United Socialist Party of Venezuela Declaration in Support of Chavez

In the face of the empire's counterrevolutionary campaign PSUV manifests its support for the Bolivarian government and Commandante Chavez

Caracas, February 13, 2008

Caracas bloc of delegates PSUV

In the face of the empire's counterrevolutionary campaign and the anti-patriotic and lackey oligarchy, that threatens the Bolivarian socialist revolution and the Venezuelan people-

The Bolivarian socialist revolution of the Venezuelan people finds itself faced with a new and strong attack by imperialism, led by the capitalist government of the United States.

Some of the elements of the current campaign against the government of President Hugo Chavez and against the Venezuelan people include the attacks against PDVSA, the "guarimbas" [violent actions] of hoarding and sabotage that threaten food security and the supply of medicines, the distribution of gas and fuel, the media campaign of misinformation, fear and desperation.

They are truly tactics of a fourth generation war, with the evident aim of destabilising democracy and holding back the Bolivarian revolution, to install puppet governments that allow the few families that manage the war industry and grand transnationals, such as Exxon Mobil, gaining control of petroleum and Venezuela's wealth, in order to consolidate their anti-democratic and exploitative world hegemonic system. All of this is part of a historic chain of imperial aggressions that have plagued a large part of Latin America and the world with interventions and invasions, which today manifests itself in the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan, US support for the genocidal actions of the state of Israel and the presence of U.S. troops in Haiti.

We also raise the alert and condemn the attacks of the puppet and fascist government of Alvaro Uribe Velez, monitored by the United Status, against out president, his permanent boycott against the humanitarian exchange and against Latin American integration and the plan of paramilitary infiltration into Venezuelan territory.

We denounce and reject the perverse and cynical media campaign, at the national and international level, that aims to tie our Commandante and the Bolivarian government with narco-trafficking and the arms race, where just like CNN and the media channels of imperialism, the owners of the anti-patriotic television stations such as Globovision, offer themselves up to be spokespeople and instruments of imperialism against our people and against the Bolivarian Homeland.

In the face of all this, the Caracas bloc of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela manifests its categorical support to the Bolivarian government and the leadership of Comandante Chavez, within the Bolivarian and socialist revolution, and its firm determination to defend our national sovereignty and the rights of our people in all spheres.

We are disposed to mobilize actively and forcefully, with our battalions and circumscriptions, with the workers, peasants, students and popular movements, with all political revolutionary forces and with the parties of the Patriotic Pole, in support of the application of the revolutionary measures that are necessary to confront this new global escalation of the conspiracy. We call on all these social and political forces of the revolution, in all of Venezuela, to remain alert and activated in the face of all acts of destabilisation, which are nothing more than the continuation of the coup on April 11, 2002 and the petroleum coup of 2002-2003.

We issue the same call to all the social and political movements of Latin America and the world that sympathise and are in solidarity with the Bolivarian revolution.

In view of all that has been said and considering other aspects of the national situation, we agree to:

1. Give our most determined support to President Chavez in his humanitarian work in regards to the armed conflict in Colombia and against the international imperialist offensive unleashed against Venezuela. Participate in the march against para-militarism that will be held on March 6, simultaneously in the city of Caracas and other countries.

2. Forcefully reject the attack by the transnational Exxon against PDVSA and the imperialist intentions to carry out a financial coup against our country. Initiate protest mobilisations with all political and social forces with a presence in Caracas. Support the energy and integration policies undertaken by President Chavez.

3. Initiate actions against the "guarimbas" of the hoarding of food, medicine and domestic gas, as well as against speculation. Support the adoption of forceful government measures against the capitalist sectors that have causes shortages and the speculation of prices, including the possible expropriation of companies and monopolies that sabotage. Support and participate in the PSUV in plans and days of action of social control with social organisations, and of popular power, with workers involved in production, distribution and commercialisation of food and with peasants, as well as with the institutions of the state. Confront in an articulated manner all the manifestations of sabotage, together with all the social organisations of the revolutionary process.

4. Solidarity with the victims of the coup and against the coup plotting impunity. No to the intentions of those found guilty of assassination during the days of 11, 12, 13 and 14 of April (police and commissionaires of the service of ex-mayor Alfredo Pena) to benefit from the amnesty decree or dropping of charges, that does not correspond to them given we are dealing with crimes against humanity and grave violations of human rights. Support for the victims during the days of the trial.

5. Retake up the struggle for the social and democratic conquests contained in the project of the constitutional reform, through social mobilisation and popular legislative initiative. Support and impulse in the same way the necessary changes to make possible the re-election of President Hugo Chavez, leader of the revolutionary process.

6. Solidarity with the struggle of the SIDOR workers, in line with the united mobilisation in which SIDOR workers and PSUV delegates participated in the framework of the 3rd Assembly of the Founding Congress held in Guayana, principal territory of the workers movement who work in basic industries and bastion of our working class.

7. Incorporation of the PSUV in the campaign of social movements and popular organisation of the revolution against the pro-imperialist, coup-plotting and anti-patriotic Globovision (alias "Globoterror"), the Political Command of the Coup Operation and the Right. Support to the appeal introduced by social organisations against the owners of Globovision and admitted to the Supreme Tribunal of Justice (for violations of human rights). We pronounce ourselves in favour of the construction of a national public system of communication of transition to socialism, in the hands of the communities, the social organisations, workers, peasants, popular movements and the organisms of popular power.

8. Support and participate in the popular events to commemorate February 27 and 28, converting them into part of the revolutionary and popular response to the current counterrevolutionary offensive by imperialism and the "guarimbas" of the oligarchy (protest against hoarding and speculation, rejection of Exxon's demands, etc).

We announce that the 4th Assembly of the Founding Congress of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) will be held this weekend, with delegates from all the regions of the country, which will be preceded by mobilisations in defence of the revolution and national sovereignty.

We invite everyone to participate with all the delegates of the PSUV and the popular movement in the vigil that will be held this Thursday, starting from 6pm at PDVSA La Campiña in defence of our petroleum industry and the interests of our nation.

Translated by Federico Fuentes and Kiraz Janicke