Venezuela Solidarity Campaign sets out ambitious campaigning plan

The Venezuela Solidarity Campaign (VSC), one of the British political organisations to which PCS affiliates, has set out its campaigning priorities for the forthcoming year, all of which are designed to further the VSC’s aims namely:

(a) To defend Venezuela’s sovereignty and independence.

(b) To support the right of the Venezuelan people to determine their own future free from external intervention.

(c) To provide accurate and up-to-date information in support of democracy and social progress in Venezuela.

 (d) To defend the achievements of the Bolivarian Revolution.

(e) To support and build activity around these objectives throughout Britain, within parliament, regional and local government, the trade unions, amongst women, lesbian and gay communities, black, Asian and Latin American communities, students and all others.

Venezuela specific priorities

The VSC will continue to build opposition against both external intervention and illegal sanctions (including from the US and the UK) against Venezuela and to expose US economic aggression,  anti-democratic destabilisation to undermine Venezuela’s national sovereignty and hostile media representation. The VSC intends to:

• Organise a new campaigning push on giving Venezuela back its gold.
•  Produce an updated briefing on the above for MPs, opinion formers and the wider public.
• Produce well-informed reports on the negative socio-economic impact of the illegal retention of the vast amount of resources that belong to the people of Venezuela by UK, European and US financial institutions.
• Continue the series of events marking different aspects of Hugo Chávez’s legacy under the banner of Chávez 25, including lectures, film showings and local/regional meetings

Articles, briefings and effective use of social media have been important in attracting wider support for the VSC’s aims and rebutting misrepresentations aimed at isolating Venezuela internationally.

Wider Latin America priorities

In addition, the VSC intends to continue its work to highlight right-wing attempts at ‘regime change’ and intensified US intervention in many Latin American countries. The VSC is proud to have been at the centre of responses to coups in Honduras, Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia and Peru. During the coming year, the VSC intends to continue to:

• Work with forces seeking to explain the truth about developments in Latin American countries and oppose the wave of right-wing destabilisation efforts recently seen across the region.
• Organise joint events, meetings, publications and initiatives with the Cuba Solidarity Campaign, NSCAG, Friends of Bolivia, and others; helping supporters of Venezuela further understand the context of changes in that country and enabling positive messages about Venezuela to be brought to new audiences.
• Support the work of Labour Friends of Progressive Latin America.
• Prioritise our work in support of the Brazil Solidarity Initiative

What can you do to support the important work of the VSC

• Sign the petition for giving Venezuela back its gold.
• Ask your branch to adopt the VSC’s motion opposing the blockade on Venezuela
• Follow the VSC on Facebook Venezuela Solidarity Campaign | Facebook and on X @VenSolidarity.