On 29 August, The Revolutionary Communist Group (RCG), through its campaign Rock Around the Blockade (RATB), held a public webinar on ‘What is really happening in Venezuela.’ When the Venezuelan Presidential elections on 28 July resulted in a victory for incumbent Nicholas Maduro of the Party , violent riots and media attacks ensued. This chaos was organised by the US backed opposition, Edmundo Gonzalez and Maria Corina Machado, who serve as imperialist puppets in order to foster instability in Venezuela through violent sanctions, media lies, and government backed coup attempts since the Bolivarian Revolution began in 1999.
RATB and the RCG organised this public meeting to affirm the anti-imperialist perspective on the situation in Venezuela and to amplify the Venezuelan voices on the ground who are being actively suppressed, as they challenge the narrative and interests of the ruling class.
Carolina Graterol, a Venezuelan journalist and filmmaker, joined us to speak about her experience as a participant and electoral observer in the election on 28 July. She shared her extensive knowledge of Venezuela’s electoral process, and explained the rigorous processes that the government follows to ensure democratic integrity of elections. Her first hand accounts of the election process were an invaluable perspective and a testament to the democratic processes that Venezuela has upheld despite unceasing media attacks.
Jorge Vilalta, an anti-imperialist activist based in Caracas involved in organizations such as ALBA Movimientos and Movimiento Otro Beta, spoke about the Chavismo movement on the ground in, highlighting the determination of the Venezuelan people to defend their sovereignty and advances of the Bolivarian Revolution despite crippling sanctions and violence imposed by the US. Jorge’s words were rooted in the steadfastness of the people and the fight against imperialist violence and exploitation globally, from Palestine, to Cuba, to Venezuela.
Other contributions included RCG member Sam McGill, speaking on the role of British imperialism in Venezuela and the opportunist left in Britain, such as the Socialist Workers Party and the Revolutionary Communist Party, who have bowed to pressure from the ruling class to turn a blind eye to imperialist intervention in Venezuela; Alan McLeod from Mint Press, who spoke on the role of corporate media (read: the Guardian, the BBC, etc.) as an institution that obscures the facts and serves as a mouthpiece for the ruling class; and Roger Jiminez, President of the National Bolivarian Postal Workers Union, who shared about the overwhelming sentiment of support for President Maduro among the working class in Venezuela.
The webinar fostered discussion about the importance for anti-imperialists to demonstrate solidarity with Venezuela, and to oppose imperialist intervention and manipulation by powers who only have a vested interest in accumulating wealth through the extraction of Venezuela’s resources such as oil, lithium, and gold.
While other so-called left groups have aligned themselves with imperialist reaction, the Revolutionary Communist Group maintains its principled stance in solidarity with the self determination of the Venezuelan people and in defense of the Bolivarian Revolution.
Hands off Venezuela! Imperialism out of Latin America! La lucha continua!
