Late August 2017, Venezuelanalysis hosted its first international delegation with participants from Australia, Belize, the United States and Zimbabwe, including representatives with roots in the African Diaspora and contemporary migrations from across Latin America and the Caribbean. Delegates visited different social movement projects across Venezuela, ranging from communes to community media stations, to learn about the economic challenges, political contradictions and external factors contributing to the Bolivarian Revolution's current situation. The delegation was aimed at promoting solidarity between social movement activists and cutting through the mainstream media's campaign of disinformation against Venezuela.
Here's their delegation story in images.
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We appreciate the photographic contributions from the entire delegation documentation team for contributing to an archived record of this experience.
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Delegates honored the life and legacy of former President Hugo Chavez in Caracas barrio 23 de enero as one of the first scheduled activities of the delegation. The chapel is where the former president is laid to rest (Jeanette Charles/Venezuelanalysis).
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Delegates meet with the Revolutionary Sex and Gender Diversity Alliance (ASGDRE) about the fight for diverse families and communities (Jonathan Chai-Chang Azterbaum).
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Delegates visited the Venezuelan state's Canaima factory, where workers build small laptops for primary school children studying in public schools. The factory is aimed at increasing national production and consolidating a transfer of technology to the country (Jonathan Chai-Chang Azterbaum).
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Delegates visited the Oscar Lopez Rivera housing project in downtown Caracas named after the Puerto Rican liberation leader. Here, delegates learned about the communal bakery, their production and distribution (Jonathan Chai-Chang Azterbaum).
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Delegates take notes and discuss the right to life with dignity at the Oscar Lopez Rivera housing development in Caracas (Jonathan Chai-Chang Azterbaum).
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Venezuela's Great Housing Mission has been implemented across the country. Here from the San Agustin Cable Cars, one can see the towering buildings with an historic image of Chavez and his signature (Jonathan Chai-Chang Azterbaum).
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San Agustín, one of the capital's well known barrios, is know for its cultural contributions to Venezuelan society. It's walls are adorned with murals (Jonathan Chai-Chang Azterbaum).
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Delegates pain murals in San Agustin alongside the cooperative Ejercito Comunicacional de Liberacion. (Jonathan Chai-Chang Azterbaum)
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More mural painting (Jonathan Chai-Chang Azterbaum).
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In this photo, delegates meet with the VA team to discuss the website's work and ongoing solidarity efforts (Jonathan Chai-Chang Azterbaum).
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We toured the teleSUR studios and learned more about the Latin American and Caribbean news network's vision for media in the region and internationally. (Venezuelanalysis)
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In La Pastora, delegates met with the community council Immaculada Concepcion and caught a glimpse of the solar eclipse (Jonathan Chai-Chang Azterbaum).
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Murals of Chavez and achievements of the Bolivarian Revolution adorn the highway from Caracas to Barlovento part of an open-air museum of art (Jonathan Chai-Chang Azterbaum).
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In Barlovento, delegates were received by the mayor's office and traditional musical ensembles with Afro-Venezuelan rhythms and dance (Jonathan Chai-Chang Azterbaum).
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Delegates tour the Social Missions Communal Compound in Caucagua, on the outskirts of Barlovento. This space houses a health clinic, university, elementary schools and organizes community based activities (Jonathan Chai-Chang Azterbaum).
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Delegates toured the Oderi Socialist Factory and El Cimmaron Chocolate Factory in Barlovento showcasing the production line and speaking to socialist economic models (Jonathan Chai-Chang Azterbaum).
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PDVSA Gas in Barlovento shared with delegates how the distribution of gas and energy are organized throughout the region. Many of these workers told stories of their international experience learning how to manage gas in Cuba and Algeria.(Jonathan Chai-Chang Azterbaum)
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Youth musicians with the Rio Chico Cultural Center organized a concert paying homage to Venezuelan classical music and traditional beats (Jonathan Chai-Chang Azterbaum).
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Delegates pose with communards of the Commune “El Maizal” (Katrina Kozarek/Venezuelanalysis).
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Ebony Johnson poses with the white corn currently produced by the Commune “El Maizal”. Comuneros explained that though the have only planted imported seeds, the have begun storing seeds for next years crops in order to break with state dependency and price speculation from private companies (Jonathan Chai-Chang Azterbaum).
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The delegates tour greenhouses that once belonged to the state owned company CVA. After having been abandoned by the company, the Commune “El Maizal” rescued the installations for tomato production. Currently, the commune is preparing the space the construction of the University of Campesinos (Katrina Kozarek/Venezuelanalysis).
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Delegate Ana Hernández feeds one of the milking cows in the cattle and cheese production unit of EPSDC “Agrimiro Gabaldón in the Commune “El Maizal” (Katrina Kozarek/Venezuelanalysis).
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The Samán tree in the commune “El Maizal” holds great symbolic significance. Under this tree Chávez called for the expropriation of these once unproductive lands, and the organization of a productive commune that is today “El Maizal” (Katrina Kozarek).
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Wilmer Peraza, cultural worker and radio director, tells delegates the story of the popular character “El Guachirongo” (Jonathan Chai-Chang Azterbaum).
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Delegates participate in a program on Radio Guachirongo (Katrina Kozarek/Venezuelanalysis).
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Celia Montero and Louisa Contreras of the School of Political Education and Agricultural production converse with delegates about their cooperation with the Brasilian Landless Movement (MST) (Katrina Kozarek/Venezuelanalysis).
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Parlamentarian Nancy Perozo of the Commune “José Pío Tamayo” poses with the constitution and the Plan of the Nation (Jonathan Chai-Chang Azterbaum).
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Delegates tour the bottling lines of the Ex-Brahma factory. The communards explain that they plan to use the lines to bottle fruit juice and natural energetic drinks (Jonathan Chai-Chang Azterbaum).
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Elvira Dorante of the Women's Council of Loma de Léon and Movement Mujeres Por La Vida shares how the women of her commune have organized productive units and collective savings (Jonathan Chai-Chang Azterbaum).
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Elvira Dorante of the Women's committee of the Commune Lomas de León explains how sorority is key to ending gender violence (Jonathan Chai-Chang Azterbaum).
