Open
World Conference of Workers
In Defense of Trade Union Independence & Democratic Rights
PART 2 OF REPORT ON VENEZUELA
1) Appeal
from the National Union of Workers of Venezuela (UNT) and from Labor
Activists and Trade Union Officials from Various Countries -- Issued
Monday, August 16 in Caracas
2) August
11, 2004 Statement by the International Liaison Committee of Workers and
Peoples/ILC: With the Venezuelan people for the victory for the
"NO" in the recall referendum of August 15! For the sovereignty
of Venezuela! No to interference by the United States!
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1) Appeal from the National Union of Workers of Venezuela (UNT) and from
Labor Activists and Trade Union Officials from Various Countries
(Issued Monday, August 16 in Caracas)
Dear Sisters and Brothers:
From Caracas, Venezuela, this August 16, 2004, we address our working
class brothers and sisters around the world on this historic day in which
the definitive results of the referendum have been announced.
The victory for the "NO" vote in the recall referendum received
more than five million votes from the Venezuelan people. For the UNT and
for the numerous trade union delegates from different countries who came
to Venezuela to express their support for this common battle of the
workers against capitalist exploitation and imperial intervention, the
election result of August 15 will help to advance the struggle for a more
just, sovereign and independent society, where the exploitation of the
labor force will be eliminated. The triumph of the "NO" vote in
this referendum represents a point of support to carry on our class
struggle.
The UNT is an independent trade union federation that defends trade union
democracy to the fullest. It is a trade union federation independent from
political parties, employers and the government. The UNT developed its own
campaign -- the "Campaign of Workers in Battle" -- for the
victory of the "NO," meaning for Chavez to remain in power,
because we believe that what is at stake here is the struggle against
imperialism. We believe that the workers must play a central role in the
defense of national sovereignty and in the fight by the native peoples for
the return of their ancestral lands and by the peasants for a genuine
agrarian reform and food sovereignty.
While we in the UNT were waging the struggle for the "NO" vote,
we were attacked by imperialism. Meanwhile, the attitude of the
Confederation of Workers of Venezuela (CTV) was to support unconditionally
the social sectors that are for the "YES" vote, thereby yet
again lining up behind the United States aggressor. While the UNT joined
the deeply held cause expressed by the majority of the Venezuelan workers
and people on August 15, the CTV joined forces with imperialism and the
bosses.
The attitude by the "opposition" sectors not to recognize the
election results must be addressed and denounced immediately by all
working people throughout the world and by their class and democratic
organizations. We appeal to all the workers and disenfranchised people of
the world to join our fight. This is the only way for us to obtain a
better future for our historic tasks in favor of humanity.
From the city of Caracas, we invite all the trade union confederations,
trade unions, popular organizations, peasant and farmer organizations,
professionals, unemployed, pensioners and youth to reinforce, now more
than ever, the common and militant struggle against the disasters brought
about worldwide by neoliberalism and capitalist globalization.
We want the fight led by the UNT in the sense of deepening the process
under way in our country to be known and discussed by working people the
world over. We propose that we organize together an international meeting
in Venezuela during the first week of December to allow us to discuss the
situation of the labor movement and to map out the solidarity campaigns
and actions we can carry out in common.
For us, the victory of the "NO" vote for the recall referendum
on August 15 is a "NO" to the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA)
and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). It is a
"NO" to the IMF and to neoliberal policies. It is a
"NO" to imperialist domination and Bush's aggressive policies.
It is a "NO" to the payment of the foreign debt and to
privatizations.
We want to transform this victory of the "NO" on August 15 into
a "NO" to capitalist exploitation.
* Out with the putschists and imperialism from Venezuela!
* Long live the fight of the workers and the peoples of the world!
August 16, 2004
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Participants in the international meeting held at the headquarters of
the UNT on August 16, 2004:
Argentina: Vilma Ripol, IU, deputy; Juan Carlos Albereto, Corriente
Clasista y Combativa; Jose Alberto Roselli, Mocase; Claudio Lozano,
elected municipal official; Ariel Basteiro, elected municipal official.
Brazil: Julio Turra, CUT, delegate from the International Liaison
Committee of Workers and Peoples (ILC); Bernadete Menezes, CUT; José
Alfonzos Klein, APEOESP-CUT; Marlene Da Rocha, PT; Isaac Oliveira,
Sintrajufe-PE-CUT, member of ILC delegation; Walter Matos, Condsef-CUT,
member of ILC delegation; Edson Carneiro Indio CUT/SP; Marcelo Buzetto,
MST; Ricardo Jacome, Sindsep/DF-CUT, member of ILC delegation; Jeruza
Souiza, International Federation of Radio and TV Workers; Lujan Miranda,
CUT.
Colombia: Julio Roberto Gomez, CUTB; Ramiro Arroyave, Uneb; William
Gaviria, Uneb; Roberto Gomez Esguerra, CGTD; Percy Oyola, State Workers
Trade Union
United States: Fred Hirsch, San Jose Labor Council, member of ILC
delegation; Robert Irminger, IBU/ILWU delegate to San Francisco Labor
Council, member of ILC delegation
Mexico: Armando Pasos C., SITUAM, member of ILC delegation
Venezuela: Teresa Zottola, Fetracultura; Hamilton P. Da Silva, UNT;
Saida Liendo, Sinafum; Norberto Bacher, Camites Guias; Marcela Maspero,
UNT; Ruben Linares, UNT; Stalin Perez Borges, UNT; Giorgina Martinez
Arena, Liga Socialista; Jesus Martinez, Liga Socialista; Orlando Chirino,
UNT
*******************
2) Statement by the International Liaison Committee of Workers and
Peoples/ILC -- August 11, 2004
With the Venezuelan people for the victory for the "NO" in the
recall referendum of August 15! For the sovereignty of Venezuela! No to
interference by the United States!
What is at stake on Sunday, August 15 in Venezuela is of enormous
importance not only to the Venezuelan people but to all peoples of the
continent and the whole world. Everyone understands this.
There is no longer any room for doubt: The large majority of the
Venezuelan people are going to vote "NO" in the recall
referendum, rejecting the plans of Bush, Cheney, U.S. imperialism and
their lackeys in Venezuela (who call themselves fraudulently the
"national opposition").
Through their vote in favor of the "NO" to the recall, the large
majority of the Venezuelan people will affirm their aspiration to live in
a sovereign and free Venezuela. They will yet again affirm that the
Venezuelan oil does not belong to Bush or Cheney -- who are the direct
agents of the U.S. oil consortiums -- and that Venezuelan oil belongs to
the Venezuelan people, and only to them.
Stop U.S. Intervention in Venezuela!
Since June 12, the International Liaison Committee of Workers and
Peoples (ILC) has thrown all its support behind the international appeal
launched in Lima, Peru, by Peruvian, U.S., Brazilian and Ecuadoran trade
unionists that was titled: "Stop U.S. Intervention in
Venezuela!"
This appeal obtained thousands of endorsers internationally. From June 21
to 25, a delegation of the ILC went to Caracas. It met with political,
popular, and trade union leaders, as well as with advisers to President
Hugo Chavez. The delegation learned of the appeal by the National Union of
Workers (UNT) of Venezuela and noted the total convergence of views
contained in the UNT and ILC appeals and their main slogans: "Hands
off Venezuela! For the defense of the sovereignty of the Venezuelan
nation! Against all interference by the government of the United States in
the country's internal affairs!"
Hands off Venezuela! Sovereignty for the People and Nation of
Venezuela!
The Oil and the Land of Venezuela Belong to the Venezuelan People!
The Bushes and the Cheneys want to destroy the sovereignty of the
Venezuelan people, just as they have sought to do for many months to the
Iraqi people. What they want is to get their hands on the oil wealth of
Venezuela, which is the fifth largest exporter of oil in the world. They
want the oil that ensures them and the social class they represent -- that
is, the capitalists, the big multinational oil and financial conglomerates
-- their huge profits, while billions of human beings live in poverty and
misery throughout the world.
They want to oust Chavez, the legitimate president of Venezuela who was
carried to power by the people because he dared to refuse to privatize the
national oil corporation of Venezuela (PDVSA) and because he dared to use
US$2 billion in oil profits to increase wages and to provide social
services to the Venezuelan workers. They want to oust Chavez because he
dared to distribute land to the landless peasants in Venezuela.
There is no doubt that today the large majority of the people of Venezuela
are going to vote "NO" in the recall referendum and to maintain
Chavez in power. The people, the workers, the youth of Venezuela are going
to vote "NO" to the imperial pretension to dictates its laws.
Even a recent poll run by a U.S. public opinion company (North American
Opinion Research) has declared that the "NO" will win.
Let the people speak! No to fraud!
It is certain that only massive fraud could reverse this result. The
so-called "opposition" already has demonstrated that it won't
hesitate to manipulate the outcome of the election -- either through fraud
or provocation. This has been clear since their failed attempt at a
military coup d'etat in April 2002.
This is why the ILC, at the invitation of the National Union of Workers (UNT)
of Venezuela (UNT), will be present in Caracas from August 12 through 17,
with an important independent labor delegation of trade union activists
from Brazil, the United States, Mexico, Peru and Guadeloupe. Their aim is
to report to the workers and peoples the world over about the conditions
in which the referendum will take place, as well as its results.
- Together with the workers, the youth and the people of Venezuela!
- For the victory of the "NO"! For a free and sovereign
Venezuela!
August 11, 2004
Daniel Gluckstein,
Coordinator,
International Liaison Committee of Workers and Peoples (ILC)
[Note: This August 11 statement was later endorsed by all the
members of the ILC delegation to Venezuela.]