Dear Ambassador,
The attack on Venezuela by the Prime-Minister was an unacceptable intrusion into Venezuela’s internal affairs and based on lies and misrepresentations sown by the present administration in the USA.
Mr. Blair’s answer exposed many misunderstandings and much disinformation. In response VSC has received numerous messages of support for Venezuela, the Bolivarian Revolution and frustration at the Prime Minister’s answer to the question posed to him by Labour MP, Colin Burgon.
Mr. Blair had a golden opportunity to acknowledge Venezuela's democratic credentials and to congratulate the government on the major advances made in tackling poverty and social exclusion. Instead he chose to repeat the line spun by some in the current administration in the USA.
Blair does not speak for us – he has no moral or ethical standing to protest against Cuba or say that Venezuela should “obey the rules of the international community” when he undertook illegal invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.
When mentioning Cuba’s links with Venezuela, the Labour Prime Minister should first recognize the enormous help and support given by Cuba in developing a National Health System in Venezuela since May 2003.
A system which was being privatized and deprived most people of basic health care, until Hugo Chavez was elected as President in December 1998.
We send our support for the social progress made under the Bolivarian Revolution. We note that these advances include:
Mission Robinson (Education) – eliminated illiteracy in 2 years
Mission Ribas (Education) – for adults to finish secondary school
Mission Sucre – leading to university education.
All education is free in Venezuela and Chavez stopped the immoral privatization of this basic human right. We also note this applies to the health service currently being developed under Barrio Adentro – Phases 1, 2 & 3
We state that Trade Unionists within Britain and solidarity supporters express their support to workers in Venezuela and demand non-interference in Venezuelan internal affairs as a sovereign and independent nation. Iraq, Afghanistan and the world have already suffered too much from aggressive imperialist interventions from Britain historically, and now from the USA with Britain’s connivance.
Trade unions in Britain representing 7 million workers have expressed overwhelming support at last year’s TUC National Congress and we need to continue and increase this over the coming years.
The Bolivarian Revolution started in Venezuela but is not limited to your country. The humanistic, ethical and economic values enshrined within it have launched it on to the global stage as a World Revolution. Over 5 billion of the world’s population still lives in poverty and are gaining hope and inspiration from Venezuela.
It is our collective responsibility to help promote awareness of these advances, build solidarity and oppose the illegal external interference by the global power brokers intent on halting Venezuela’s progress.
Good luck with your struggles in the future, and may I say that VSC, HoV, British Trade Unions and progressive people pledge to continue the campaign to bring your countries struggles to British workers’ attention and build a common cause for our common future.
Yours in Solidarity
Andy Goodall
VSC Co-ordinator
infol@venezuelasolidarity.org.uk |
