Big welcome in Southern Italy for the Hands off Venezuela Campaign

After the success of the Hands Off Venezuela Campaign in Emilia Romagna, the speaking tour moved to Toscana. On Thursday May 6, there was a meeting in the small town of Viareggio, organised by the Communist Youth, with 30 people present. On may 7 there was a meeting in Florence organised by the Provincial Federation of the PRC and the Bolivarian Circle "La Madrugada", at the People’s House Andrea del Sarto. Some 30 people took part in the meeting, including one of the comrades from the Bolivarian Circle who has produced an excelent film on the Venezuelan revolution (interested parties contact Alessandro Bombassei abombas2002@yahoo.it)

Jorge Martin speaks at Fiom-Cgil Metal workers congress (May 10, 2004)

On Saturday, May 8, already in Campania, there was an excellent meeting in Caserta, organised by the PRC Federation. The comrades from the Hands Off Venezuela had already organised the preparatory worked and raised some 200 euros. Nearly 50 people participated in then meeting, including youth, trade union activists and party members. Jorge Martin spoke together with the Party secretary Giosue Bove. The debate centred on the question of non violence versus the need to arm the workers and the people in order to defend the revolution and face imperialist aggression. In total 650 euro were raised in Caserta.

That same night there was a very lively party at the Che Guevara PRC Circle, where we raised some 200 euro to finance the campaign, and ate traditional Napolitan food.

On Monday, May 10 we participated in the provincial congress of the metal workers union (FIOM CGIL), explaining the support of the CTV leaders for the coup in Venezuela and the need to recognise the UNT as the genuine representative of the Venezuelan workers movement. This was received with a standing ovation from the 200 delegates present and it was agreed to discuss the matter further in the regional Campania FIOM congress.

In the evening we held a meeting organised by the comrades from the FalceMartello Marxist magazine, the Committee to Defend State Education (CSP), and the University Students Committee (CSU). Some 50 people participated in the meeting which took place in the Historical Institute for the Resistance Movement in Campania. There was an interesting debate amongst other things about the relationship between Cuba and the Venezuelan revolution. Some 160 euro were raised in the collection. We were also interviewed by Radio Lina.

May 11, 2004

See the report of the meeting in Spanish and Italian