Venezuela has been a major target of US restrictive measures that include devastating sanctions and policies opposed to the social justice and equity direction for the country’s development laid out by the late Hugo Chavez and now present President, Nicolas Maduro, The country has dealt with invasions and economic sabotage and Colombian guerrilla incursions. The government has boosted the global campaign to free diplomat and businessman Alex Saab, arrested without warrant or Interpol alert while seeking medical supplies, food and fuel in Iran for Venezuela, and extradited or kidnapped to Miami. His present health condition while in prison remains dire say doctors, and attorneys and familiy members who are working legally on the case.
At a world gathering at the anniversary of Hugo Chavez’s death with hundreds of delegates from 70 countries, we of the US Delegation participated with 600 other delegates. Five nation’s presidents shared the impact of Venezuela’s positive revolution gains on many sectors and the difficulties of national security measures with intense neo-liberal opposition Conference leaders were presidents of Nicaragua, Honduras, Grenadines, Venezuela, Bolivia, Dominica and Cuba, with large presence of Rafael Correa former President of Ecuador. The group participated in food cooperative discussions and planning sessions with large neighborhoods and witnessed much socialism zeal from popular groupings.
Speakers:
Ellen Mass, MA Political Science from Goddard College, is a MAPA member with 19 years of teaching which included a city wide Sister Cities Social Studies program, to pair with Yerevan, Armenia, arranged by the Cambridge Peace Commission in the 80s. Political work began during the Vietnam war days, starting at the Brandeis University strike center. against the Vietnam war with articles and rallies. Environmental stewardship and conservation protection founding a 20 year non-profit. Works on anti-imperialism with MAPA sub-committee to lift the longtime Cuban Embargo and stop sanctions and incursions into Latin and Central America. She regularly updates the Latin America and Caribbean Working Group on unfolding news in Venezuela. Member of Boston Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.
Martha Schmidt, LL.M., www.marthalschmidt.net from Seattle, Washington, is a retired labor/equal employment lawyer. Also worked as union and community organizer and college teacher over the years. She belongs to the National Lawyers Guild International Committee and currently Co-Chair of the Human Rights Framework Project working against Unilateral Coercive Measures, aka sanctions, against war, and for the right to health, for people and the planet. She visited Venezuela in 2013 as an acompañante for the Municipal elections on December 8 and has been involved with the Free Alex Saab Campaign.
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