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Archives: September 2007
EL SALVADOR: Alternative Media Reporter Killed
Reporter, Salvador Sánchez Roque, was shot in the early morning of September 20 in front of his house in the municipality of Soyapongo . The police suspect gang members are responsible. The assistant Director of the National Civil Police stated “…we are going to thoroughly investigate this crime and we hope to capture the people responsible as soon as possible.”
Sánchez worked as a free lance reporter for Maya Vision, YSUCA and Radio Cadena Mi Gente, covering mostly the work of labor unions and social organizations. All three of these radio stations broadcast alternative media, breaking from the dominant conservative media sources that inundate the country.
Sánchez was part of a team who in the last few months started an alternative radio project, “Radio Cadena Mi Gente” which can be heard at 700 AM. This station has wide coverage, especially in rural areas of the country, reaching an audience that has little access to information on current events. Radio Cadena also broadcasts the program of a well known reporter, Mauricio Funes, who recently announced his desire to run for President of El Salvador as the FMLN candidate.
The Diario CoLatino reported that Norman Quijano, a member of the legislative assembly representing the right wing party ARENA, had this to say about the death of the reporter: “We demand a thorough investigation…any loss of life leaves marks on family members and friends. We are in solidarity and grieve with the reporter’s family.”
Irma Amaya, legislative assembly member and president of the Congressional Committee on Justice and Human Rights, representing the FMLN, expressed “I am sorry about the situation. He was a journalist who worked for press that generates awareness and criticize….this worries me, because using the pretext of delinquency, several social leaders have been threatened in the last few months.”
Serafín Valencia , the president of APES (The Association of Journalists in El Salvador ) reflected that this has been a long year for Salvadoran journalists and reporters in which violence has been constant. In August of 2006, a correspondent for La Prensa Grafica, one of the largest newspapers in the country, was killed in the eastern part of the country. Another reporter, Alirio Alfredo Chavez, was killed this past May in Sonsonate. These killings have drawn national and international attention.
Sánchez was buried on the 21 st of September. His mother told police that the reporter had been threatened a few days before his death, but had not given details. His death is still under investigation.
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IMMIGRATION
Join Them Virtually! http://www.ufwaction.org/campaign/AgJobs1007?qp_source=ccir
Although we were not able to pass comprehensive immigration reform this summer, there is still the chance to pass AgJOBS. Farm workers do the hardest, most difficult jobs other workers don't want. Their sweat and sacrifice help feed this nation. Yet, they are faced with fear and intimidation because many employers use the threat of deportation to ensure their silence. By fighting to pass AgJOBS, you can help the farm workers who feed this nation come out of the shadows.
AgJOBS (S. 340/H.R. 371) would allow undocumented farm workers to earn the right to permanently stay in this country by continuing to work in agriculture. AgJOBS was negotiated by the United Farm Workers and the agricultural industry and enjoys broad bipartisan support.
The UFW, a coalition of farm worker organizations, and the agricultural industry have been working diligently to ensure that AgJOBS passes this year. Today, approximately 100 farm workers from across the country have traveled to Washington D.C. Between October 1st and October 5 they will share stories of the misery they endure in the fields with congressmembers to help them understand the urgent need for AgJobs.
"I just became a resident about three years ago...before then, I was always concerned about being picked up by the immigration, just as my husband. Always the threat of being separated from the family and of wondering what kind of fate lay before us." -- Rutila Sanchez
"This past May, my wife and I were by a river and she got caught up in the stream. She almost drowned. I rushed her to the hospital for treatment, but ran into a road block that was being monitored by the police. Because I had no license, the car was immediately confiscated. Although I was trying to convey my concern for my wife, my plea fell on deft ears...[AgJobs] would give many of us a chance to set things right. We work hard and I strongly feel that thru hard work we can earn our rightful place in this society."--Jorge Rodriguez
"I have been living in the United States for the past eighteen years...Even though I have working here most of my life, I feel that I have been economically deprived in being able to do better. I cannot go and buy a house or a new car. I am always on the lookout for the INS...I worry about my sons and daughters and my wife should I ever get picked up...We have been model citizens, always obedient to the laws and I or any one of my family have ever been in trouble with the law. [AgJobs] would finally answer all our prayers and would stop my constant worry of having my family separated if I ever get picked up by immigration."
--Froilan Sanchez
"I have been helping with the signatures and going on trips to tell the congressmen to please support AgJobs...They say we're all created equal. Then why not treat us this way?...In 1989 my children and I became residents here but I never forgot how uncomfortable it is not to have papers."
--Victoria Gonzalez
AgJOBS (S. 340 and H.R. 371) is supported by both agricultural producers and farm workers. It addresses employers’ need for a stable, legal workforce while providing undocumented farm workers with a path to legalization, if they meet many requirements and continue working on our nation’s farms. This bipartisan bill would help the U.S. by keeping our farms in operation and providing
American households with access to safe, homegrown food.
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COLOMBIA
Afro-Colombians are harshly affected daily by extreme poverty, racial discrimination, and ongoing violence in regions with large Afro-descendant populations. Whether they are "caught in the crossfire" or specifically targeted, Afro-Colombians are often forced to leave their communities and ancestral lands behind. As a result, Afro-Colombians now constitute 40 percent of Colombia's 3.8 million internally displaced. Meanwhile, aerial spraying is destroying many of the food crops traditionally grown by Afro-Colombians, leading to further displacement and insecurity.
The resolution, which was introduced by Rep. Donald Payne during the August recess, calls on the Colombian government to combat racial discrimination and protect Afro-Colombians from human rights violations. H. Res. 618 also rightly urges the U.S. and Colombian governments to consult with Afro-Colombians while developing policies that will affect their communities.
Take Action! Call Russ Carnahan (who sits on the Foreign Affairs Committee) today, or anytime in the next three weeks, to urge him to support Afro-Colombians as they strive for dignity and security. Ask to speak with the foreign policy aide. If they are unable to take your call, leave a message. (You can even follow up with an email-ask for the address). Carnahan: 202-225-2671 or 314-962-1523; Clay: 202-225-2406 or 314-367-1970 (city) 314-427-6320 (county); Akin: 202-225-2561 or 314-590-0029 (St. Louis) 636-949-6826 (St. Charles).
go to thomas.loc.gov to read the bill
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BOLIVIA
http://www.greenleft.org.au/2007/724/37573
Federico Fuentes, Caracas
14 September 2007
For Bolivia's indigenous majority there is no going back. The election in 2005 of Bolivia's first indigenous president, Evo Morales, marked a watershed ? a before and after in Bolivia's history ? after more than 500 years of struggle against imperialism and colonialism. It marked a conscious step forward by Bolivia's indigenous majority in its struggle for justice and equality.
As Morales pointed out in an August 22 interview with the BBC, right from the start Bolivia's right wing "said this little Indian is only going to be president for three or four months. That day passed and now they say this little Indian is going to be here for a long time, we have to do something about it; and that means encouraging confusion or destabilisation."
That is why today a resurgent right wing is determined to destabilise the country and government ? even if it means plunging the country into civil war or provoking a violent military coup ? to bring down Morales, and with him the hopes and dreams of millions of indigenous and non-indigenous people, not just in Bolivia, but throughout Latin America and the world.
Distribution of racist material inciting people to "bring down this Indian shit", provoking violent confrontations, holding civic "stoppages" enforced by fascist youth groups, and smuggling arms into the country ? these, and more, are ingredients in a conspiracy to overthrow Morales. The public faces of the right wing, centred in the wealthy departments (states) of the east, are the opposition governors and the unelected, business-controlled civic committees ? in Santa Cruz, Pando, Beni and Tarija ? now openly joined by the civic committee of Cochabamba and Chuquisaca. Behind them stand the gas transnationals, large agribusiness and the US empire, all of whom benefited from ransacking Bolivia's enormous natural wealth while pushing the country to the position of the poorest in South America.
But their task will be far from easy. The election of "this little Indian" came on the back of a wave of social rebellion, fuelled by an increasing rejection of neoliberalism and the emergence and growth of national and indigenous pride, based on the celebration of the country's indigenous peoples and recuperation of its natural resources. It was also the result of a conscious decision more than 10 years ago by the indigenous, campesino and coca-growers' movements to move "from resistance to power" and construct their own "Political Instrument for the Sovereignty of the People" ? more commonly know by its electorally registered name, Movement Towards Socialism (MAS).
Gaining the support from an important section of the country's middle class and intellectuals for its project, MAS was able to win the 2005 national elections, crushing the traditional politicians whose subservience to the US empire had almost led to the total suffocation of the country.
Today, the Bolivians who due to their skin colour were previously excluded from the plaza in front of the presidential palace, and who protested outside it to overthrow other governments, have begun to take over the positions of power. This act has been a powerful catalyst in rebuilding the self-esteem of the people, who now proclaim with pride their indigenous roots.
The central task entrusted to the MAS government was to convoke a constituent assembly in order to "refound" Bolivia, ending injustice and recognising the rights of the previously excluded indigenous majority.
However, more than a year since the assembly's inauguration in Sucre in August 2006, it is yet to vote on a single article for the new constitution. The same political minority that ruled over the demise of the country today cries out in defence of "democracy" and "autonomy", with the objective of protecting its political enclaves and economic power and mobilising sectors of the white and mestizo middle classes of the east and west against the government.
The stalling tactics and latest round of violent protests by the right wing, this time in Sucre, threatened the security of the assembly, forcing some indigenous delegates into hiding in order to avoid racist attacks. On September 7 the assembly directorate voted to suspend sessions for a month as it was unable to guarantee security.
On September 10, more than 10,000 campesinos and indigenous people marched through Sucre in a show of force to defend the constituent assembly and national unity. Unlike the scenes of violence over the previous weeks, the streets of Sucre were filled with a festive tone.
Later in the day, during the 10,000-15,000 strong Social Summit, the social organisations resolved to "defend, including with our lives, the constituent assembly and this process of irreversible profound change being driven forward by the historic forces of our peoples and the indigenous, originario and campesino nations, together with the popular organisations".
Furthermore, the social movements declared themselves to be in a "state of emergency" and committed themselves to organising Committees in Defence of the Constituent Assembly, adding that, if necessary, they would undertake "other more radical measures".
In its manifesto, the summit outlined 18 strategic points behind which the participants would mobilise to ensure they are enshrined in the new constitution. Among them are the creation of unitary, plurinational, communitarian and democratic state; nationalisation of natural resources; taxes on large fortunes; the expropriation without compensation of latifundios (large land-holdings) and the immediate distribution of their land; re-election and revoking of mandates of any elected authority; and the confiscation of all goods implicated in acts of corruption.
For now the situation in Sucre has calmed down; the opposition's threats of further actions starting on September 10 were called off. A new round of dialogue has been convoked to see if it is possible to overcome the impasse.
But the tension remains, and one can only speculate how long the calm will last. The directorate of the assembly has signalled it will reject a court ruling overturning the assembly decision to remove the issue of the location of Bolivia's capital from debate (the right-wing fuelled conflict over whether to locate it in La Paz, the current political capital, or Sucre, the current constitutional capital, helping trigger the latest confrontation). The future of the constituent assembly and Bolivia hang in the balance.
The indigenous and campesino mobilisation was an important step taken by the social and indigenous movements in defence of the constituent assembly. However, as Vice-President Alvaro Garcia Linera pointed out in the lead-up to the protest, "To wear down the old powers will cost a lot, it will be conflictive, the population needs to be conscious of this, and the best way to defend the continuity of the process of change is through democratic mobilisation to back this transformation and to put an end to the history of these old elites".
Mass democratic mobilisations and the organisation of the people will be central to maintaining unity amongst the movements and avoiding provocations by the right wing. The right wing's strategy depends on stirring up anger among the exploited and oppressed who refuse to ever go back to the old Bolivia, with the aims of triggering violent reactions and creating chaos.
The government and social movements need to demonstrate that they are the only ones able to provide real stability and change for all Bolivians. This is necessary in order to appeal to the middle classes sectors that, due to mistakes by MAS, now feel alienated from the government ? something the government itself has acknowledged and that it has begun to remedy. It is also critical to maintaining support among the armed forces.
Internationally, it is vital for the governments and peoples of the world to voice their solidarity and make clear that they will reject any attempts to trigger a civil war, or an ensuing US/UN military occupation or illegitimate government.
Undoubtedly the US elite sees Bolivia as the weak link in the emerging Bolivia-Cuba-Venezuela "axis of hope" in Latin America. Moreover, Bolivia's government and the indigenous revolution is helping stimulate indigenous struggles in the region ? something Washington fears and will not tolerate.
On September 9, Venezuela's socialist president Hugo Chavez, sitting next to Morales, warned on his Alo Preisdente TV program: "If US imperialism attacks our peoples, using their lackeys in Venezuela and Bolivia, they can be sure that we're not going to wait with our arms crossed. If that occurs, we will shout with Che Guevara, and then one, two, three, four, five, or 10 Vietnams will have to be created in Latin America."
To date, neither the governments of Argentina or Brazil have spoken out about the growing threat to Bolivia. A clear statement by these two and other South American countries rejecting a civil war, military coup or invasion of Bolivia, would be a strong blow against the US empire's designs.
Now is the time for all intellectuals, union militants, solidarity activists, political parties and progressive minded individuals who believe in real justice and equality to raise their voices in defence of Bolivia and its government, which is leading an important process of change providing hope and inspiration to millions of indigenous and oppressed people around the world, to ensure that the US and its lackeys cannot get away with crushing this movement for social liberation.
[Federico Fuentes is editor of Boliviarising.blogspot.com.
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Natural Disasters in Peru, Mexico and Nicaragua
IFCLA is not in a position to channel aid to the countries in need but we want you to know ways of reponding that have come to our attention.
NICARAGUA:
Hurricane Felix - "A disaster of monumental proportions"
Three weeks ago Hurricane Felix slammed into the Northern Autonomous Region of Nicaragua’s Atlantic Coast (RAAN), leaving a path of devastation in its wake. The storm left 200,000 people, many from Nicaragua’s indigenous communities, without food, water or shelter. Over 3.2 million acres of rainforest were leveled, causing incalculable damage to this biodiverse region.
The Quest for Peace immediately issued an emergency response in coordination with our partners at the Institute of Juan XXIII in Managua, who did heroic reconstruction work after Hurricane Joan in 1988 and then Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Thanks very much to all who responded.
As the full magnitude of the disaster emerges, it is clear that a major long-term recovery effort is required. Our partners at the Institute Juan XXIII tell us, “Felix is a disaster of monumental proportions… it has impacted the most vulnerable part of Nicaragua, the very heart of poverty.”
Please help us to respond in monumental proportions.
Between 90 – 100% of all buildings in Puerto Cabezas and Sandy Bay were destroyed, including schools and emergency shelters, leaving people exposed to rain and scorching sun. One hospital and six health centers suffered heavy damage. Virtually all of the crops were lost as well as livestock and fruit trees, leaving communities without food. Floodwaters contaminated wells and swept away latrines creating a health and sanitation crisis. Officially 132 are confirmed dead and 106 missing, however unofficial estimates are three times higher.
The Institute Juan XXIII is providing immediate relief with what they have on hand, and will coordinate a medium term response with funds that are coming in. We will continue to post regular reports on our website as recovery efforts unfold. Thank you very much for your generous response so far. The needs are immense and more support is needed. If you have not already, please make a donation today.
The Quest for Peace Staff
**NicaNet: You can make a secure on-line credit card donation by going to: http://www.nicanet.org/donate_afgj.htm Click on the button that says Hurricane Felix. You can also call our office at 202-544-9355 with your credit card information or send a check to Nicaragua Network, 1247 E St., SE, Washington, DC 20003. Be sure to put "Hurricane relief" in the memo or include a note.
**Quixote Center: Quest for Peace is mounting an emergency response. Two containers carrying humanitarian aid are already on their way. We need your help! Please make a generous donation, $1000 if you are able, to help feed, rebuild and replant. http://quest.quixote.org/felix/donate
Quest for Peace
a program of the Quixote Center
PO Box 5206, Hyattsville, MD 20782
301-699-0042
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We Remember
SEP 11 is the anniversary of the 1973, US-led overthrow of the democratically elected government of Salvador Allende in Chile, which ushered in the 17-year reign of terror by General Pinochet and the death of more than 3,000 persons.
SEP 11 is the anniversary of the 2001 attack against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, killing 3,000 persons and resulting in the “War on Terror,” which is expected to last, we are told, several generations and puts the US in a permanent state of war.
SEP 11 is the day General Petraeus is to give his Iraq progress report to Congress. President Bush intends to use this report as justification for asking Congress for at least $150 billion more this year, beginning in October.
SEP 13 begins the holy month of Ramadan, which is considered the most venerated, blessed and spiritually-beneficial month of the Islamic year. Prayers, fasting, charity, and self‑accountability are especially stressed at this time.
SEP 13 is also the Jewish “new year” Rosh Hashanah, which begins ten Days of Repentance and ends with the holiday Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, which is considered the holiest day of the Jewish year.
SEP 21 is International Day of Peace.
{Thanks to 8th Day Center for putting this together)
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SOA/WHINSEC
WHEN: Thursday, September 20, 7:30-9:00pm
WHERE: St. Louis University High School Theatre, 4970 Oakland Avenue (next to the Science Center)
WHO: Lee Rials, Public Affairs Officer from WHINSEC (Western Hemisphere Institue for Security Cooperation)in Ft. Benning, GA
Linda Panetta, photojournalist whose work focuses on cultural, environmental and human rights, with a particular emphasis on conflict zones.
Linda is the founder of Optical Realities Photography, the grassroots human rights organization SOA Watch/NE, and coordinator of the Jean Donovan Community Peace Center, which hosts the Mariposa Outreach Project, a mentoring program which supports survivors of torture and their families. She is the producer and director of the award winning documentary "An Insider Speaks Out!", which highlights the abuses of the military training facility, the School of the Americas (SOA).
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LEGISLATION UPDATE
Days before Congress left town in early August, Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) introduced the Immigration Enforcement and Border Security Act of 2007 (S.1984), a Sensenbrenner-like enforcement only bill. Like George Orwell's classic novel, S.1984 takes a "Big Brother" approach to our border security. Among other provisions, this bill would authorize sizeable increases in enforcement personnel, fencing and surveillance technologies, as well as expand detention centers.
Border enforcement crackdowns, especially in the absence of immigration reform and mechanisms to ensure effective oversight and accountability over border security operations, compromise the welfare of border communities, migrants and immigrant families alike. The disconnect between reality and inside-the-beltway rhetoric was noted by Mayor John Cook of El Paso in a recent article in The Washington Post , ""Most people in Washington really don't understand life on the border?They don't understand our philosophy here that the border joins us together, it doesn't separate us." Mayor Cook's comments come at the end of an especially deadly summer in El Paso, where three migrants were shot and killed by Border Patrol agents since June. This escalating violence on the border further underscores that enforcement-only regulations like S.1984 are not the answer and we need your help to stop them.
ACTION:
The recently introduced Immigration Enforcement and Border Security Act of 2007 (S. 1984) focuses on punishing immigrant families, adding border fences, walls, and patrol agents, and increasing detention centers and deportations. In addition, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) finalized a new rule requiring employers who receive Social Security Administration (SSA) "no-match" letters to follow steps to prove that employees are authorized to work or risk liability. The policy misuses the letters, which are not intended for immigration enforcement, and could result in employment discrimination.
Congress has received thousands of calls supporting enforcement-only measures that will harm immigrants and refugees. We must let Senate leaders know that this flawed legislation and DHS policy will not fix the out-of-date immigration system.
PLEASE CALL YOUR SENATORS:
Bond: 314-725-4484
McCaskill: 314-367-1364
Durbin: 618-998-8812
Obama: 618-997-2402
Please say NO to S. 1984! - I urge you to oppose the Immigration Enforcement and Border Security Act of 2007 (S. 1984). More fences, walls, detention centers, agents and rounding up immigrants at their homes and workplaces are not the answer.
Please SUPPORT Congressional oversight of DHS's SSA "no match" letter policy including employer liability for employment discrimination and the complaint process.
Please say YES to constructive immigration reform that includes a path to permanent residency and citizenship, restores due process rights, stops the militarization of the southern border, and ensures humane policies that keep families together.
IFCLA WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO COME SPEAK AT YOUR ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING, GATHERING OR HOUSE MEETING ON THE SUBJECT OF IMMIGRATION. WE MUST PUT A HUMAN FACT ON THE IMMIGRAITON CRISIS!!
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EL SALVADOR: UPDATE ON POLITCAL PRISONERS #7
On July 2, 2007, at a demonstration against the privatization of water, fourteen community leaders were detained and later brought up on charges of terrorism - which means they could be sentenced to many years in prison, simply for exercising their right to peaceful protest.
These incidents plainly demonstrate the erosion of human rights and the Salvadoran government's undermining of the social movement in El Salvador. On July 2, President Saca was scheduled to visit the municipality of Suchitoto to announce a plan to decentralize water services, which would further complicate poor communities' access to water--a basic necessity for a dignified life.
Because of the devastating human impact of privatization and trade policies, local communities organized to speak out against the proposed decentralization of water. When the entrances to Suchitito were blocked to prevent Saca's arrival, the anti-riot police advanced and began shooting rubber bullets, launching tear gas, and wielding wooden clubs. Meanwhile, in the nearby community of Guillermo Manuel Ungo, the riot police and the military surrounded community members on their way to protest, again shooting rubber bullets and tear gas.
Meanwhile, leaders of the long-term SHARE partner CRIPDES, a national grassroots network, approached Suchitoto to participate in the protest. The National Civilian Police stopped the CRIPDES vehicle and arrested the following individuals: Marta Lorena Martinez Araujo, President of the CRIPDES National Directive Council; Rosa Maria Valle Centeno, Vice-President CRIPDES National Directive Council; María Haydee Chicas, CRIPDES journalist and photographer; and Manuel Antonio Rodriguez, who was driving the CRIPDES vehicle. In all, fourteen people were arrested and thirteen have been charged under a new antiterrorism law.
The government's accusation of terrorism for participation in a peaceful demonstration against the privatization of water has mobilized national and international discontent and protest. This pressure has secured the release of all detainees, which is a significant victory. We continue pressuring to convince the government to remove the terrorist charges.
"It was like a scene from the war, the soldiers with their armed cars; it was terrible, knocking down people; I believe that that is terrorism, terrorism of the State" - Lorena Martinez, President of CRIPDES
ACTION: Email or fax the following Salvadoran officials to express your concern over this case, ask that all charges be dropped against the Suchitoto 13, and suggest that the antiterrorism law be repealed. (The judge does not have an email address, and must be faxed.) Letters may be written to Salvadoran officials in English.
1) Excelentísimo Sr. Elías Antonio Saca, Presidente de El Salvador (President of El Salvador)
Fax (011-503) 2243-9947
Email at this website: http://www.casapres.gob.sv/prescartas.htm
2) Ana Lucilia Fuentes de Paz, Jueza Especial de Instrucción de San Salvador (Special Judge)
Fax (011-503) 2264-1180 or -1181
3) Dr. Agustín García Calderón, Presidente de la Corte Suprema de Justicia (President of the Supreme Court of El Salvador)
Fax (011-503) 2271-8754
sandra_deolivares@csj.gob.sv (secretary's email)
Fax your members of Congress to urge them to engage the Salvadoran government on the case: to find fax and telephone numbers, go to www.house.gov and www.senate.gov Their attention to the deteriorating human rights situation in El Salvador is critical. Copy US Ambassador Charles Glazer on the letter: glazercl@state.gov
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Join Venezuela Labor, Ecology and Indigenous People's Day Delegation!
Spaces are filling up fast for the Labor, Ecology and Indigenous Peoples Day Delegation that is going to Venezuela October 6-16th. If you are wanting to visit Venezuela, this is a wonderful opportunity...BUT LET US KNOW SOON IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, SO THAT YOU DON'T MISS OUT! There are only two spots left.
The Venezuela Solidarity Network is co-sponsoring this delegation with the Marin Interfaith Task Force on The Americas...but even if we weren't, we would still have to say that this is one of the best looking, most fun and informative delegations we've yet seen. If you read the following description and itinerary, we're sure you'll agree.
If you are interested in going on this delegation, email us at vsn@afgj.org or call 520-243-0481.
For those who've never experienced the
peoples revolution going on in Venezuela today and for those
activists needing a dose of inspiration:
YOU ARE INVITED TO THE:
MITF ON THE AMERICAS &
VENEZUELA SOLIDARITY NETWORK
DELEGATION TO VENEZUELA:
This October we will travel from Caracas to eastern Venezuela with experienced trip leader and long-time activist Lisa Sullivan. We'll see the sweeping changes taking place in the "Bolivarian Revolution." Participants in the delegation will witness the "proceso" of change in education and literacy, health care and living conditions.
We'll learn about the new experiments in citizen participation, cooperatives, and worker-run factories. There is a palpable sense of energy, hope and creativity taking place in Venezuela which is flowing beyond its borders.
After the landslide re-election of President Hugo Chavez last December, the new phrase guiding the country is "turning on all the motors of Venezuela's Socialism of the 21st century." This delegation will give participants both the overview of current directions, and a focus on two areas: labor and ecology.
Caracas and the East
In Caracas the group will meet with government and oil industry officials, and visit social programs in the hillside barrios.
We will then travel east to the Afro-Venezuelan region of Barlovento to visit a cacao plantation and take a boat ride to observe the "spectacle of the birds" in the mangroves of Tacarigua de la Laguna. Further east, near the centuries-old former capital, Cumana, we will visit fishing cooperatives and enjoy the stunning eastern shores.
Orinoco
The second half of the trip will take place in Guayana in the southeast, home to Venezuela's most important natural resources and industry. Delegates will travel by boat down the tranquil Cano Manamo river to visit fishing communities of the Warao, Venezuela's second largest indigenous group. We will then ferry across Latin America's second largest river, the Orinoco, under whose shores lie the world's largest oil reserves. Across the river, the group will spend a few days in Ciudad Guayana, a city searching for its identity between its stunning natural beauty and its growing iron, steel and aluminum industry.
Optional Destinations
For those who want to experience the exotic beauty of Angel Falls, the world's longest waterfall, or visit the ancient geological formations of the Gran Sabana and indigenous Pemon communities, we encourage you to add some personal travel days after the delegation. We will end the trip in Ciudad Guayana, which is the jumping point to these destinations.
Application
Cost for the ten-day trip is $1450, including most meals, lodging, and all in-country travel, as well as the return flight from Ciudad Guayana to Caracas. It does not include airfare to and from Venezuela.
Apply now by emailing us at vsn@afgj.org or calling 520-243-0481!
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