Hands Off Venezuela (HoV) has gone from strength to strength in the last twelve
The British wing of this international solidarity campaign held its first conference on December 3 in London.
attended - a remarkable achievement given the climate change demonstration and a rival conference on Latin America were both on the same day.
Speakers included Tony Benn and Jeremy Corbyn MP, who revealed a knowledge of Latin American politics based on a solidarity commitment that went back decades.
They reminded us that Labour used to have a vibrant and internationalist left wing. The 'star' of the conference, however, was Ruben Linares from the Venezuelan National Union of Workers (UNT), who, in addition to giving detailed and gripping accounts of workers' attempts
self-management and resistance to the 2002 coup, made many smile when he wondered why God had seen fit to bless Venezuela with Hugo Chavez.
more materialist approach was provided by Alan Woods, leader of Socialist Appeal and HoV's founder.
Discussion in the plenaries was organised in a very open way. However, there was a lot of needlessly esoteric Trotskyist phraseology in many speeches which might have put off new people.
HoV would not have been tinue to play a key role, but it young people. needs to present itself as a if it is to fulfil its potential.
Socialist Resistance speakers, Jim Jepps from the Socialist Unity Network and others voiced concerns that the slate for the new national balance. now that Respect has affiliated (thanks in no small way political than VICUK. be left open for new branches N17 9PL
and affiliates. Jeremy Dear (NUJ general secretary), who was chairing, promised that these concerns would be addressed by the incoming committee. Readers should build on this success by inviting HoV speakers to their trade union or Respect branch or to their university. Film showings of documentaries such as "The Revolution Will Not be possible without the input of Televised' always generate Marxists and they will con- interest, especially amongst
Left-wing genuinely inclusive campaign such as the NUJ, NATFHE
and the FU support Hot while the leaderships of th bigger unions such as Amicus and Unison have tended to support VICUK (which distinguished itself by organissteering committee needed a ing its event on the same day better political and gender as ours). But many Amicus
and Unison branches have to SR supporters) and new • Contact Hands Off branches are being formed. Venezuela at britain@handsofOne proposal was for places fuenezuela.org or write to on the steering committee to 100 Armadale Close London
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On 4 December the parties supporting President Hugo Chavez won all | 67 seats in Venezuela's National Assembly, * taking.
Calling in the abstract for local committees, councils or soviets will not fill that gap.
However, there are already, in practice, some experiences that may begin to point the