Signatures to "Hands off Venezuela!

Bosnia and Herzegovina:
Goran Markovic, President of the Main Board of the Workers' Communist Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Canada:
Khalil Vermezyari, Vice-president CUPE 2497, Ontario, Canada
Brian Vachon, student, Ottawa, Ontario
Brent J. MacVicar Regional, Committee and Labour Liaison, Ontario New Democratic Youth President, Kingston New Democratic Youth writer for the Marxist journal l'Humanite
Agustin F. Pestana, Newmarket, Ontario
Francisco Arce Chiriboga, miembro de The Amalgamated Transit Union de Norte America, columnista del periodico Correo Canadiense, que se publica en Toronto, corresponsal del Periodico Opcion de Ecuador 

Colombia:
Guillermo Otálora - a Colombian Student

Denmark:
Marie Frederiksen, member of the national leadership of Socialist Youth Front,
Lasse Bertelsen, shop-steward, Petersen & Andersen A/S and member of the International Committee of the Painters Union, Copenhagen,
Editorial Board of the Marxist paper Socialistisk Standpunkt.
Andreas Bülow, student at the Central Secondary School of Roskilde,

"In a far-away European country (Denmark), it's hard to know what to believe in. When you listen to the national (bourgeois) media, they tell you that there is a general strike that has lasted for a month, and that the police is violently confronting the demonstrators. They don't tell you who the bad guys and who the good guys are. They make it look like Hugo Chavez is the bad guy... I wish people would listen to "In Defence of Marxism" instead of seeing the world situation through bourgeois eyes! Solidarity support from Denmark!"
Klaus Münster, Vice-Chairman of SFU-Mariager Fjord (Socialist People's Front in Mariager and Hobro)

"They can kill a revolutionary, but they can't kill the revolution! Keep up the struggle! Mojn!"
Michael Styrk, Denmark, member of the national leadership of Socialist Youth Front

Benjamin Bach, Vanløse,

Socialist Youth Front - Copenhagen (Socialistisk Ungdomsfront SUF - København)
Socialist Youth Front in Aarhus
Frederik Ohsten, Journalist student

France:
Greg Oxley, Parti Socialiste, Paris, Syndicat des journalistes CGT.
Jérôme Métellus, Parti Communiste (PCF), Paris.
Hubert Prévaud, Parti socialiste, Toulouse, CGT.
Marc Caprioli, PCF, Paris.
Christophe Schroedel, PS, Syndicat National de l'Enseignement, SNES.
Patrick Loiseau, PS, Paris.
Section de la Jeunesse Communiste, Amiens.
Jean-Marc Domart, PCF, CGT, Paris.
Les communistes de la cellule de Limogne en Quercy, Lot
Agnès Denis, réalisatrice (film producer)
Paco Peña, journaliste,
Pablo Vidal
Rogez David,
Bruno Drweski, historian, Nanterre
Laurent Lanyou
Marie-Catherine Andreani, militante anti-impérialiste
Diane Martin,
Romain Capy,
Olivier Curtil.
Garde Gregory, 38950 St Martin le Vinoux
Robert Siboulet, 31520 Ramonville
Denis Berger, politologue
Michèle Riot-Sarcey, historienne, professeure des universités.
Michel SEVENIER enseignant responsable syndical (SNUipp/FSU)
Marie-Agnès Maréchal, 69100 Villeurbanne
André Larnaud, Ecole du Montoulon, 07000 Privas
Patrick Desricourt de Lanux,
Anna Ruiz,
Michel Blanc et Martine Prevot
Naima Bouteldja, Globalise Resistance (France)
Joel Vaganay
Gregory Zoltobroda,
Bouhassoune Lahouari, journaliste-écrivain
Barthez Francis, Toulouse
Roland Platteau, Arras
Karine Chaulet, Tamanu, Punaauia, Tahiti, Polynésie Française,
Françoise Hainaux, 77280 - Othis
Ingrid Chaulet, 77280, Othis
Damien Chaulet, 20137 Porto Vecchio
Raymond Debord, editor of the "Militan" newspaper (Paris, France)
Jaime Ballesteros, Président de OSPAAAL
Eleonore de la Varde.
Hervé KLEIN, Militant Communiste Rouen France
Annie Lacroix-Riz, professeur d'histoire contemporaine, Université Paris VII
Florence Marois, syndicaliste, 31520 Ramonville Saint Agne,
M. Peppoloni,
Nathalie Caul-Futy, Journaliste,
François Gody,
Sabrina Amara, journalist, Paris
Benjamin Bendriss
Jean-Christophe Victor- Auteur, réalisateur- Paris
Annie et Gabriel Chamerois 37390 Charentilly
Yves Tollet, Toulouse
Balzer Olivier
Aline Pailler, Journaliste, ex députée européenne
Francoise Lejeune
Suzanne Promonet
Pierre Vialatte
Mireille Barbot
Pallier Franck

Germany:
Hans-Gerd Öfinger, member of the Wiesbaden regional comitee Ver.Di (service sector union, the biggest single union, a merger of 5 unions)
Eduarda Gomes de Sá-Andresen
Tony Kofoet, GEW (German Teachers'Union), member of staff council
Thomas Zachmayer, 81543 München, member of the GEW (German teachers' union, and of a works council in a house for mentally handicapped people.
Uli Franke, Darmstadt, member of the Frankfurt regional committee of the media sector of the union Ver.di.

Dieter Dehm, deputy chairman of PDS
Ulla Jelpke, editor of left wing daily "Junge Welt", former Member of Parliament (PDS)

collecting signatures in Berlin

Horst Vergin, GEW (Teachers´ union), Berlin,
Christoph Mürdter, member of Jusos, Editiorial board "Der Funke", Wiesbaden
Constanze Lindemann, ver.di union, media workers´ section, Berlin
Josef Weckmann, ver.di union, delegate to unemployed workers´ conference
Maria Clara Roque, shop steward, German railways
Manuel Parrondo, chairman of immigrants councils in the state of Hessen
Stefan Huth, Junge Welt, Berlin
Martina Huth, Berlin
Frank Gavrille, Berlin (SPD member)
Markus Bornhardt, Dortmund, Communist Party (DKP)
Piotr Liszweski, Polish Labour Youth-Left
Gerold Sachse, City councillor (PDS), Fürstenwalde
Meike Winter, Anti war activist, Berlin
Rold Diez, PDS, Chemnitz (Saxony)
Bernhard Sass, member of PDS and IG Metall
Volker Blaschke, member of Transnet (railway workers union) and DKP (Communist Party), Itzehoe
Thomas Esser, member of PDS and GEW (techaers´ union), Düsseldorf
Christian Finck, SDAJ (communist youth)
Friedel Schröder, Karin Weiß, Rold Schick, members of PDS.

Over 100 further signatures were also collected at the "Der Funke" stall at the
Luxemburg/Liebknecht commemoration rally in Berlin (see photo).

Greece:
Panagiotis Lafazanis, Member of the Greek Parliament and Member of the Political Secretariat of the party Synaspismos
?asos Theodoridis, Lawyer, Member of the department for human rights of the Synaspismos party
Christoforos Papadopoulos, Member of the Political Secretariat of the Synaspismos party
Stelios Dafnis, Member of the Central Committee of Athens Trade Council.
Tsitonis Takis, Member of Executive committee of Archaeological Sites Workers Union.
Ikonomou Konstantinos, Member of Executive committee of Archaeological Sites Workers Union
Delniotis Ioanis, Member of Executive committee of Archaeological Sites Workers Union
Dimarogonas Dimos, Member of Executive committee of Greek Federation of Union of Ministry of Culture Workers
Fotopoulos Nikos, Member of the National Executive committee of Technical Electrical Workers Union.
Tasios Thomas, Member of the National Executive committee of Telecommunication Workers Union.
Nikakis Dimitris, Member of the Executive committee of Shopworkers Union.
Nikolaou Martha, Member of the Executive committee of Shop - workers union.
Milonas Elias, Olympic Catering unionist.
Thanos George, Olympic Airways unionist.
Karagianopoulos Stamatis, Member of B 4 district Committee of PA.SO.K Youth.
Kanelopoulou Christina, Member of Athens PA.SO.K Youth Committee.
Kounougeri Giota, PA.SO.K Youth member
Sapranidis Nikos, PA.SO.K Youth member
Skourli Angela, PA.SO.K Youth member
Doulos Orestis, PA.SO.K Youth member
Karigianis Leonidas, PA.SO.K member
Gougousis Spiros, PA.SO.K member
Karaiskos Thodoros, PA.SO.K member
Bouras Kostas, PA.SO.K member

Guyana:
Marc Monthieux, Consultant

Indonesia:
Tunggal Pawestri, Chairperson of PEC (People’s Empowerment Consortium)
John Mempi, Executive Director of CEDSOS, Central for Democracy and Social Justice Studies
Fransciska Christanti, General Secretary of STN (Serikat Tani Nasional) an Indonesian Peasants’ Union
Arsyad Asy'ary, CAHAYA, (Indonesian Student Marxist Group)
Muhammad Harris Putra, General Secretary of SINTESA (The Sintesa foundation is a service - NGO - established on 1987, that supports peasants, workers, urban poor, and indigenous people both men and women.)

"Long live the struggle of the working people and the poor of Venezuela!!! As we wrote this letter of support, we had begun to wage a campaign to spread the word about what's really happen in Venezuela amongst the poor and the working people of Indonesia.Working people of all countries, unite!!!"
PDS Organiser

Ireland:

Silvio Rossi

Israel:
"Venezuela is Chile revisited circa 1970s. A democratically elected Left wing government supported by the people is threatened to be overthrown by big business and its ever-present patron the USA, watch out Brazil you could be next! One should ask why is the USA so afraid of the left? We know the answer, because the country that claims to be the bastion of democracy and freedom is a sham. The only freedom the US is interested in is the freedom to dominate the world for its own capitalistic ends. Hold on people of Venezuela, and all genuine freedom lovers in the world. The United States of America will go the way of all imperialists! Into the rubbish bin of history."
Leon Aarons.

Daniel Gaido
Nahum Schutz, Zichron Yaakov 30900

Italy:
Paolo Brini (shop steward Smalti Modena)
Domenico Minadeo (shop steward Irce Imola)
Davide Bacchelli (shop steward Ima Ozzano-Bo)
Giampietro Montanari (shop steward Cesab Bologna)
Orlando Maviglia (shop steward Minarelli Bologna)
Ivan Serra (shop steward Rcm- Bologna)
Annamaria Quadrelli (shop steward temporary workers Nidil-Cgil Tim Bologna)
Samira Giulitti e Samira Cimarelli (shop stewards Fisac-Cgil Direct Line Milano)
Nunzio Vurchio (shop steward D'Andrea Milano)
Laura Bassanetti (shop steward Aci Global Milano)
Fabrizio Parlagreco (shop steward Amisco Milano)
Stefano Pol (National Coordinating Committee Nidil-Cgil)
Rapresentanza sindacale unitaria (Shop stewards' committee) UPS Milano
Rapresentanza sindacale aziendale (Shop stewards' committee) UPS Vimodrone - Milano
Lorenzo Esposito (shop steward Banca d'Italia - Milano)
Vincenzo Longhi (shop steward General Detergent - Milano)
Sara Parlavecchia (National Coordinating Committee of the Committees in Defence of State Education, CSP)
Paolo Grassi (Provincial Coordinating Committee, Nidil-Cgil - Milano)
Claudio Bellotti (National Executive, Partito della Rifondazione Comunista)
Alessandro Giardiello (National Committee Partito della Rifondazione Comunista)
Dario Salvetti, Elisabetta Rossi, Jacopo Renda (National Committee Giovani Comunisti, Young Communists)
Gabriele Donato (coordinator Young Communists Udine)
Enrico Duranti (coordinator Young Communists Crema)
Mauro Vanetti ( coordinator Young Communists Pavia)
Stefano Garroni, Primo Ricercatore del Consiglio nazionale delle Ricerche Italia (Roma).
Alessandra Garroni, medico, (Roma)
Claudio Garroni, medico, (Roma)
Lucina Ferraria, Ricercatrice del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, (Roma)
Samuele Mazzolini
Andrea Davolo, Coordinamento Giovani Comunisti Parma
Andrea Scaioli
Daniele Prampolini
Massimo Gilardoni
Flora Danilla

  Japan:
Mitch McCombs, Tokyo, Japan

Macedonia:
"Brothers and sisters of the Venezuelan working people, you are not alone! We condemn the actions of the United States and other states to interfere in the internal affairs of Venezuela and urge the international labour movement to mobilise its forces to stop this monstrous aggression. HANDS OFF VENEZUELA!"
Alek Atevik, Skopje

Mexico:
Rosalba Ramos, National Assembly of Workers, ANTT.
Luis Enrique Barrios, Workers´ Committee in Defence of the Trade Unions, Cotdesi.
Angel Chong, Comité for the Young Socialists of the PRD, CJJSSPRD.
Ubaldo Oropeza, Committee in Defence of State Education, Cedep.
Norma Edith Ramírez, Independent Union of Workers in the High Schools.
Adán Mejia, Mexican Electricians Union, SME.
Angel Ilich Cardosa, Editorial Board of the Workers´ Journal El Militante (Mexico).
Raúl Larios, National Resistance Front Against Privatisation of the Electrical Industry, FNRCPIE.
Amauri Solis, State Councillor of the PRD, Chiapas.
Carlo del Angel, PRD Youth Congress, Delegado por Hidalgo.
Victor Hugo Remirez, PRD Youth Congress, Delegate for the State of Mexico.
Jonathan López, Rank and File Insurgent Movement of the PRD, MOBI PRD.
Juan Manuel, Labour Solidarity and Cooperation Network (Red de Solidaridad y Colaboración Laboral)
Rubén Ribera, Action Committee of the Escuela Superior de Ingeniería Mecánica y Eléctrica, CLESIME-IPN.
Sergio Rojas, Committee in Defence of State Education, Cedep, Escuela Nacional de Estudios Profesionales, Actlan
Ramon Campos, Sindicato de Trabajadores Postales, Sepomex
Miguel Angel Alegre Guerrero (Periodista), D.F.

Other signatures to follow

Mozambique:
Natalie Bockel.

Netherlands:
Amir Niazi, Chairman BVKP, an independent Trade Union active in the KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

"I just read the letter "Hands off Venezuela" and I'm happy to see that also abroad there are people who see the situation in Venezuela and the rest of the world with more objectivity. I do think this whole movement against Chavez is encouraged by people whose main interest is not the well-being of the Venezuelan people but only their own. When will they learn that this world doesn't only belong to them?!!"
Miguel Alvarado (A Venezuelan living in Holland).

New Zealand:
Jean Hera, Anne Sanko, for the Palmerston North Women's Health Collective, Palmerston North
Richard Innes, Auckland
Margaret Jeune, Levin, North Island
Bernard Gadd, Papatoetoe
Matthew Proctor, student, Masterton

Nigeria:
"I, Akinrinde Kazeem a Nigerian, in very strong terms comdemn the reactionary intentions of World Reactionary forces led by the USA to overthrow the government of Chavez. The events in Venezuela have fully confirmed the fact that USA is never a lover of so-called democracy. They only allow capitalist democracy for as long as it preserves the capitalist order. Immediately their order is threatened, they can turn to any means to restore their order. The Venezuelan case has proven this beyond any reasonable doubt. All Marxists all over the world have a major responsibility now and that is to defend the democratic rights of the toiling people of Venezuela. Chavez should not relax and despair, he needs courage and understanding, the historical task before him, has a tremendous effect on Marxism worldwide. Long live workers' power, Long live the Revolution."
Akinrinde Kazeem

"I, Olawoyin Akinkunmi, president of the Students' Union at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, on behalf of over 27,000 students of the university, wish to express my utmost displeasure at the political crisis in Venezuela which is being fuelled by the highly parasitic US imperialism in order to topple the popular government of Hugo Chavez. The country's capitalists in an unholy alliance with the labour aristocrats leading the disoriented unions are only interested in selling national sovereignty and condemning the nation's economy into the path of perdition where mass unemployment, hunger, crime and violence will become the order of the day to the benefit of the few rich, the agents of US imperialism, at the expense of the teeming masses - as it obtains at every typical neo-colonial country, mine inclusive. I use this opportunity to first of all salute the courage of Chavez and his anti-imperialist associates, but also I want to emphasise that a permanent solution lies not in reformism but in a total break from the exploitative capitalist system, to be replaced by democratic workers' control of governance and the country's abundant resources, in a word - socialism. The current travail of Chavez i.e. the ongoing counter-revolutionary movement, is a good pointer to this. From the financial crisis in Wall Street, to a possible defeat in Baghdad, to the impending workers' and students' revolts in Madrid, Rome, Paris, London, etc., to the anticapitalist movements in Asia, Latin America and Africa, I am very sure that the collapse of world imperialism, particularly the US version, is in sight, it will not last."
Olawoyin Akinkunmi, President, Students' Union, OAU Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Pakistan:
Manzoor Ahmed, Member of Parliament for the Kasur II Constituency, Editor of The Struggle and President of the Pakistan Trade Union Defence Camapign (PTUDC)
Hameed Khan, Quetta city organiser of PTUDC and Press Secretary of BCSSA, (Baluchistan Civil Secretariat Staff Association)
Nazar Mengal, Baluchistan president of National Organisation of Postal Employees (NOPE),
Naseer Baluch (telecommunications union)
Khalid Bhatti (National Organizer, PTUDC)
Shahida Jabeen (executive member of PTUDC and National Coordination Secretary of PPP Women's Wing)
Iftikhar Ahmad, The struggle, and YFIS-Pakistan
Atif Nazar, Regional Organiser YFIS-Pakistan
Adil Khan, Central Gen. Secretary Jammu Kashmir National Student Federation
Zahid Baloch, YFIS (Youth For International Socialism) Pakistan
Sardar Atif, People Student Federation Pakistan
Shafqat Hussain, YFIS Pakistan
Zahid Balooch (YFIS), Rawalpindi
Muhammad Irshad, Regional Organiser of PTUDC, Rawalpindi
Azad Qadri, Central Information Secretary of PTCL (Pakistan
Telecommunication Limited) and Area Organizer of PTUDC, Rawalpindi

Philippines:
"We fervently support the democratically elected government of Chavez and the rest of the Venezuelan people in their outmost desire to defend the revolutionary process against the reactionary forces, backed by conservative big business and the US embassy. We, the active party members of the Philippine Marxist-Leninist Party, (PMLP), a Marxist party in the Philippines vehemently condemns the meddling of the US government in the internal political affairs of the Venezuelan people.
It has been proven again and again that the US imperialism will not stop at nothing to perpetuate its economic interest in the Latin American continent. And it will not hesitate to use its machineries of repression at its disposal together with the local bourgeoisie to restore the old way of governance.
No to US Intervention!  No to US aggression!  Let the Venezuelan revolution take its own course! Let the people of Venezuela decide their own political affairs! We call upon the international workers’ party to unite against this blatant intervention of the US government!..."
Andres Manzilla, Party Member , Philippine Marxist-Leninist Party (PMLP)

Portugal:
João Pedro Freire - militante do Partido Socialista, Leça do Balio/Portugal. (Tribuna Socialista)
Ivan Roberto, Lisbon

Puerto Rico:
Socorro Ramos-Aviles - Alianza de S.E.I.U.

Singapore:
Rahul Goswami

Slovenia:
Juliana Blagoevska, A Slovenian student, Hands off Venezuela.

South Africa:
Ayanda Madyibi, Senior Network Engineer, JSE Securities Exchange South Africa

Sweden:
John Lyshag, Sweden
Martin Oscarsson, Delegate to the regional social democratic party in Gothenburg
Martin Lööf, Student at the University of Gothenburg Sweden

Thailand:
You have my wholehearted support. I live in a Thai jungle village, and they are trying to destroy the people here too. Lots of luck
David

Tunisia:
Nidhal Eddeyem, a Marxist and a teacher

Turkey
Bora Ulutaþ, Ankara

USA:
ATU Division #788
St. Louis Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the Labor Party
Erl Kimmich, Tucson, Arizona
Andrew Kahn, high school student, Staten Island, New York, USA
Aleksandra Sage, Tucson, Arizona.
Karl Dennis, Tucson, Arizona.
Lianda Ludwig, Tucson, Arizona
James Jordan, coordinator for Turnwind (Turnwind is an Arizona based peace and justice group, and one of the things were actively working on is building a solidarity movement with Venezuela and the Chavez administration)
Charlie Hinton, San Francisco, CA
Gustavo Lopez
David Lucier, Chief Executive Officer, Ocugen, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
Michael Schaefer, CAU$E comrade (Committee Against the U$ Empire), St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Steve Argue, Santa Cruz Peace & Freedom Party of Santa Cruz, California
Bruce Burleson, Human service worker and activist, Boston, MA,
Martin Schreader, Local 707, National Production Workers Union, Detroit, Michigan, (in personal capacity)
Laura Tabili Tucson, Arizona.
Alex Malina.

"The overthrow of the Chavez government will bring further condemnation of our methods and of our support for anti-democratic forces. Chavez has won 6 elections. None of them were close. He has the support of the people of Venezuela. It is the oligarchs that seek to remove him from office so that they can continue their privileged positions and their corrupt manipulation of the economy for their own benefit. Our present administration was heavily involved in the April coup d'etat. It is sending mixed messages now only because of the unfavorable publicity it has been receiving. But its message to the plotters remains the same "Its ok with us, the US will not stop you". This infantile "you are with us or against us" diplomacy must come to a halt. Chavez is the President of Venezuela. He is for Venezuela. Why should he have to take only positions approved by Washington? Many of those positions are not in the interest of Venezuela. He would be betraying his own people. Those plotting a coup are prepared to do this, to their shame. This current administration seems to have no limits to its meddling.There is no place on earth that is not at risk. Even poor Haiti is now being destabilized and there are paramilitaries operating on the border with the Dominican Republic. It is time for "HANDS OFF VENEZUELA"."
Robert E. Reynolds, Orange Park, Florida

Gregory Elich, independent journalist and researcher,
Jorge Marcano, Cincinnati, OH,
Mark Luciano, CPUSA.
Peter Urban, North American Coordinator, Irish Republican Socialist Committees of North America, San Francisco, Calfornia.
Clifford Ward, New Jersey.
Jon Thompsen, Christian Socialist and high school student in Annapolis, Maryland

"...Like revolution, war forces life, from top to bottom, away from the beaten track. But revolution directs its blows against the established power. War, on the contrary, at first strengthens the state power which in the chaos engendered by war, appears to be the only firm support and then undermines it..." Leon Trotsky
Cort Greene CNA, AFSCME Local 2699, Vancouver, Wa. 98661
Shane Jones, Workers International League, Rhode Island.

Venezuela:
Josefina Gomez, Caracas
Gioconda Moret
Mauricio Rodríguez, periodista venezolano

Miscellaneous:
Ferit Burak, an internationalist Marxist,
Marisa Barcia Guaraldo
John Stevens
David Gledhill
Micah Metts, student of political philosophy, and a Marxist.
S. Mau, university student.

"We all know that governments are very limited in their abilities especially when they support workers in any way at all. In the case of Venezuela, the government, elected 4 times recently, is making some moves to assist the creation of a society for all. Business does not like to share any of its power and is organizing this destruction of the country. Let the will of the people, as expressed in the ballot box stand. No early election until August as the constitution of Venezuela says."
Malcolm McKeil

[Back to Hands off Venezuela]