Thirty young people from nine Latin American countries travelled to Venezuela to learn about the Bolivarian process, show solidarity with victims of the earthquake and call for the release of President Nicolás Maduro and Deputy Cilia Flores. Between August 15 and 17, the Youth Brigade of Alba Movimientos, named after Fidel Castro, toured communes and temporary camps, issuing a political declaration that reaffirmed the socialist vision.
“During the course of the Brigade, we decided to name it after Fidel Castro in honour of the 100th anniversary of his birth,” explained Leonel Renner, an activist from the Nuestramérica Popular Movement and one of the Argentinian participants.
The brigade was organized around four main axes. Renner described them as follows: “Political training on the process of the Bolivarian Revolution; the experience of the communes; meetings with different sectors of the Venezuelan government; and solidarity actions in temporary camps.”
Regarding the US blockade and popular organization, he added, “We discussed the effects of the blockade on the Venezuelan people and how Nicolás Maduro’s government sought alternatives to respond to it, including the importance of the communes and communal economy in the process, as they allow for the subsistence of a large part of the Venezuelan population.”
The demand for freedom for President Nicolás Maduro and Congresswoman Cilia Flores was a primary objective for the brigade. They were kidnapped on January 3 by US military forces in an operation that left 132 people dead, including 90 Venezuelan military personnel and 32 Cubans.
Renner described, “With its president kidnapped and under threat and pressure, the Venezuelan government is forced to make concessions to the United States to ensure Nicolás Maduro’s survival and his return to Venezuela to resume his role as president.”
They also visited temporary camps in La Guaira and Caracas, where they stayed with families affected by the June 24 double earthquake, which left more than 6,500 people dead and thousands displaced.
“The temporary camps have very positive and fluid coordination between different government agencies that address many issues,” Renner explained. “The camps are quite well organized and managed by the Ministry of Communes and community members.”
The brigadistas worked in the kitchens, organized donations of medicine and clothing, and led recreational activities for the children. “We organized many activities for the boys and girls so they could learn about our different countries and cultures. They played ball, drew, and painted,” said the Argentine activist.
Hernán Vargas, the representative of the Venezuelan chapter of Alba Movimientos, stated that “it is essential to build unity among the people in a broad front against imperialism” and that “the path to socialism starts with the commune, with people organizing and governing their territory and redistributing resources according to their needs. This is the same path that led to the creation of community kitchens in Argentina and MST camps in Brazil.”
The youth reaffirmed their commitment to the Bolivarian Revolution and to combating the media blockade by spreading the truth about Venezuela. They also reaffirmed their commitment to permanent solidarity with the struggles of the Palestinian and Haitian peoples.
“We will continue to carry forward the legacies of Chávez and Fidel. Here, no one has surrendered, and Chávez lives on in the streets, on the walls, and in our hearts,” the document concludes. In a region where progressive governments are losing ground, the brigade has made its mark in the history of internationalist solidarity.
Source: argmedios.com.ar
Translated from Spanish by The Assembly Media team.