BOOK TOUR
Cowboy in Caracas:
A Personal Account of Venezuela's Democratic Revolution by Charles Hardy
Read the book review by VSN Interim Coordinator Chuck Kaufman

Published by Curbstone Press
321 JACKSON STREET, WILLIMANTIC, CT 06226 TEL: (860) 423-5110 FAX: (860) 423-9242 e-mail: info@curbstone.org
WWW: http://www.curbstone.org

April & May, 2007
CLICK HERE FOR READING SCHEDULE AND MORE INFORMATION

Venezuela Solidarity Emergency Response Network

The Venezuela Solidarity Network asked grassroots organizations around the country to support Venezula’s democracy by holding community meetings during the third week of October, 2006. These meetings brought communities together to formulate local Emergency Response Action Plans in the event of a critical intervention by the US against Venezuela. Each community developed a local plan of action, and chose a representative to help consolidate these plans into a National Emergency Response Plan. Get involved in your community’s ERN!

Find a community action near you:
Local Emergency Response Action Plans

If there is a local event you would like posted to this page, email event and contact information to VSN<at>afgj.org.

Protest in El Paso and elsewhere May 11!
Demand the extradition of Luis Posada Carriles!
May 11, 2007

It is widely speculated that Posada’s trial will be a farce, clearing way for him to be granted asylum in the United States. A major demonstration is being planned in El Paso, where the trial will take place, before the opening session on May 11th, beginning at noon. For more information, go to the following link: http://freethefive.org/posadaprotest.htm

Other protests are being planned in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and Los Angeles, and information should be forthcoming about those at the above site.

HELP ORGANIZE A CONTINGENT FROM YOUR COMMUNITY TO GO TO THE EL PASO DEMONSTRATION!

ORGANIZE A SOLIDARITY DEMONSTRATION IN YOUR COMMUNITY IF YOU CANNOT GO TO EL PASO, OR A DEMONSTRATION IS NOT PLANNED WHERE YOU ARE!

If you are organizing to take people to El Paso, or are planning a solidarity demonstration in your town, please let us know, and we’ll get the information up on the Venezuela Solidarity Network website (www.vensolidarity.org). Write us at: vsn@afgj.org and let us know what you’re planning.

April 7 U.S. Hands Off Cuba, Venezuela & Bolivia Coalition
Read a report from this National Action, coming soon!
Saturday, April 7
New York City and Los Angeles

A Call for National Actions in New York City and Los Angeles!
Click here for more information!

End Washington’s Economic and Political War Against Cuba!
End Threats and Sanctions Against Venezuela and Bolivia!
Freedom for the Cuban Five!
End U.S. Colonialism in Puerto Rico!
Free Puerto Rican Political Prisoners!

For more information:
April 7 Coalition
P.O. Box 423
New York, NY 10044

phone: 917-887-8710
email (correo electronico): april7<at>safewebmail.com
web page (pagina web): www.april7coalition.org

VSN Delegation to Venezuela
June 30-July 8, 2007
Venezuela

Contact VSN<at>afgj.org for details, cost and an application.

US/Cuba Labor Exchange Delegation
Saturday, May 26 to Saturday, June 9, 2007
Labor delegation to Venezuela and Colombia

This delegation will be in Caracas, Venezuela from May 26 to June 2, 2007. Our hosts will be the Venezuelan Trade Union Federation (UNT). In Venezuela we will visit the Barrio Adentro project and the popular clinics. We will also visit the "educational misiones Sucre, Rivas and Robinson" and the Centro Endogeno which comprises of co-ops of different industries, clinics and other projects financed by the Venezuelan Revolution.

We will visit Colombia from June 2 to June 9, 2007. We will be hosted by the union SINALTRAINAL of Colombia. We will meet with workers in the flower industry "Untraflores"-"MPF"- "Sinaltrainal", workers from Coca-Cola and Nestle - Transnationals- "Sinatrainal". We will also have scheduled meetings with the African-Colombian organizations, "Negritudes" and the indigenous organization "Kankuama OIK"- Codacoop. We will also tour visit some worksites.

The price of the trip will include: round trip airfare (from New York City to Caracas, Venezuela, and Caracas to Bogota, Colombia), hotel (double occupancy), 2 meals per
day (breakfast and dinner), internal transportation to and from the program, translation, visas and the program.

Contact US/Cuba Labor Exchange for more information, delegation costs and an application.

US/Cuba Labor Exchange
P.O. Box 39188
Redford, MI 48239
Phone/Fax:(313) 561 8330
mailto:laborexchange@aol.com

Experience the Bolivarian Revolution this summer!
August 1-11, 2007
Student Delegation to Venezuela

WHO: College students

WHAT: This delegation will give students the opportunity to experience the Bolivarian revolution first hand. The group will meet with government and opposition leaders, visit urban and rural communities to experience the many social programs, such as Barrio Adentro, the health project involving thousands of Cuban doctors who live and work in very poor communities. They will also visit new cooperatives, community television and radio stations, dance to the vibrant rhythms of Afro-Venezuelan drums, and help out at a coffee farm. Several days will be spent with a home stay in a rural community of the state of Lara. During this time students will be able to choose a hands-on experience in health, cooperatives, education or music.

WHY: The dramatic changes taking place in Venezuela have captured the world's attention. The self proclaimed "Socialism of the 21st Century' is aimed at redirecting the country's oil wealth to its citizens. Radical health, education, economic and agricultural reforms have brought both
enthusiastic praise and vociferous criticism. To the underprivileged of Latin America, whose ranks are swollen after a 20-year neo-liberal fiasco, President Hugo Chavez is a hero, one of the few world leaders to put people before markets. To others in the Americas, especially the Bush Administration, Venezuela is considered "dangerous," a new Cuba. This delegation will allow students to make their own decisions about this controversial new model for a nation - is it hopeful? Worrisome? Successful? Dangerous? Inspiring?

WHEN: August 1-11, 2007

COST: $1,200 (includes: accommodations, meals, in-country transportation, reading material,
honoraria for host communities, speakers, and organizations). International airfare not included.

The delegation will be led by Lisa Sullivan and her daughter Maia Rodriguez. Lisa has lived in Venezuela for 20 years, and is the Latin America Coordinator for School of Americas Watch. Maia grew up in the barrios of Barquisimeto, Venezuela before heading to Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana, where she is currently a second-year student.

Interested?
Contact: Lisa Sullivan: lisavenezuela<at>gmail.com
or Maia Rodriguez: rodrima<at>earlham.edu