Australian Solidarity Brigade to Venezuela
MAY DAY BRIGADE 2010
Friday 23rd April
Welcome Dinner, 7pm
Saturday 24th April
10 am Orientation with the brigade, introductions, general advice, ground rules, questions at the Ateneo, Solidarity House, Los Chaguremos
11am Orientation at Ateneo with Marcelo Alfonzo on Venezuelan History, recent events.
3 pm Guided Tour around the City Centre of Caracas, pointing out significant sites with reference to the past and recent political history.
Sunday 25th April
10am Leave for Concert to celebrate the 200 years of independence from the Spanish at the theatre Teresa Carreño at Bella Artes. Patriotic Songs of the 19th Century.
2pm Talk by Kiraz Janicke on the Trade Union Movement in Venezuela at the Ateneo.
Monday 26th April
10am Meeting with the UNT, the United National Organisation of Workers at the Labor Ministry in El Paraiso
2pm The Endogenous Zone Fabricio Ojeda in Catia, where there is a Barrio Adentro, (Cuban Medical Program), Shoe Cooperative and T-shirt Factory Cooperative, Mission Mercal (government food shop) and Mission Ribas (High School Program for Adults) and a Horticulture Cooperative for the Elderly. Murals in Catia near Plaza Sucre.
6pm Talk by Aloysia on “Guantanamo Bay Prison, Treatment and Current Issues”
Tuesday 27th April
10am Meeting with Banmujer, the Women’s Bank which will explain the work giving low interest credit to women’s cooperative.
2pm Meeting with Jose Poyo at the Latin American Indigenous Parliament
During the day, there will be an alternative meeting with the Waterside Workers for the MUA delegates and Construction Workers, and whoever else would like to attend. Translator is Tamara Pearson.
That night we travel on a overnight bus to Puerto Ordaz, leaving the suitcases at the Ateneo. Take enough for two days and warm clothes on the bus.
Wednesday 28th April
Morning at ALCASA, nationalised Aluminium factory, co-managed by workers at Puerto Ordaz
Afternoon, Visit to Sidor, the nationalised Iron factory, which is one of the largest in Latin America. Organised by Alexis Adarfio.
Thursday, 29th April
Morning Visit to NUDETEL at Cambalache, a new computer centre for indigenous people near the old rubbish dump.
Afternoon visit to La Victoria, where the land was taken over/invaded by the homeless 20 years ago and people built their own homes. Many are also indigenous. Mission Vivienda now giving them materials to make the houses livable.
Return overnight to Caracas on bus
Friday 30th April
11am. Visit to VIVE TV, to see Community TV in operation.
2pm Visit to the Barrio 23 Enero. This includes a visit to the Alexis Vive Community Centre, to the community radio station, (a former police station) a walk around the barrio, the community swimming pool.
7pm at Ateneo. Talk by Julia Pereira on the history of worker’s control of the factories in Venezuela.
Saturday 1st May
May Day march virtually all day but we can start late, 10am.
Sunday 2nd May
10am Summing up and any questions, Eva Golinger, author of several books on US intervention.
2pm. Visit to the Children’s Heart Hospital in Caracas, which has just been built and operates for free on all children with heart problems from all over Latin America .
Farewell Dinner, Sunday Night at Ateneo Popular
Organised by the Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network (AVSN)