VENEZUELA SOLIDARITY MEETING AND ACTIONS

CANBERRA Forum: Constitutional Reforms, Democracy & People's Power
6.30pm Wed. November 28. Ph 0414 886 237 for venue details.

MELBOURNE - Protest action - US hands off Venezuela
5pm Friday 30th November, Flinders St Station (on the steps)

PERTH Forum - Constitutional Reform and Media Lies
6.30pm Friday 30 November, Social Sciences Lecture Theatre, University of WA. Ph 0407 070 841

BRISBANE Forum - Venezuela: Constitutional reforms, democracy & people's power
7pm, Friday, November 30. CEPU Building, 41 Peel St, South Brisbane. Ph (07) 3831 2644.

BRISBANE PROTEST- US Hands Off Venezuela & Bolivia!
1pm, Saturday December 1, Brisbane Square (top of Queens St Mall) 0439 411 330

HOBART film premiere - Now the People Have Awoken
6pm Thursday, December 6, 225 Murray St, Hobart. Ph 0423 978 518

MELBOURNE - Forum - Constitutional Reforms, Democracy & People's Power
2pm, Sat December 8th, Old ETU Office, Crn Swanston and Queensberry St, Carlton. Ph 0425 289 394 or 0438 447 063

MELBOURNE Film premiere - Now the People Have Awoken
4.30pm, Sat, December 8th, Old ETU Offices, Crn Swanston St and Queensberry St, Carlton Ph 0425 289 394 or 0438 447 063

BLUE MOUNTAINS Film Premiere: "Now the People Have Awoken
7.30pm Mon Dec 10, Tris Elies Red Room, next to Katoomba Station, Katoomba, Ph 4787 7859 for more info.
URGENT CALL FOR SOLIDARITY: DEFEND THE VENEZUELAN PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO REFORM THEIR CONSTITUTION


Dear friends of Venezuela,

You have received various items of information over recent weeks as we aim to keep everyone informed about events in Venezuela in the lead-up to the crucial December 2 referendum on the Constitution reforms.

The proposed reforms are being developed - and supported - by the overwhelmingly majority of Venezuelans through widespread community consultation. This has yet again infuriated the increasingly isolated the right-wing opposition, to the extent that central leaders of the opposition, some of whom were involved in the 2002 coup against President Hugo Chavez, have recently been seen with key figures in the US administration, including former director of national security director Paul Wolfowitz and Madeleine Albright. The opposition are calling their current efforts to destabilise Venezuela through violent protests and other actions "the ultimate battle" (La Ultiima Batalla).

The AVSN pledged at its founding conference to act as an Emergency Response Network to defend the Venezuelan people's right to sovereignty and democracy free from violent and illegal internal or international destabilisation. Given the current developments, the AVSN strongly restates the call of Venezuela's Charge d'Affaires in Australia, Nelson Davila, that we all to remain well informed and vigilant as the international media campaign against Venezuela's Constitutional reform intensifies.

We encourage all supporters of Venezuela's democratic revolution to:

* keep informed about developments around the Constitution reform process by regularly visiting http://www.venezuelasolidarity.org and www.venezuelanalysis.org

* add your name to the solidarity statement at: http://www.venezuelasolidarity.org/?q=node/1564;

* help to counter the lies by forwarding this email throughout your networks, and sending letters to the editor of your local papers about the real nature of the proposed Constitutional reforms (a "model" letter to the editor is available by emailing info@venezuelasolidarity.org);

* help promote and attend the solidarity activities - public meetings, film screenings and protest actions - being organised in various cities around the time of the Constitutional referendum on December 2; and

* Sign the invitation to President Hugo Chavez to visit Australia at http://www.venezuelasolidarity.org, and ask everyone else who'd be interested to also do so. A visit by Hugo Chavez would be the best possible counter to the corporate media lies about democracy in Venezuela.

AVSN members and supporters are urged to be pro-active in defence of the Venezuelan revolution at this vital stage in its consolidation, which if successful will strengthen the missions and participatory democracy as foundations for Venezuela's Socialism of the 21st Century.

During November and December, a number of activists will be participating in the 7th AVSN solidarity brigade in Venezuela, observing the democratic process as Venezuelan's cast their vote for the future. Reports from the brigadistas will also be posted at http://www.venezuelasolidarity.org. If you are interested in joining the next brigade to Venezuela - scheduled for May Day 2008 - please contact us at brigades@venezuelasolidarity.org

On behalf of the people of Venezuela, thank you for your solidarity at this important time.

Eight participants in the AVSN's 7th solidarity brigade to Venezuela - including two activists from Canada and Aotearoa-NZ - will on November 25 begin visits to communal councils, social missions, the women's organisation and Indigenous Parliament, and factories under workers' control, as well as observing the final days of campaigning for the referendum on the Constitution reforms. Sydney AVSN member Tamara Pearson, who is on the brigade, will be posting regular accounts of the brigadistas' meetings and experiences on her blog - so we can all stay in touch with what they are doing, seeing and learning on the brigade.

The AVSN is now accepting registrations for the 2008 May Day brigade to Venezuela, to run from April 29 for around 12 days. For more information about how to participate in this wonderful opportunity to see for yourself an unfolding revolution.

To find out more about and to get involved in the AVSN activities in your city go to Venezuela Solidarity in the Links