On 10 May, members and supporters of the Revolutionary Communist Group picketed the offices of The Guardian media group in London. This action was organised to protest against the coverage of events in Venezuela, particularly by The Guardian‘s Latin America correspondent Tom Phillips and his predecessor Rory Carroll, as well as other journalists working for the British media group. This coverage has played the role of manufacturing consent for US imperialism in Latin America, by spreading lies, misinformation and propaganda in support of the recent illegal coup attempt against the socialist government in Venezuela and its democratically elected leader, Nicolas Maduro.
Those who attended the picket gave speeches on an open platform, condemning the media company, and chanted, ‘Tom Phillips, tell the truth! Don’t support the fascist coup!’. Speakers drew attention to the vicious propaganda blitz of 30 April-2 May that was carried out by Phillips, Carroll and others on the pages of The Guardian simultaneously with the failed putsch of the US stooge Juan Guaido. In response to our picket, the company’s security team locked the front doors to the building. When we attempted to enter the building to deliver a written statement condemning the newspaper’s Venezuela coverage to the International News Desk, we were barred from entering. We demanded that staff responsible for Latin America coverage come out to meet the protesters and receive the statement in person, but this was also declined. The written statement, addressed to the International News Desk, was left with security staff.
The action received publicity from Venezuelan filmmaker Pablo Navarrete, the UK Venezuelan Embassy and Venezuelan public broadcaster VTV:
Ciudadanos londinenses denuncian bloqueo ante diario británico https://t.co/2zbbmWzh3H#RibasRevoluciónEducativa pic.twitter.com/AxuxXkDAil
— VTV CANAL 8 (@VTVcanal8) May 10, 2019
The RCG recognises that a key task of solidarity with the Bolivarian Revolution for socialists in Britain is to challenge the lies and distortions of British journalists and media platforms such as The Guardian and the BBC. These ostensibly ‘liberal’ news outlets play a key role in softening up public opinion in Britain to accept the murderous sanctions, economic warfare and political destabilisation which is waged against the Venezuelan people by the openly imperialist US government.
Imperialist hands off Venezuela! No more media lies! Down with US imperialism!
