movement to replace capitalism with socialism from below. For the last decade, there has been a re-emergence of popular struggles against capitalism and imperialism around the world, and the Venezuelan people have been at the forefront of these struggles.
Today, the epicentre of revolution has shifted to Latin America, especially to Venezuela. The crisis of capitalism is also getting worse by the day and there is a need to put an end to the savage rule of capitalism. The revolution in Venezuela has opened up a new phase of struggle against capitalism in the 21st century, and has brought new hope for a world without class oppression and exploitation.
The PSM expresses it continuous support to the revolutionary process in Venezuela and our solidarity is always with the revolutionary masses of Venezuela.
El pueblo unido jamás será vencido ! Marcha en la revolución!
Choo Chon Kai
International Bureau
Socialist Party of Malaysia/Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM)
http://parti-sosialis.org/
To President Hugo Chavez and the courageous Bolivarians of Venezuela
Dear President Chavez and companeros,
April 13, 2010 – The Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network sends our message of strong friendship and solidarity on the occasion of the eighth anniversary of the people’s triumph over the April 11, 2002, US-backed coup against democracy and freedom for Venezuela. For every April 11th, may there be an April 13th!
As well, we join in spirit with your celebrations this month of 200 years of hard-won independence from colonial rule.
The achievements of the Bolivarian revolution are an inspiration to poor and struggling people all around the world. Your daily battles for and steps towards sovereignty, social justice and socialism of the 21st century give us all hope, and more courage to struggle against the exploitation of both people and the natural environment in our own countries, especially in so-called “advanced” capitalist countries like Australia.
Since the people of Venezuela won their independence two centuries ago, they - and all Latin Americans - have suffered constant attack from imperialism, including coup d’etats, disappearances, brutal dictatorships, economic sabotage, media lies, subversion, counterinsurgency, diplomatic blackmail and electoral intervention.
In the last two years, the United States government has carried out the largest ever military expansion in your region and its propaganda war is escalating - a direct response to the development of Latin American unity, led by Venezuela, which is strengthening the region’s economic and political independence. Venezuela is being especially targeted, and the AVSN pledges our solidarity against these efforts to subvert and destabilise your government and revolution.
We will continue to work hard to convey the truth about the Bolivarian revolution’s remarkable achievements to the people of Australia, and continue to organise solidarity brigades of Australians to visit Venezuela and see this for themselves.
During US President Barack Obama’s forthcoming visit to Australia, the AVSN will be calling on him to end the US’s interference in Venezuela and all of Latin America.
The people of Venezuela have the right to peace, democracy and self-determination, and we pledge our ongoing solidarity to help ensure those basic human rights are realised.
Venceremos!
Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network
April 13, 2010
Venezuela celebrates the `April Revolution' with new militia
Venezuela Celebrates ‘Day of the Bolivarian Militias, the Armed People and the April Revolution’
April 14, 2010 , by Kiraz Janicke – Venezuelanalysis.com
Caracas, April 14, 2010 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuela celebrated eight years since a popular uprising defeated a U.S. backed coup against President Hugo Chavez in April 2002 with a swearing in ceremony of 35,000 new militia members denominated the “Day of the Bolivarian Militias, the Armed People and the April Revolution” in central Caracas, yesterday.
Shortly after being elected in 1998, Chavez, who leads a process of radical social change known as the Bolivarian revolution, initiated a series of pro-poor reforms that brought him into conflict with U.S. and local Venezuelan elites.
On April 11, 2002, the shooting of nineteen people by opposition snipers and metropolitan police officers was used as a pretext to spark a military revolt by rightwing generals who kidnapped Chavez and tried to force him to resign. Pedro Carmona, head of the Chamber of Commerce (FEDECAMARAS) declared himself interim President, issued a decree dissolving the Supreme Court, the Constitution, and the National Assembly and fired the Ombudsman and the Attorney General.
During the coup hundreds of Chavez supporters were rounded up and imprisoned and state and community media outlets were shut down, while the opposition-controlled private media imposed a blackout. The United States was one of few countries to recognise the illegal government, claiming “a democratic transition” had taken place.
The coup collapsed after only 47 hours when masses of poor Venezuelans came out onto the streets in protest and loyal sections of the armed forces retook the presidential palace and the Fuerte Tiuna military base in Caracas.
Recalling the events of April 2002 yesterday, Chavez said the Venezuelan oligarchy had conspired with U.S. imperialism to disrespect the will of the Venezuelan people and overthrow the democratically elected government.
"It was a fascist coup with the warships of Yankee imperialism in Maiquetía, and submarines and aircraft carriers in Venezuelan waters, the entire oligarchy, political parties, the media and political and economic elites were allied against the Venezuelan people," he said.
He also lamented the lives of the Venezuelans who died during the coup saying “those brave people gave their lives to defend this process” but stressed that the "fascist coup unleashed the power contained within the people and the Armed Forces."
It was this “civic- military alliance” that was central to the defeat of the coup Chavez argued.
“The oligarchy and imperialism had predicted that if the people went out the streets as they did during the Caracazo [uprising in 1989 under former president Carlos Andrés Pérez, when an estimated 3,000 people were killed by the military]...they thought they could count on the guns of our soldiers to curb the popular rebellion, but they had a big surprise because, despite more than 100 traitorous generals and admirals caving in to the bourgeoisie, the soldiers not only refused to commit a massacre but placed themselves and their guns on the side of the people,” he said.
Now, with the formation of the Bolivarian Militia, he said, “The militia is the people and the people are the militia, the armed people and the armed forces are one.”
As he swore in the 35,000 militia from student battalions, combat corps, and worker and peasant battalions, Chavez also stressed the large numbers of women in the militias, saying, “I'm proud to know that there are many women among them in the ranks, giving greater strength, vigour and passion to the task of the struggle for sovereignty and independence of the country.”
He also drew attention to the continued threat of U.S. intervention in Venezuela pointing to the increased U.S. militarization of the region and said that the U.S., the Venezuelan opposition and some neighbouring countries, including Colombia, are still plotting to destabilise and attack Venezuela.
In 2009 the U.S. signed a deal to install seven new military bases in Colombia, including on the Venezuelan border, 4 new military bases in Panama, and is currently pursuing military discussions with the Peruvian and Brazilian governments.
Outlining some of the achievements of the Bolivarian Revolution over the past decade including the halving of poverty rates, the erradication of illiteracy and the provision of free universal healthcare among other things, Chavez reaffirmed that the goal of the Bolivarian revolution is to build socialism.
"The only way for us to have a homeland is by building socialism of the 21st century here in Venezuela,” he said, adding that it is not an easy task.
In this context increased political consciousness and unity are necessary “to defeat imperialism and the local bourgeoisie,” Chavez stressed.
Chavez urged the Venezuelan people to support candidates from his United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) in the upcoming national assembly elections in September in order “to accelerate the transformation in the country and consolidate the revolution.”
A pro-revolution majority in the September elections will prevent the bourgeoisie from gaining space to promote their destabilising actions and from “using the legislature to achieve their nefarious purposes," he explained.
As part of a series of events commemorating the coup one hundred young community media activists were also sworn in as “communicational guerrillas” on Sunday to raise awareness amongst young people about “media lies” and combat the anti-revolution campaign of the opposition controlled private media in Venezuela.
Rosa Martinez, a 60 year-old Chavez supporter from the working class neighbourhood of Petare, in Caracas, who attend the swearing in ceremony of the militias, told Venezuelanalysis.com, “There is a big international media campaign against Venezuela, against our president, against our people, but the reality is quite different to what the media says.”