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The US Anti-War Movement has been an ongoing source of political education, creative campaigns, and mass organizing. It has drawn thousands into political activity, compelling them to question the reasons why the US government goes to war while ignoring the needs of the people at home. The Anti-War Movement is a component part of a potential popular movement, still in its infancy, that can create a progressive humane future. In Venezuela, the popular movement has advanced beyond this infancy. It has made a progressive impact on every aspect of society from workers' rights, health care, education, and media, to how regular people view themselves as part of a collective power with a uniting interest in changing history, rather then as powerless isolated individuals.
There are several reasons behind PCASC's anti-war delegation to Venezuela. Part of the mission is to introduce U.S. peace activists to the variety of organizational forms and actions the Venezuelan people have built to achieve their political objectives. By learning from these examples, anti-war activists will be better prepared to creatively respond to the challenges that lie ahead in the US.
The US political establishment and the corporate media have worked overtime to portray Venezuela as an anti-American pariah state and President Chavez as a dictator. Another part of our mission is to learn the truth about what is happening in Venezuela and report our findings as far as we are able in the US. To achieve this, we will document our efforts in a variety of media as well as give public report backs.
In doing this educational work, we also aim to create ties of solidarity between the Venezuelan Popular Movement and grassroots organizations in the US. This can take a variety of forms but the guiding aim would be to mobilize these US organizations, when needed, against US government interference in Venezuelan affairs.
Another part of our mission is to learn about US policy and its results beyond the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The economic and political policies of US big business had for decades kept the vast majority of Venezuelans poor, voiceless, and subject to the greed and brutality of a small ruling elite closely tied to US interests. The great efforts of the Venezuelan people to resist this has inspired a wave of struggle across Latin America. Bolivia, Ecuador, and other nations have experience similar revolutionary surges. The PCASC delegation to Venezuela is an opportunity for US peace activists to learn why the workers and peasant movements in Latin America have to defend themselves against the policies of the US government, just as we are struggling against this government's war policies in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Finally, there is a great interest in Venezuela to learn about the people's experiences in the US and how we are organizing to promote a progressive resolution to our struggles. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been playing a central role in changing political consciousness in the US. There is great interest in Venezuela to learn more about this. Therefore, part of the mission of PCASC's delegation would be to put together a Winter Soldier hearing in Caracas. The testimony of war veterans and others effected by the war would provide a moving and eye opening account for Venezuelans about how we are being forced by events to seek solutions beyond the status quo, just as they were forced to move by the repeated attempts of the oligarchy to repress their democratic wishes in electing Hugo Chavez as President.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Shizuko Hashimoto 503-515-5456
CASCADIA TO CARACAS
Delegates from the Portland Venezuela Peace and Media delegation are hosting a fundraiser to support their upcoming trip to Venezuela. The event will feature two students from Evergreen College who just returned from a trip to Venezuela. Also featured will be a film by Joe Anybody, Cascadia to Caracas, the first part of his two-part series.
The trip’s focus is part of a mission to introduce US peace activists to the variety of organizational forms and actions that the Venezuelan people have built to achieve their political objectives. By learning from these examples, anti-war activists will be better prepared to creatively respond to the challenges that lie ahead in the US.
“This trip is an important connection to peace and justice activities in an area that has seen an increase in community organizing” says Joe Anybody, one of the delegation’s videographers who will be filming the delegation in action. “ In documenting the delegation’s trip, I want to share what I learn in Venezuela with the people in Portland when I return. I want to capture and share the organizing struggles of the people of Venezuela. I’m excited to see firsthand what’s going on and to report back.”
Joe Anybody is a Portland independent media videographer who has been making films about human rights issues for over 5 years. He films activism of groups such as Seriously Pissed-Off Grannies, Code Pink, Veterans for Peace, PDXpeace, Peace and Justice Works, PPRC, Individuals For Justice, Portland Copwatch and other important human rights events in the Pacific Northwest.
The Portland Venezuela Peace and Media delegation is part of a larger delegation to Venezuela hosted by PCASC, the Portland Central America Solidarity Committee. PCASC, a Portland-based nonprofit organization, has been working for peace and justice in the Portland area and in solidarity with Latin America for over 30 years,
When: Saturday, August 15, 2009 at 4 PM Where: In the Miller Gallery, Mark Bldg. – 1219 SW Park Ave, Portland, Ore., 97205 Cost: $5-10 suggested donation – nobody turned away
Our 10 day trip in 2009 Friday: we went to a HUGH peace rally against war in downtown Caracas (esp protesting about the USA Military bases in Columbia)
Saturday: we went to a Community Media camp that was using recycled containers made into a workshop/media center for the community we then went to a TV station which is called "Tiuna El Fuerte"
Sunday: met Charlie Hardy an author/writer from Caracas at our hostel (The Caracas Cowboy) ...then we went to the Art Museum and met Eca Gilinger (outside in a courtyard) and she talked for an hour with us about Venz history, and then we took our buss to the Vale Arriba neighborhood which was the rich part of town ...we are staying in the poor part ...we went by the US embassy on our bus and seen the golf courses and fancy homes
Monday: we went to a occupied factory ..they took back from coke a cola it was called "Ëje Gramoven" we took a tour and seen community groups working and networking (many women are involved ) they gave us a nice lunch too, we met the folks from the State Bank, who were out visiting the property...then we went to :CATIA TV station and met the community organizer who said to us "your camera is a weapon" ...he was cool we got a complete tour of the TV station
Tuesday: we went to AVILA TV station for the youth ...the to a community radio station ..then to a CAMPASINO organizing office for farmers and indigenous people where we met with the organizer/leaders for over an hour
Wednesday: we went to "Sonse 23" which is a community radio station and then we drove up to the armed no police LA Piedrita community (no cameras allowed) and had a private tour through their neighborhood (on foot)
Thursday: we spent the day visiting "homeless communities" in the downtown area and had discussions with the community organizers
Friday: we went to the Ministry of Education, latter at the hostel we watched Chavez speak to the country on TV on his return from Spain
Saturday: we to couple community radio stations, a peace base camp (rained and earth quaked) interview by mobile TV crew, and one more radio station visits and discussion with director
Sunday: we went to the beach for most of the day, it was near the airport, the water was warm, the sun was hot, the beer was cold
Monday: we got up at 4:00 AM to take our bus ride to the airport - most of our flights left Caracas around 8:30 AM |
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