Solidarity with Venezuela in Adelaide

Adelaide's new Venezuela Solidarity Committee held a very 
successful inaugural function at the Semaphore Workers' Club 
recently. The Venezuelan Ambassador to Australia Leonel Vivas 
addressed the gathering of about 80 people and a documentary was 
screened which depicted the defeat by people's power of the coup 
attempted against President Chavez two years ago.

The Ambassador spoke about the significance of the victory for 
President Chavez in the recall referendum of August 15. The 
approval of the overwhelming majority of the Venezuelan people 
means that the government will be able to carry forward the 
various programs (or "missions") put in place in recent years. 
These have focussed on the problems of poverty and illiteracy.

Mr Vivas described new projects to draw members of the middle 
classes to support for the Bolivarian Revolution and others to 
continue the fight against poverty. He gave a brief history of 
how the national oil industry was brought under the full control 
of the Venezuelan Government and its huge earnings were put to 
work for the benefit of the people.

The Ambassador added his personal opinion about the Bolivarian 
Revolution as an example for the rest of Latin America of how 
social change is possible using peaceful, democratic means.

Many of the people at the function added their name on the list 
to be advised of future events and a dozen put themselves forward 
as committee members.