https://bit.ly/2Z8DfNx

The event held the Humboldt Hall at the Berlin Urania  on Tuesday May 28th, was organized by the daily newspaper junge Welt, on behalf of an alliance of more than 30 organizations, parties, media and initiatives.

On the same day the German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas had on Tuesday representatives from 29 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean – including 21 foreign ministers – to a major conference at the Foreign Office. –only the Venezuelan Foreign Minister was not invited to the conference.

The solidarity event at the Urania was attended by the Venezuelan Deputy Foreign Minister Yván Gil.  Maduro’s Foreign Minister, Jorge Arreaza wanted to come to Berlin but he had to short notice to a new round of negotiations between representatives of government and opposition in the Norwegian capital Oslo.

The Venezuelan Deputy Foreign Minister Yván Gil regretted that Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza could not be present in person, as he had to take part in an extremely important task attending the talks in Oslo hosted by the government of Norway.

RELATED CONTENT: Another Setback for Guaido: Germany Does Not Recognize his “Ambassador”

Deputy Foreign Minister Yván Gil said that in Venezuela the problems are not about the fate of a government, about Maduro or the PSUV. The real problem is a blockade that can only be compared to what has happened to Cuba.

Yván Gil went on to explain that Venezuela had been deprived of the opportunity to negotiate its debts like other states. The country has to fight to continue exporting oil, as 90 percent of its revenues are based on this resource. The income of the Venezuelan oil company Citgo was confiscated by the US-government. Venezuela so far has lost more than 30 billion US dollars.

In order to understand the role of international banks plotting against Venezuela, it is important to know that these banks are located in Europe.

Deputy Foreign Minister Gil stressed the fact that the whole world must join the fight in Venezuela: “This is a class struggle that affects everyone. The fight of David against Goliath.”

He said that the Venezuelan people have a very high morale and he felt confident that the current situation could be overcome, as the Venezuelans have done so during the last 20 years since the opposition has never recognized any electoral victory of the Bolivarian revolution.

RELATED CONTENT: German Left Party Congress Backs Imperialist Campaign Against Venezuela

He also explained that during the past 20 years there have been a total of 25 elections in Venezuela and the Socialists have won 23 of them, but not one has been recognized by the opposition. He went on to call this is a corrupt and anti-democratic attitude of the opposition.

After Gil finished his speech the Foreign Minister of Venezuela, Jorge Arreaza spoke by audiostream from Oslo to the guests in Berlin. He finished his speech, in which he went into further detail of the problems Venezuela is facing now by saying:

“We are proud that you support us in Germany, in Europe and throughout the world. Unfortunately, there are numerous governments supporting Trump’s war machine. We hope that these countries will finally recognize international law. We seek peace through dialogue. Thanks to those who support us and demonstrate each week on Saturday at the Brandenburg Gate for our cause. Long live socialism, long live the sovereignty of
the peoples.”

The first speaker of the event at the Urania was Carolus Wimmer, the International Secretary of the Venezuelan Communist Party and Member of the Latin American Parliament. Wimmer stressed that the aim of the event is to counter fake news, which are being spread in the media to defame the Venezuelan government under President Nicolas Maduro.

Carolus Wimmer reminded the guests that the US foreign policy with the Monroe Doctrine (“America to the Americans“) has been claiming the entire continent as its zone of influence for almost 200 years. The class struggle in Latin America is an everyday experience of the people. He drew attention to the economic difficulties arising from the transition from capitalism to socialism, which can be observed in Venezuela. But what has been achieved must be defended. The people are supporting the legitimate President….

Honduras Solidarity Network

https://bit.ly/2W9hafE

By Abayomi Azikiwe

South Africans voted overwhelmingly on May 8 for the ruling African National Congress (ANC), returning the party to government with a nearly 3-1 majority above the nearest runner up within the legislative structure.

Incumbent President Cyril Ramaphosa, a former trade union leader and co-founder of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), was sworn into office again on May 25 with thousands of cheering ANC members in attendance along with representatives of allied parties from across the continent and the world.

Since 1994 the party of former President Nelson Mandela has retained its position as the leading force in national politics.

Founded in 1912 as the South African Native National Congress, the ANC is the oldest liberation movement turned political party on the continent. With the country of 58 million people continuing to be the largest industrial state in Africa, the leading position of the ANC in any continent-wide reconstruction and development program is secured.

Results released by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on the May 8 voting revealed that the ANC won 57.50% of the ballots cast. The closest party after the ANC was the Democratic Alliance (DA) which garnered 20.77% followed by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) gaining 10.77%.   There are 26.7 million registered voters in South Africa and 66 percent of the electorate turned out for the most recent election.

Although the ruling party achieved nearly five percent less votes than the previous national election in 2014 (62.15) its principal opposition within the National Assembly, the DA, also loss nearly two percent in the recent 2019 election, falling from 22.23% to 20.77%. The EFF gained four percentage points going from 6.35% in 2014 to 10.79%. Even with this increase by the EFF, it remains far behind both the ANC and DA in popular electoral support.

Other smaller parties such as the Inkhata Freedom (IFP), Freedom Front Plus (FFP) and the African Christian Democrats (ACDP) combined won less than three percent of the votes. The FFP, a far-right political party representing the minority Afrikaner population gained 1.48% over previous results in 2014.

The ANC also maintained its leadership in eight out of the nine provinces within South Africa. In the Western Cape, which has traditionally been dominated by the DA, saw the opposition party losing support from 59.38% to 55.45%. Although the DA will control the provincial legislative structures in the Western Cape, deep divisions and accusations of corruption has served to erode its support.

These results are reflective of the ongoing political support that the ANC has inside the country despite the myriad of economic and social problems plaguing the people. South Africa is challenged with the necessity of overcoming centuries of European encroachment beginning in the mid-17^th century.

Apartheid– the system of racial separation, economic exploitation and settler-colonialism–left the African people landless and without political representation. It would take a combined mass, worker and armed struggle to bring about the demise of the white minority rule resulting in the holding of the first non-racial democratic elections in 1994, bringing the ANC to power.

One-Day Training

Building Unity in Waukesha and Milwaukee Counties

W299N5595 Grace Drive, Hartland, 6-8 P.M.
Dear Friends of Justice and Earth,

The Wisconsin Network for Peace, Justice, and Sustainability, the Wisconsin Unitarian Universalist State Action Network, and many other Wisconsin activist groups are coming together to engage in a joint project. We are calling it Building Unity and it is aimed at strengthening our statewide movement.

Most of us know that time is running out and unity is our best hope for survival.
Join us for an informational potluck meeting and call to action:
Thursday, June 6th
6 pm
Lake Country Unitarian Universalist Church
W299N5595 Grace Drive
Hartland, WI 53029

*** if you need to come late, please don’t let that stop you, and please be aware that there may be a meditation group in the sanctuary, so please enter quietly. We will put up signs to help you find us.

*** If you are interested in carpooling form Milwaukee area, please call Pam at 414-269-9525

For more information: Call Tim at 608-630-3633

http://buildingunitywisconsin.org/

In solidarity for people, peace, and the planet,

Tim Cordon – First Unitarian Society – Madison
Pam Richard – Milwaukee
Lee Stedman — Gaia Coalition Network