Today Venezuela and the Bolivarian revolutionary process are facing increasing imperialist attacks and interventions. International solidarity demanding that the U.S.-government and their allies, such as Canada, respect the sovereignty and self-determination of Venezuela is now more important than ever.
This September, in response to the escalating imperialist aggression, the government of Venezuela launched a “We Are All Venezuela” solidarity campaign, which included a solidarity summit in Venezuela, as well as a call for participation in an international social media campaign.
The “We Are All Venezuela: Dialogue for Peace, Sovereignty and Bolivarian Democracy" solidarity summit was held from 16-19 of September, 2017 in Caracas, Venezuela. Over 200 people from 60 countries and 5 continents came together for the dynamic conference, which resulted in an important plan of action for solidarity with Venezuela in the coming months.
Participating in the “Todos Somos Venezuela” summit were activists, artists, politicians and intellectuals from around the world, including Evo Morales, the President of Bolivia, Delcy Rodríguez, President of Venezuela’s National Constituent Assembly (ANC), Jorge Arreaza, the Foreign Minister of Venezuela and Fernando González, one of the Cuban 5 political prisoners freed from U.S. jails, and now President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP).
Simultaneous with the conference, the government of Venezuela also called for international participation in a social media campaign. The Fire This Time Movement for Social Justice – Venezuela Solidarity Campaign responded to this call by organizing two days of social media actions #TodosSomosVenezuela, which had people in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland expressing their solidarity through photos and short videos. For a complete Action Program endorsed by the conference please visit www.firethistime.net.
Before the “We Are All Venezuela” days of action, the Fire This Time Movement for Social Justice – Venezuela Solidarity Campaign also organized a day of action demanding “U.S./Canada Hands Off Venezuela!” on September 8, 2017. Through a protest action at the U.S. Consulate and a petition drive and info tabling at the popular Vancouver Art Gallery plaza, supporters of revolutionary Venezuela in Vancouver took to the streets to demand “No to Regime Change in Venezuela!”
For almost two years, the Fire This Time Movement for Social Justice – Venezuela Solidarity Campaign has been organizing monthly actions for Venezuela, as well as responding to Venezuela’s calls for international solidarity. As people living in Canada, it is our responsibility to demand an end to imperialist threats, sanctions and intervention in Venezuela, while at the same time working to combat a vicious mainstream media campaign that is constantly working to demonize Venezuela’s democratically elected President Nicolás Maduro and Bolivarian Revolutionary process.
We call on all individuals and organizations that support Venezuela in Vancouver, Canada, and around the world to join us in our monthly actions, and in the implementation of the “We Are All Venezuela” summit’s plan of action. Our next monthly picket action and petition drive will be on Friday, October 6, beginning at 4pm at the US Consulate. This action is part of the World Day of street mobilization and solidarity "Todos Somos Venezuela", included in this action plan.
For more information about the Fire This Time Venezuela Solidarity Campaign go to www.firethistime.net or follow @FTT_np on Twitter.
Follow Alison Bodine on Twitter: @Alisoncolette
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