Christopher Columbus: More than 500 years of oppression in Latin America

Hands Off Venezuela campaigner Cort Greene writes: On Tuesday, a sizeable group of activists from very different backgrounds met in London to protest against the different imperialist powers that have been oppressing the peoples of the Americas.

October 12 is the date when more than 500 years ago ... in 1492 ... Columbus “discovered” the Americas.

It was the beginning of the exploitation and slaughter of the indigenous people on the continent by the different imperialist powers. It was also the beginning of the different anti-imperialist movements which have inspired the workers and youth from all over the world.

From the American Revolution to the recent struggles of the Bolivian people against the privatization of natural gas the history of the continent is full of inspiring examples of the oppressed fighting imperialism.

The event this year had a very special meaning. Due to the latest victory of the Venezuelan people in the recall referendum on August 15, the activists had something to celebrate on such a tragic date.

Amongst the activities that took place in memory of October 12, there was a rally in front of the US embassy in London. Around 60 people gathered to express their rejection of the US administration’s involvement in the affairs of the Venezuelan and other Latin American people. The picket started with the tunes of “Rhythms of Resistance” which grabbed the attention of passers-by.

Later on an open microphone provided by GWS (Global Women’s Strike) gave everybody who wished the chance to express different opinions on the situation in Venezuela.

Among the speakers we had the chance to listen to comrades who came from the Edinburgh Chiapas Campaign, Rock Around the Blockade and Hands Off Venezuela activists. The rally finished at 4:00 p.m. with Rob (an urban musician) and a sizeable group of activists going to Middlesex University to attend a lecture by Dave Raby (Liverpool University) where he spoke thoroughly about the situation in Venezuela and the revolutionary events taking place there.

In the evening, the NUJ Central London Branch organized an open meeting of the branch where a debate was held. The issue of the debate was “Venezuela and the Media.” In this debate Jorge Martin, the International Secretary of the Hands Off Venezuela campaign gave a full account of the lies and distortions of the mass media in Venezuela. He explained the links between the local oligarchy, the US administration and the media owners.

NUJ members and other attendees had the chance to hear how the mainstream media has been involved in different counterrevolutionary actions.

For instance, the Generals who backed the coup d’etat on April 11, 2002 recorded their statement, which denounced the killing of demonstrators and the mayhem allegedly created by Hugo Chavez and the Bolivarian movement, hours before the demonstration and counter-demonstration actually took place. This statement was made by the military and businessmen to justify their reactionary actions.

Martin also exposed the involvement of the international media in this process and also pointed out that the only two media outlets closed in Venezuela since the starting of the revolution were Canal 8 (state-owned TV channel) when the coup d’etat took place and Catia TV -- closed by a pro-opposition council.

Martin also explained that 500 journalists have been blacklisted by the opposition. He finished his account by saying that the failure of the mainstream media to give true and accurate information has led to the springing up of alternative media outlets.

A journalist named Nigel ... who spent a year in Venezuela ... strongly argued against the revolution. He said that the fact that Chavez was a former army man was “a very important point to be understood due to the militarization of democracy in Venezuela. He also criticized the “great loads of power” that Hugo Chavez has. He also denied what two RTE journalists and different professionals, not linked with opposition in Venezuela, have shown in relation to a shooting incident on the day of the coup in 2002 -ú that Chavistas never shot pro-opposition demonstrators but were defending themselves from the Metropolitan police in Caracas (controlled by the opposition). He put forward an argument dismissing the movement and characterized Chavez as a dictator.

Some attendees did not like these statements and disrupted his contribution and also the meeting itself for a while. Hands Off Venezuela supporters within the NUJ also expressed their rejection of these disruptions as negative and that everyone present had the right to hear both versions of the situation in Venezuela. After that, the debate carried on again normally. Jorge closed the meeting answering the questions of the attendants.

The actions that took place allowed the Hands off Venezuela campaign to promote solidarity with the Venezuelan Revolution and events at the European Social Forum. The Hands Off Venezuela campaign will hold workshops and a stall at the ESF ... these meetings will help to develop the very needed solidarity with our Venezuelan bothers and sisters.

 http://www.thenewagenda.org/venezuela/pages/o12rub.html