On April 13, people around the world celebrated the eighth anniversary of the Venezuelans' defeat of a coup against President Hugo Chavez. The US-backed coup, on April 11, 2002, lasted only 48 hours, overturned by a massive mobilisation on the streets of supporters of the radical changes being led by Chavez.
In Sydney, about 60 people took part in two celebrations on April 13, organised by the Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network. A range of organisations were represented, including the Cuban consulate, the Latin American Social Forum, the Palestinian community and the Thai "red shirts", who are fighting their own battle for democracy. They joined Venezuelan ambassador Nelson Davila at a ceremony at the statue of independence hero Simon Bolivar in the Latin American Plaza. The celebration was followed by a discussion forum and screening of the new documentary Inside the Revolution: A Journey into the Heart of Venezuela.
Davila described the new threats to the Venezuelan revolution from US military and political interventions in Latin America.
[For more information, or to obtain a copy of Inside the Revolution, email info@venezuelasolidarity.org.]