Commemorate the Life & Legacy of Che Guevara!

The Che Guevara Volunteer Work Brigade
>> Commemorates the Life and Legacy of ERNESTO CHE GUEVARA <<

ONLINE WEBINAR
Sunday June 14 – Che Guevara’s Birthday!
4pm PT / 5pm MT / 6pm CT / 7pm ET

Revolutionary leader Che Guevara once said, “volunteer work is a school for building consciousness”. These words have inspired Cubans and people around the world, and in this spirit the Che Guevara Brigade is named for him. Since 1993, the Che Guevara Brigade has organized 27 annual brigades from Canada to Cuba, bringing hundreds of brigadistas to Cuba.

Join the webinar to hear speakers from Cuba and Canada, discussing Che Guevara’s ideas and his legacy today! This will also be an opportunity to find out how you can travel to Cuba on the 27th Che Guevara Brigade, November 15-30, 2020.

Featuring speakers from Cuba and former Che Brigade Brigadistas!
> Guivel Orozco Ortega – Deputy Head of Mission and Counsellor, Cuban Embassy in Ottawa, Canada
> David Aldama Pando – Third Secretary, Cuban Embassy in Ottawa, Canada
> Yamil Martínez Marrero – Canada Desk of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP)
> Janine Solanki – National Coordinator of the Che Guevara Brigade
> Dave Thomas – Chair of the Canadian-Cuban Friendship Association – Niagara, former Che Guevara Brigade Coordinator
> Claudia Peralta – Coordinator of the Canadian-Cuban Friendship Association – Calgary, former Che Brigade Brigadista, Che Brigade Committee member and organizer with the Calixto Garcia Brigade
> Haily Fox – Former Che Brigade Brigadista and pre-medical student at York University in Toronto
> Bronwyn Cragg – Participant in the 2019 Anti-Imperialist Solidarity Conference in Cuba, executive member of the Canadian Network on Cuba, and University of Toronto student.

REGISTER ONLINE AT:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/4715902781366/WN_rRKpvSJcSMC7NYaBO0vFyQ

Interested to find out more about the 2020 Che Guevara Brigade to Cuba?
Visit www.canadiannetworkoncuba.ca/brigade for more information or to register, or contact Che Brigade coordinator at chevolbrigade@gmail.com or 778-881-6156

Organized by the Che Guevara Brigade Committee of the Canadian Network on Cuba (CNC).
The Che Guevara Brigade is a project of the Canadian Network on Cuba, a network of Cuba solidarity organizations across Canada promoting friendship and solidarity with Cuba and the Cuban people.
www.canadiannetworkoncuba.ca

From the Belly of the Beast! Week of Struggle Against US Imperialism

ILPS US country chapter invites you to participate in an International Week of Struggle Against US Imperialism from May 25 to May 31!

Amid the pandemic, peoples and nations are rising up and asserting their interests and demands as corporations and governments gear up for a “new normal” under the same system. With more than a century since Lenin’s seminal work on imperialism was initially released, we continue to see the ongoing relevance and vital importance of building a broad proletariat-led movement to smash imperialism.

As US-based peoples, we are one with the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa and Asia: to fight back and defeat US intervention and fascist reaction.

We want an end to the old system of imperialism, plunder and war. We want real change.

MKE Cancel the Rents/Mortgages Car Caravan

Now is the time to act to cancel rents and mortgage payments for tenants, homeowners, small landlords, and other small businesses!

The patchwork of city and state moratoriums on evictions are not enough. As these moratoriums are lifted and the rents come due — we will still not have the money!

Join thousands of people across the country in car caravan protests on Saturday, May 30th to demand the cancellation of rent, mortgages, and all debts to landlords for the duration of the pandemic. Protesters will adhere to social distancing guidelines and requirements, including wearing masks, which have been established to respond to the Coronavirus outbreak.

At least 30 percent of renters will be unable to pay their rent on June 1st. No one should lose their housing for any reason in this crisis! The rents and mortgages must be canceled! Make the banks pay!

The Party for Socialism and Liberation – Milwaukee is joined by Milwaukee Socialist Alternative, Milwaukee Autonomous Tenants Union (MATU), and tenants and homeowners across the city.

If you agree with the call to Cancel the Rents and Mortgage Payments for tenants, homeowners, small landlords and small businesses, join us on Saturday, May 30!

Schedule:
11:00 am – Gather / Prepare
11:30 am – Speakers / Press Briefing
12:00 pm – Caravan Departs

We will be beginning the protest at the Alliance for Peace Center, 1001 E Keefe Ave, and driving for about 30 minutes around Milwaukee’s North Side neighborhoods.

A full map will be attached in the comments below.

Please bring signs, banners, flags, and decorate your cars to make sure the message is seen and heard!

For questions and endorsements contact: milwaukeepsl@gmail.com

https://orinocotribune.com/

The Bolivarian republic of Venezuela denounced through a communique the decision of the Delaware District Court, United States, which intends to carry out the procedures for the judicial sale of the shares of the Venezuelan state-owned company Citgo Petroleum belonging to PDV Holding, a company owned de Petróleos de Venezuela, SA (PDVSA).

It mentioned the existence of a plan by the US government to confiscate the assets of PDVSA in the United States, an action ordered by the deputy Juan Guaidó and his accomplices, so that from a fraudulent representation of the Republic and PDVSA, he acts to the detriment of the national interest, for the benefit of interventionist intentions.

RELATED CONTENT: First Iranian Tanker Fortune Already in Venezuelan Territorial Waters

It repudiates the judgment that intends to execute an award issued by the Arbitration Court of the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), for a value of 1.2 billion dollars, based on a claim made by the Canadian company Crystallex against the Bolivarian republic of Venezuela, even though neither PDVSA, Citgo, nor PDV Holding are debtors of Crystallex nor were they subject to the procedure before the ICSID Arbitration Tribunal.

Below, OTs translation of the communique:

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela denounces [the ruling] that on May 22, 2020, the District Court of Delaware, United States, issued, a decision by which it ordered the execution of procedures for the judicial sale of shares of the Venezuelan state company Citgo Petroleum belonging to PDV Holding, a company owned by Petróleos de Venezuela, SA (PDVSA).

With this ruling, the existence of a plan by the US government to confiscate PDVSA assets in the United States is clear. For such purposes, they have delegated to the deputy Juan Guaidó and his accomplices, the establishment of a fraudulent representation of the Republic and PDVSA, which is not only illegal, but acts to the detriment of the national interest, to the benefit of interventionist intentions.

RELATED CONTENT: Trump Suspends US Entry for Foreign Citizens Who Have Been in Brazil in Last 14 Days – Strategic Friendship US Style

The judgment seeks to execute an award issued by the Arbitration Tribunal of the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), for a value of 1.2 billion dollars, based on a claim made by the Canadian company Crystallex against the Bolivarian republic of Venezuela, even though neither PDVSA, Citgo, nor PDV Holding are debtors to Crystallex nor were they subject to the procedure before the ICSID Arbitration Tribunal.

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela once again warns that judicial representatives who have tried to act on behalf of the Republic and PDVSA in US courts lack any legitimacy. On the contrary, Venezuela has denounced the very serious fact that the lawyer who fraudulently pretends to represent the republic, has actually worked as a legal adviser to the Crystallex company, and is the one who has promoted the thesis according to which he intends to confuse as one the assets of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the assets of PDVSA.

Faced with this act of arbitrariness and modern piracy, the international community, particularly those with investments in the United States, should remain very vigilant in this case, since it is indicative of the actions that the United States is willing to carry out, even against of the international and internal legal order, to assert their interests on strategic foreign investments.

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, through its legitimate representatives, will continue to carry out the defense of the heritage of all Venezuelans, anywhere in the world, for which it reserves all actions that may take place at the international level and in the jurisdiction of the United States, to assert their sovereign rights.

Caracas, May 24, 2020

Baltimore May 30: National Day of Protest Against Racism & Repression – Baltimore

Statement by National Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression

The recently re founded National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression calls upon all its members, comrades, friends and allies to join in a national day of protest on May 30th, 2020 at 3:00 PM EST.

We as a movement have been agitated into taking mass, united action not by the pandemic alone but even more significantly by the Federal Government and the financial lords and barons of Wall Street who, driven by their own greed and lust for political power, are willing to sacrifice the lives, health, safety and wellbeing of the people; who deem their profits and their continuing plunder of the national treasury of our nation more important than the lives of the people.

We will be protesting to stop the racist murder and violence that this administration has willfully unleashed. Not only is the government standing by as COVID-19 ravages African American, Latinx and Indigenous communities—inciting mass Black death with their calls to reopen the economy, but the police and racist vigilantes continue to brazenly hunt and kill Black folks while they sleep in their beds and on open roads in broad daylight. We are protesting the murders of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia and Breonna Taylor in Louisville because they are outrages that demand justice. This lynch style, racist terrorism must stop, and perpetrators must be punished.

We are calling for this united action to protest genocidal policies of government that have allowed city and county jails, federal and state prisons, juvenile detention jails, and Immigrant detention centers to become hot beds for COVID-19 infections and death camps for millions. Who are the human beings incarcerated in these so-called correctional facilities?

They are overwhelmingly oppressed Black and Brown people, LGBTQ and Trans people and poor white, working class people. They come to jails and prisons in large part from the 140 million poor people living in America. They cannot voluntarily social distance themselves. Their confinement prevents them from taking action to protect themselves from death-causing infections. Their continued imprisonment under these circumstances is an act of genocide

We must help them. The prisoners of Cook County jail in Chicago managed to write on one of the windows of the jail: HELP WE MATTER 2.

We are calling this united action to help protect all prisoners from COVID infections and death by demanding that all prisoners be liberated from the death camps that U.S. prisons have become. We demand that the President, Governors and Mayors, Prosecutors and Judges take immediate steps to depopulate jails, prisons and Immigrant detention centers and juvenile facilities.

We are calling this united action to demand the immediate release of all political prisoners and the wrongfully convicted survivors of torture immediately. These prisoners can be released by pardons, commutation of sentences, paroles, furloughs, signature bonds and prosecutors dropping charges and judges granting probations. The federal and state governments have plenty of means for meeting our demands and no reason to deny them other than greed and profiteering off of private prisons and prison labor, the still legal form of slavery under the 13th Amendment.

We will mobilize for car caravan protests and social distancing protests throughout the country. In united action we will standup, fightback and resist to exist. We will not now or ever stand in silence in the face of the crimes of government perpetrated against oppressed peoples and the working class. We must make certain that there is resistance throughout the land in order to have a new and better world after we overcome this pandemic.

For Immediate Release
News from Detroit Eviction Defense

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

***Media Advisory***

Protestors urge: “Don’t Let this Health Crisis Turn into a New Housing Crisis!”

Contacts:
Joe McGuire, Detroit Eviction Defense

joehenrymcguire@gmail.com; (313) 969-7076

DETROIT – A housing justice activism group called Detroit Eviction Defense has called for a caravan protest through downtown Detroit on Wednesday, May 13 at 3:30 p.m. in anticipation of Governor Whitmer’s executive order prohibiting evictions expiring at the end of this week.

The group calls for extending the eviction ban until at least 60 days have passed after the end of the current state of emergency. It also calls for the ban to be expanded to prohibit mortgage foreclosures as well, as other states have done. Finally, the group argues for the need to cancel rent and mortgage payments during the crisis in order to prevent financially distressed tenants and mortgage borrowers from building up unpayable balances of delinquent monthly payments.

Governor Whitmer originally signed her order prohibiting evictions statewide on March 20, but the prohibition is set to end on Friday, May 15 unless it is extended.

Protesters plan to meet at Old St. John’s Church on 2120 Russel in Detroit on Wednesday May 13th at 3:30 p.m. and drive in a caravan down Woodward Avenue, then circle the Cadillac Building on 3044 W Grand Blvd. where the State of Michigan has government offices.

“Massive amounts of people are losing their jobs and income as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, at a rate and speed not seen since the Great Depression” the group says in a statement. “This is leading to thousands of people not being able to pay their rent and mortgage payments. Governor Whitmer signed an executive order prohibiting evictions, but that order expires Friday, May 15. We cannot let evictions resume and we must do whatever we can to pressure Michigan to protect people’s homes and prevent the next housing crisis.”

As they drive through downtown Detroit, the group urges protesters to “Make Signs for your car! Make Noise! Show that we are not going to sit by and watch as people get thrown out of their homes during a pandemic!”

The group also encourages supporters to flood the Governor’s office with phone calls urging them to meet their demands. Other groups such as No Rent Michigan are also organizing call-in campaigns on the same day with similar demands.

Detroit Eviction Defense is a coalition of homeowners, union members, faith-based activists, community advocates, and allied groups united in the struggle against foreclosure and eviction in Detroit, Michigan. Through grassroots advocacy, direct action and peaceful protest, Detroit Eviction Defense helps defend families against eviction and foreclosure. Find them as Detroit Eviction Defense on Facebook and at detroitevictiondefense.net.

The Facebook event page set up for the protest by organizers can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/events/843562456173781/

What:
Car caravan protest calling for housing relief during coronavirus pandemic

WHO:
Detroit Eviction Defense and supporters

When:
Wednesday May 13 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Where:

Protesters will meet at 2120 Russel in Detroit and drive in a caravan down Woodward Avenue, then circle the Cadillac Building on 3044 W Grand Blvd. in Detroit

======= Zoom meeting details =====================
When: May 16, 2020 02:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0sdumrqD0pHNQ67v50BPuKUeowwqQk2lid

https://fighting-words.net/2020/05/10/reopening-the-united-states-economy-myths-and-realities/

By Abayomi Azikiwe / May 10, 2020

There are tremendous economic and political pressures emanating from the White House and the corporate community to “reopen” the United States economy.

At present the U.S.  has outstripped all other countries in the world in the number of COVID-19 infections and deaths. As of May 6, 1,171,510 people have been confirmed with the virus while 68,279 of this number lost their lives to the disease. On the international scale, there are 3,588,773 cases and 247,503 deaths spanning 215 countries, areas and territories.

In large municipalities such as New York City, Chicago, New Orleans, Los Angeles and Detroit, where the rapid spread of the pandemic alarmed the world during March and April, it appears as if the number of infections and deaths are declining. Governors and mayors of these states and cites enacted shelter-in-place orders and public emergencies minimizing the concentrations of people on the streets, in schools, businesses, religious institutions and workplaces.

Nonetheless, people are still contracting the virus resulting in hospitalizations and deaths. Healthcare systems are overwhelmed in part due to the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), high infection rates among medical professionals and support staff along with the economic toll taken on the systems which are controlled by private interests.

The state of Michigan and the city of Detroit are considered “hot spots” in the pandemic where rates of infection and deaths have been some of the highest in the nation and the world. Michigan has confirmed 43,950 cases of COVID-19 resulting in 4,135 deaths. Detroit, the largest city in the state, leads in the number of infections with 9,424 and 1,108 fatalities….

https://fighting-words.net/2020/05/10/venezuela-smashes-u-s-based-invasion-plot/

By David Sole / May 10, 2020

With their strategy to foment internal opposition to achieve regime change in Venezuela faltering badly, it appears that U.S. imperialism is shifting to overt external force to overthrow the socialist path followed in that South American nation.

On Sunday, May 3, two boatloads, carrying 60 mercenaries [NYTimes.com May 7, 2020], landed on the coast of Venezuela. Their goal was to either kill or capture the country’s President Nicholas Maduro, other leading government officials and seize control of key facilities. The operation was smashed by the Venezuelan military and community organizations.

According to an aired interview with former U.S. Special Forces veteran Airan Berry they would capture an airport runway and “the plane in which they would take … Maduro, would come from the United States and had the U.S. as its final destination.” [OrinocoTribune.com May 7, 2020]. Berry had served 17 years in the U.S. military and was currently a member of Silvercorp USA, the organizer of the coup plot.

Venezuelan officials announced that eight of the invasion force were killed and two captured. According to OrinocoTribune.com the Venezuelan authorities had captured 23 of the invaders as of May 7 while others were still being hunted down. Telesur English broadcast on May 5, the day following the invasion, Venezuelan officials stating that the mercenaries were “fighting for Donald Trump” with “support of the Colombian intelligence agencies.” In a video clip with former Venezuelan Major General Cliver Alcala at a base camp in Colombia the ex-general admitted “for months we have been working on a [military] ‘Freedom Unit’ for Venezuela.”

The Washington Post, in a major investigation of the plot, revealed some details although they, along with most of the U.S. mainstream media, have tried to downplay the entire situation as a comedy of errors not to be taken seriously

At the center of the conspiracy was J.J. Rendon and a secret committee of Venezuelan oppositionists appointed by Juan Guaido. Guaido is the minor political figure inside Venezuela who appointed himself president of Venezuela on January 10, 2019 and was promptly recognized by the United States and its compliant allies around the world although he had won no election.

This “Strategic Committee” was tasked with clandestine activities to take down the duly elected government of President Nicholas Maduro and install Juan Guaido. As far back as September 2019 this committee began meeting with Jordan Goudreau, head of Silvercorp USA and former U.S. Special Forces sergeant with 15 years in the U.S. armed forces.

In October 2019 an agreement was signed with Goudreau for him to organize an armed invasion of Venezuela and the capture of President Maduro. On October 16 Goudreau even taped a video call with Guaido where he agreed to the plan. At least $50,000 was provided to Goudreau, according to Rendon, but discussions of hundreds of millions of dollars for the operation were ongoing.

The Washington Post also revealed that Goudreau had been working with former Venezuelan  Major General Cliver Alcala who had left Venezuela and established a pro-opposition  military camp in neighboring Colombia. Scores of Venezuelan soldiers who deserted from the military posts at the urging of the opposition and the United States were being trained and armed at Alcala’s camp for just such an invasion.

This most recent military attack on Venezuela cannot be dismissed in light of the huge investment the United States has made toward regime change. Widespread economic warfare in the form of sanctions are continually causing widespread suffering among the population. The Trump administration also posted multi-million dollar bounties on the heads of President Maduro ($15 million) and other leading government officials ($10 million). And in the middle of the COVI19 pandemic, as an attempt to uplift his base, Trump announced on April 1, 2020 that additional U.S. Navy warships would be patrolling off the coast of Venezuela.

The United States is intent on breaking the back of the socialist direction of the Venezuelan people and government by any means at its disposal with an eye to regaining imperialist control over the vast oil resources of that country. If more subtle and covert methods aren’t succeeding then the U.S. is no stranger to mobilizing its Central Intelligence Agency and Pentagon forces to do their dirty work.

So far the vigilance of the Venezuelan military and mass organizations has been effective in confronting the threats. Solidarity from around the world will also be critical, especially the continuing support of China and Russia.

Strong opposition should also be coming from progressive forces inside the United States. Three Democratic Senators on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee demanded, on May 7, that the Trump administration make public information on the failed coup. However almost all politicians in the U.S., even those voicing opposition to military actions, have denounced President Maduro and the socialist process the Venezuelan people are following.

What is needed is a strong revival of anti-imperialism in the mass movements, such as developed in the 1960s, that solidarized with the socialist efforts of oppressed nations and openly advocated and struggled for the defeat of our own government, its military and corporate power structure.

Venezuelan authorities foiled a mercenary incursion to topple Maduro.

https://bit.ly/2Wnrggi

Sign up now to join our virtual candlelight vigil this Tuesday, May 12, at 6:30pm PT/9:30pm ET. RSVP now and we’ll send you an email reminder at the start time of the event with the link to join live or watch the recording.

During the livestream, we’ll come together to hold a nationwide virtual candlelight vigil and not only honor fallen nurses, but also call attention to the lives that are at stake if our elected leaders continue to leave nurses without the proper PPE we need.

When: Tuesday, May 12 at 6:30pm PT/9:30pm ET
Where: Facebook Live / Register: https://bit.ly/2Wnrggi

We want protections, not pizza! Sign from a shift change action at Oakland, California Kaiser.