Juventud Rebelde: Israel has killed more children than men and women in Gaza The Committee on the Rights of the Child condemned Israel’s attacks on civilian targets in the Gaza Strip, which killed more than 16,756 children and injured at least 6,168 between October 7, 2023 and September 10, 2024, while thousands more are feared dead under the rubble. “More children have died in this war than women and men.” said Ann Skelton, the committee’s chairwoman. The report notes that as a result of Israel’s “indiscriminate and disproportionate” attacks, using explosive weapons with long-range effects in densely populated areas, and its denial of humanitarian access, at least one million children have been displaced. At the same time, 21,000 children are reported missing, 20,000 have lost one or both parents, 17,000 are alone or separated from their families, dozens have died from malnutrition and 3,500 are at risk of death due to lack of food.
Declaration of the 24th ALBA-TCP Political Council 3.Condemn the coup d’état attempts by different means, which have been plotted throughout this year, to interfere in the internal affairs of the Latin American and Caribbean countries, as in the case of Bolivia, Venezuela, Colombia and Honduras. 5. Demand from the government of the United States of America an urgent and unconditional change in its hostile and criminal policy towards the sister Republic of Cuba. We reiterate the call of the United Nations General Assembly to immediately cease the illegal economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States of America against the Republic of Cuba. 7. Demand the immediate lifting of unilateral coercive measures against the peoples and governments of Nicaragua and Venezuela, in violation of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and International Law. 10. Repudiate the Palestinian genocide and the invasion of their territory by Israel, the occupying power.
Venezuela Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Speech at UN General Assembly (video) (transcript) Gil condemned Washington’s ongoing “recolonization” efforts against the country. Venezuela is confronting an “onslaught of new forms of colonialism” characterized by unilateral sanctions, US-backed regime-change efforts and support for far-right sectors, as well as mercenary operations, which has intensified since the July 28 presidential elections. Gil criticized a “fascist and disinformation campaign” orchestrated by the US government and its allies to undermine the legitimacy of the election. He also addressed the rise of “fascist and Nazi” tendencies promoted by “oligarchies” worldwide – “As we speak in this Assembly, bombs are falling on Gaza, where Israel has killed tens of thousands of innocent children, women, and men, with the complicity of the United States and European Union governments”
Bolivia Foreign Minister Celinda Sosa Lunda at UN General Assembly
Venezuelanalysis: Maduro Warns UN’s Guterres of Danger of ‘External Aggression’ Against Venezuela President Maduro addressed US-based destabilization efforts with UN Secretary General António Guterres. Maduro told Guterres that the “destabilization attempts and conspiracies promoted from US territory” were “flagrantly violating international law and the United Nations Charter.” Maduro included reference to mercenary contractor Erik Prince who launched a crowdfunding campaign promoting regime change in Venezuela.
Venezuela Condemns UN Human Rights Council Report Venezuela categorically condemned a report presented before the United Nations Human Rights Council by the UN Fact-Finding Mission linked to the Lima Group, which distorts the human rights situation in the country and President Maduro’s government’s human rights record. The Fact-Finding Mission is trying to turn the victims of the Venezuelan far-right’s fascism into victimizers while omitting the actions of the “comanditos” who murdered 27 Venezuelans and inflicted damage on public healthcare, education, and security facilities—clearly constituting a violation of Venezuelans’ human rights. See full statement.
Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition: Sign on to Statement on the actions by the UN Human Rights Council against Nicaragua and the Nicaraguan people We strongly oppose the actions taken by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in support of US regime-change plans for Nicaragua. We refer specifically to the reports of the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua (GHREN), released by the UNHRC in March 2023 and February 2024. We call on the UNHRC to rescind these reports and terminate the work of the GHREN. Click here to sign on: bit.ly/NicaUN3
Hombre del Silencio: The Prison Diary of Ramon Labanino [one of the Cuban 5 heroes] Part 2: What did we do to get out of the hole; The Sentences Their first two years in prison.
Ultima Noticias: Venezuela’s School Food Program To Serve 4 Million Children The program will serve four million children during the new academic year, a significant increase from last year. During the 2023-24 school year, the program served one million children.
Internationalist 360: Southern Command’s Richardson Attacks China and Russia in Latin America Laura Richardson, leader of the U.S. military’s Southern Command, recently called for the development of a new “Marshall Plan” in Latin America to counter the growing influence of Russia and China. Richardson’s call reflects the deep concern of the US over the undeniable loss of geopolitical and economic influence in Latin America. Although she presented the proposal at the forum as a “humanitarian aid” and economic reconstruction effort, it is essentially an attempt to counter the growing presence of emerging powers of the multipolar world in the region. The lack of US attention to Latin America is another weakness Richardson exposed. The dearth of high-level visits creates a vacuum that China exploits, she argues. According to her, regional leaders do not see US investment. In contrast, “all they see are Chinese cranes and Belt and Road Initiative projects.”
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Events:
September 28 webinar: Victory to the Uhuru 3: It’s Not Over! Pack the court for sentencing Nov 25th!
September 29: How to Break the Blockade: DSA for Cuba Campaign Launch A coordinated effort to hold constituent meetings and lobbying sessions to build direct pressure on the Biden administration. With Cuban diplomat David Ramirez-Alvarez; historian Daniel Bessner provides an overview of U.S.-Cuba relations; Cheryl Labash, co-chair of the National Network on Cuba, will highlight the role of labor, especially the UAW, in this solidarity movement.
September 30: “Nostalgic About The Future”: A Film To Learn About Venezuelan Women’s Everyday Life A film about Venezuelan women’s organization, shot during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, the Venezuelan government and political and community organizations in the country played a remarkable role in fighting the virus and coordinating care actions. They prioritized the support to collective life over a policy centered around profits and the economy of exclusion. The film by Thierry Deronne shows the work of different women in their communes, including construction workers, doctors and nurses, musicians, students, and many others. Speakers: Thierry Deronne, Belgian-Venezuelan filmmaker, founder of Escuela Popular y Latinoamericana de Cine y Televisión; Lana Vielma, communications director of the Simón Planas municipality, which comprises El Maizal and 12 other communes; Leonardo Flores, Venezuelan political analyst and activist, known for his expertise on U.S.-Latin American relations.
October 6: Cubana Flight 455: Chronicle of October 6 Discussion with film director and producer Enrique Berumen García. Other speakers talk about the blockade against Cuba and taking Cuba off the State Sponsors of Terrorist list. Based on recently declassified documents, Cubana 455 analyzes the blowing up of a Cuban civilian plane, over the coast of Barbados, on October 6, 1976.
October 9 NYC: Film Showing Cubana 455, with Enrique Beruman Garcia
October 13: Attempted Coups in Venezuela and Honduras: Their Meaning for Nicaragua and Beyond Recent events in Venezuela and Honduras. The speakers discuss the effect of US-sponsored attempted coups in Nicaragua and other nations. Venezuela suffered an attempted coup over the July 28 presidential election; the violence was quickly ended, but the conflict continues with the US and its allies. In Honduras, President Xiomara Castro terminated the extradition treaty with the US over allegations of “narco-trafficking.” Castro is the current president of CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States); a coup against Honduras would also be a coup against CELAC. Featured speakers: Dr. Francisco Dominguez, head of the Research Group on Latin America; National Secretary of Venezuela Solidarity Campaign; co-author of Right-wing Politics in the New Latin America; Adrienne Pine, Ph.D., Associate Professor American University; board member of Alliance for Cuba Engagement and Respect (ACERE), the Venezuela Solidarity Network; author of Anatomy of a Coup: An Inquiry into the Embodiment of Militarized Capitalism and Sobrevivir Honduras
October 14: Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition monthly zoom meeting, 2:30 PM ET. Email NicaraguaSolidarityCoalition@gmail.com in advance to request Zoom access.
October 24: Analyzing Venezuela’s Elections: What do the Polls Really Say? Featuring Oscar Schemel of Hinterlaces Conversation with Oscar Schemel, President of one of Venezuela’s most credible polling firms, Hinterlaces. The electoral outcome and public opinion in Venezuelan society, including elements that motivated the vote; trends in political participation; and popular communal organization.
January 28-31, 2025: Havana, Cuba: VI International Conference For World Balance This conference cultivates partnerships and formulates actionable strategies to propel us towards a more equitable and just global community. Organised by the Office of the Martí Program and co-sponsored by UNESCO and Soka Gakkai International.
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Delegations to Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua:
Bolivia
Jan 25 – Feb 3, 2025: Bolivia, 20 Years of Popular Democracy and Indigenous Self-Determination
Cuba
November 10-22: Cuban Culture, Ecology, and Resilience
December 1-9: National Single Payer: Invitation To Join Our Delegation To Cuba
Witness for Peace delegations to Cuba
Friendly Planet delegations to Cuba
Nicaragua Casa Ben Linder 2024
Email casabenjaminlinder@gmail.com to apply:
November 8-17 2024: Salud & Solidaridad: Hands-On Healthcare in Nicaragua
February 2025: The Bird Brigade: Birding in Solentiname Arquipelago
March 2025: Power & Protagonism: Women in Nicaragua
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This is also available at ChicagoALBASolidarity.org. If you have events to publicize or find helpful articles for readers on the ALBA countries you can post them on Facebook here: Venezuela; Nicaragua; Bolivia; Latin America in general (here or here) Or send them to venezuelaweekly@afgj.org or stansfieldsmith100@gmail.com.
Chicago ALBA Solidarity 