{"id":6271,"date":"2017-10-10T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-10-09T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beta.radiobronglais.cymru\/uncategorised\/unreported-venezuela\/"},"modified":"2024-11-25T20:53:29","modified_gmt":"2024-11-25T20:53:29","slug":"unreported-venezuela","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiobronglais.cymru\/cy\/exclusive\/unreported-venezuela\/","title":{"rendered":"\"Unreported Venezuela\""},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cUnreported Venezuela\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

On Saturday afternoon (07\/10\/2017) I attended the \u201cUnreported Venezuela\u201d <\/span>meeting<\/span> at <\/span>Neuadd Goffa<\/span> hall in Penparcau, <\/span>Aberystwyth.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A packed hall awaited speeches by Chris Williamson (MP for Derby North) and Calvin Tucker, a reporter for the Morning Star; a paper once considered a staple of<\/span> Labour party activists <\/span>long before socialism <\/span>was taken out of the<\/span> Labour <\/span>party constitution under Tony Blair<\/span> when <\/span>c<\/span>lause IV <\/span>was removed.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

As I sat waiting for the speeches to start, music <\/span><\/span>from the 20\u2019s and 30\u2019s <\/span><\/span>was just about audible over the discussion of the audience; an audience that was, <\/span><\/span>majoritively <\/span><\/span>if not entirely<\/span><\/span>, made up of supporters of the Labour Party.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Whilst waiting, many where given a free copy of \u201cIntroduction to Chile\u201d <\/span><\/span>a publication<\/span><\/span> which<\/span><\/span> depicts a history of Chile up against <\/span><\/span>powerful western corporations protected by count<\/span><\/span>r<\/span><\/span>ies like the USA and UK, willing to do anything to subjugate self-determination in the interests of profit, <\/span><\/span>a theme very much part of the alternative narrative offered about Venezuela <\/span><\/span>at the meeting.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The first speech was by Chris Williamson MP, a<\/span><\/span>t times a passionate<\/span><\/span> speech <\/span><\/span>by a man that lost his seat by 41 votes in 2015 to the Conservatives only to win it back in the 2017 election on a strong Corbyn ticke<\/span><\/span>t<\/span><\/span>. (Image below: Chris William MP)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Chris <\/span><\/span><\/span>and Calvin both <\/span><\/span><\/span>described how<\/span><\/span><\/span> Corbyn\u2019s enemies are \u201cwaging a proxy war\u201d against him through his apparent support for the Venezuelan government and its Bavarian revolution, indeed, <\/span><\/span><\/span>Corbyn<\/span><\/span><\/span> once described the <\/span><\/span><\/span>c<\/span><\/span><\/span>harismatic former premier of Venezuala, Hugo Chavez as <\/span><\/span><\/span>\u201can inspiration to all of us fighting back against austerity and neo-liberal economics in Europe\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/span>Chris said he felt the British public had suffered the \u201cimposition of neo-liberalism through Margeret Thatcher\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Its important to note that w<\/span><\/span><\/span>hen <\/span><\/span><\/span>Corbyn was<\/span><\/span><\/span> asked to condemn the current leader of Venezuela, Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, who is accused by some of locking up opposition figures and violating human rights, <\/span><\/span><\/span>he <\/span><\/span><\/span>refused and<\/span><\/span><\/span> said he felt the Venezuelan government where making \u201ceffective and serious attempts\u201d to fight inequality <\/span><\/span><\/span>and instead urged <\/span><\/span><\/span>\u201cdialogue and a process\u201d to improve the situation, <\/span><\/span><\/span>a situation which Chris feels has calmed down considerably in recent times.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Chris went on to describe <\/span><\/span><\/span>what he felt has improved<\/span><\/span><\/span> in Venezuela, including; investment in public services, an increase in life expectancy, children in school <\/span><\/span><\/span>on<\/span><\/span><\/span> average four years longer, lower infant mortality rates, <\/span><\/span><\/span>the <\/span><\/span><\/span>irradiation of illiteracy in 2005 <\/span><\/span><\/span>and<\/span><\/span><\/span> high investment in housing. <\/span><\/span><\/span>Calvin spoke of the \u201chigh expansion of higher education\u201d and <\/span><\/span><\/span>communal councils which empower<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> people to take responsibility and be politically active.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

For Chris, Venezuela is suffering from \u201ceconomic sabotage\u201d orchestrated by those unhappy with the policies of the Venezuelan government since Hugo Chavez became President in January 2000. On several occasions both Chris and Calvin spoke about a media silence on what they believe is really going on in Venezuela.<\/span><\/span><\/span>Chris ended his speech with \u201cI say solidarity with Venezuela\u201d, \u201cViva la Venezuela\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/span>to a rapturous applause.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a>Calvin Tucker, <\/span><\/span><\/span>who is best known for his articles in the M<\/span><\/span><\/span>orning star, <\/span><\/span><\/span>like Chris Williamson, was not without <\/span><\/span><\/span>c<\/span><\/span><\/span>harisma. His <\/span><\/span><\/span>parents live in Newcastle Elywn <\/span><\/span><\/span>and <\/span><\/span><\/span>h<\/span><\/span><\/span>is sister, Dinah Mullholland, stood for MP in the last <\/span><\/span><\/span>general <\/span><\/span><\/span>election. He is<\/span><\/span><\/span> well known for his <\/span><\/span><\/span>coverage of<\/span><\/span><\/span> Latin American politics<\/span><\/span><\/span> and foresaw the 2002 coup attempt that is vividly documented in the film \u201c<\/span><\/span><\/span>The Revolution Will Not Be Televised\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Calvin spoke of a \u201cdisinformation campaign (continuing)<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0unabated\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/span>as part of an \u201cunrelenting propaganda\u201d campaign<\/span><\/span><\/span> aimed at the \u201cdestabilisation\u201d of the left lea<\/span><\/span><\/span>n<\/span><\/span><\/span>ing Venezuelan government, <\/span><\/span><\/span>with an opposition heavily funded by the US State <\/span><\/span><\/span>Department<\/span><\/span><\/span>. <\/span><\/span><\/span>Calvin s<\/span><\/span><\/span>poke about how<\/span><\/span><\/span> he believes it<\/span><\/span><\/span> is the more wealthy parts of society that are demonstrating <\/span><\/span><\/span>(many of whom benefited far more from the Venezuelan state oil company when it was operating like a private company\u00a0 before Chavez came to power)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0(Image below Calvin Tucker)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Both speakers\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>spo<\/span><\/span><\/span>ke about how, despite private media companies <\/span><\/span><\/span>in\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>Venezuela openly opposing the government there (including suggesting the assassination of the current President) Hugo Chavez <\/span><\/span><\/span>and the <\/span><\/span><\/span>Bolivarian<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> revolution he brought with him<\/span><\/span><\/span> are<\/span><\/span><\/span> something people c<\/span><\/span><\/span>an<\/span><\/span><\/span> believe in <\/span><\/span><\/span>and supporters of Jeremy Corbyn <\/span><\/span><\/span>(<\/span><\/span><\/span>who equally wants to roll back neo-liberal policies<\/span><\/span><\/span>) <\/span><\/span><\/span>would do well to observe the lessons learnt in Venezuela.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n