The "people's power" speaking tour of Venezuelan community activists Daniel Sanchez and Yoly Fernandez continued with public forums in Canberra, Sydney and Newcastle
Sanchez is a leader of the Rebirth of the South Commune in the regional city of Valencia, and Fernandez is a community organiser in Mission Mercal, the community-run subsidised food program.
The tour is organised by the Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network (AVSN). For more information, visit www.venezuelasolidarity.org.
Following a lively reception held at the Venezuelan embassy on September 7, Sanchez and Fernandez addressed a public forum at the Canberra Civic Library the next evening.
About 40 people heard them report on the development of grassroots democracy in Venezuela. The communal councils were formed in 2006 and communes have been initiated — which bring together 20 or more communal councils in one rural or urban area.
On September 10, the two addressed a meeting of the Newcastle Trades Hall Council, and then spoke to 30 people at a public forum that night.
Sanchez told Green Left Weekly that as part of Venezuela's Bolivarian revolution, "we are beginning to implant community organisations so that the people become the government. People are electing their own leaders to carry out their own projects. We are trying to have the communal councils and communes advance to become a new people's government.
"We are dreaming that we can raise the consciousness of the people so that they can oversee the public works of the communities. We have had many positive experiences, in regard to public transport, construction of houses, and other services such as lighting and water supplies.
"We are generating a whole system of participation that allows Venezuela to be a reference point, not only for Latin America but the whole world", Sanchez said.
About 60 people attended a September 12 forum in Sydney that featured the two activists.