Ground-breaking SKYPE technology links Wolverhampton and Venezuela
Venezuela Solidarity UK coordinator Andy Goodall writes: Using SKYPE technology to span the great distance between the UK and Venezuela, the first international public meeting between the two countries will be held on March 30 at the Light House Media Center in Wolverhampton (West Midlands, UK).
The event is being jointly organized by Venezuela Solidarity UK and VHeadline (Venezuela’s Electronic News).
VHeadline editor/publisher Roy Carson came up with the idea for this international conference via SKYPE, which will enable Venezuelan activists to address and speak directly with people in Britain for the first time 'live' at a public meeting.
Following a resolution by the Midlands TUC at their 2005 AGM, in which they expressed full support for the Venezuelan independent trade unions -- the National Union of Workers of Venezuela (UNT) -- this international meeting comes at an opportune moment.
There is good support for Venezuela amongst trade unionists in the UK, due to the restructuring of the union movement in Venezuela and the wide-ranging social policies being implemented by the Chavez government.
This link-up will give them the opportunity to speak with and put questions to Venezuelans in real time. For many, this will be their first experience of talking with real Venezuelans and will foster greater understanding of the reality of what is happening in this country, which is almost always distorted by the corporate, “mainstream” media.
- There will also be a link to Boston (USA see below) and Andy Goodall of Venezuela Solidarity UK will be the link at the meeting in Wolverhampton.
The Venezuelans taking part are:
Héctor Díaz Piña
Hector spent his youth in the Revolutionary Left Movement (MIR) in the 1960s which led him to join the guerrilla movement as a combatant in the mountainous Merida State, until the pacification process in 1973 under the Caldera government. Hector has a sound ideological base due to his extensive study of revolutions around the world.
He was in contact with then Lieutenant Colonel Hugo Chavez while Chavez was in Yare penitentiary and was also in his bodyguard unit in Aragua state. This was during the period when Chavez toured the country from March 1994 forward, developing support all over the country.
Hector has been involved in revolutionary politics for more than 30 years and is a firm believer in “democratic revolution” rather than the classic violent examples of France, Russia or Cuba, after Chavez changed tack from armed rebellion and abstention to participating in the democratic process in 1996.
He still works at local level with the aim of educating the less well off about their rights and duties within the framework of the 1999 Bolivarian Constitution. Nowadays, he is independent, running an electronic turf accountant’s business, and thus does not depend on the state in any way for his livelihood.
Hector will speak on: The People of Venezuela and their role in defending national sovereignty.
Carlos Ojeda
Carlos is Secretary of the Venezuelan Communist Party (PCV) in Aragua State and an active social fighter/advocate in the barrios (popular areas). Due to Carlos’ unfailing efforts, the PCV came third in the October 31 local elections in La Victoria, and there is a recovery of the fortunes of the PCV in the last year, with solid work being done by Carlos and his team in the poor areas.
He is conversant with the trade union situation in Venezuela, which may be useful for the attendees in Wolverhampton, and will be able to give a vision from the active membership rather than from a union executive’s point of view.
Les Blough (on line - from Boston MA, USA)
Les is founding editor of Axis of Logic -- an alternative US web site promoting activism, thought and stopping the spread of the US global corporate empire.
He has been writing political essays for many years and poetry since his youth. He earned a B.A. in psychology at the University of Tennessee and an M.S. in counseling psychology at Penn State University. During his 8 years of college and graduate school, he worked as a State Marshall and Corrections Officer at the Tennessee State Prison (Nashville, TN) and at Rockview State Penitentiary (Bellefonte, PA.).
Following his professional training, he worked as the director of a research clinic at a University of Pennsylvania teaching hospital in Williamsport, PA. This employment was followed by work as a psychotherapist and rehabilitation counselor in Boston, MA. He opened his own practice in Boston in 1988 where he worked as a psychotherapist, vocational evaluator and expert witness. In earlier years, following his theological training at Bob Jones University (1961-1965), he was ordained as a Christian minister, and served as pastor of a church in Pennsylvania for over 6 years. He has terminated his private practice in psychology to devote himself as an activist, correspondent and full-time editor/publisher of Axis of Logic.
Les was recently in Venezuela for the first time in February and is writing a series of articles entitled “Touching the Revolution,” three of which have been published in so far, as well as other international web sites. The series can be found at:
Les will be able to give the attendees his first hand impressions as a US citizen coming to Venezuela for the first time and actually talking to normal people on the street, for example. Les will be listening in and will no doubt contribute to this first between the UK and The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
We are certain that this international public meeting will pave the way for future events of this type, perhaps worldwide, and can only help break down the physical and cultural obstacles, which have historically separated the UK and Venezuela.
Venezuela Solidarity Groups and Bolivarian Circles should contact either of the below to express their interest or to enquire about the March 30 meeting.
Andy Goodall
andy.goodal@venezuelasolidarity.org.uk
http://www.venezuelasolidarity.org.uk/