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October 12th: Global Day of Action in Support of the Autonomous Movements of the Bolivarian Revolution of Venezuela and the Pachamerican Struggles

This date, commonly used to celebrate colonial genocide under the name of "Columbus Day", will now be re-appropriated in defense of the autonomous movements of the Bolivarian Revolution of Venezuela, the emerging Pachamerican rebellions, and the empowerment of all struggling peoples of the world.

The systemic genocide initiated by the conquering of Pachamerica, symbolized by Columbus, continues today with the military intervention of the USA and the European Union, in addition to the corporate looting of the continents. Recently the intervention by the western military/corporate machines in Iraq, in the pursuit for oil and domination over the Arab world, continues with the attempts of interventions and coup d'etat in Venezuela.

In Venezuela a crucial moment is emerging after the August 15th referendum. A situation that has to do with the popular movements that support President Chavez against the politics of intervention of the USA in the region (Plan Colombia, Free Trade of the Americas, etc), but that also tries to break with the corrupt, bureaucratic elites that have infiltrated the revolutionary process to try become the new ruling class.

Although Chávez won the referendum, the attacks by the US/European powers will not cease. But the Empire´s most lethal attack, perhaps, will be its attempt to slow down the radicalization of the process through the “revolutionary” bureaucracy that will try to use the popular victory of August 15th to strengthen its power within the State and continue the selling of the country to transnational corporations. In that sense, the victory in Venezuela cannot be seen as a simple electoral victory, but as a victory that will be defined on the streets and through the daily struggles of organized communities. The Bolivarian Revolution, after all, is not the revolution of a leader, but that of a people who, linking efforts with other struggles, refuse to be slaves. It is our duty, then, to defend this radicalization.

We call on all the social movements that have been mobilized against neoliberalism and global capitalist institutions (World Trade Organization, International Monetary Fund, G8, etc), in addition to all the peoples of the world who fight for dignity, self-organization and humanity, to take the streets on October 12th in support of the struggles in Venezuela, all the Pachamerica, and around this Earth that is rising up.

For a Free Pachamama!... a united struggle!

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* Bolivarian: Referring to the emancipation struggles led by Simon Bolivar in the Pachamerica against the Spanish Empire in the 19th century.

* Pachamerica: The rebellious continent between Alaska and Patagonia; “Pacha” is “Earth”; “Pachamama” means “Mother Earth”; “America” is the colonial name imposed by European imperialism. “Pachamerican” assume that their history doesn’t start with the arrival of the European conquerors, but recognize their indigenous roots.

**(More on Pachamerica) From our indigenous, black, white and mestiza roots emerges a particular way of struggle. With the Pachamerica, we are revindicating the indigenous vision of "Pachamama", Mother Earth, and in that way we assume our struggle as connected to that of all peoples around the world. Pachamerica is about imagining ourselves as peoples that transcend a supposed "Latin America" or "North America", since these concepts impose a colonial vision that ignores our indigenous history and tries to separate us from our brothers and sisters north, south, east and west of our lands. In that sense, more than being "Latin Americans" or "North Americans", we are "Pachamericans", because our continent is diverse, multiethnic and infinite... but fights united.