John Perry: Latin American Governments Pay a Price for Challenging Israel’s Genocidal War Governments in Latin America have been at the forefront of opposition to Israel’s genocide in Gaza, and several of those which have done so suddenly face new threats, even including attempted coups. Of the 165 countries that recognise Israel, only four have officially cut diplomatic ties with the country since it began its Gaza offensive, and all of them are Latin American: Bolivia, Belize, Colombia and Nicaragua (Venezuela severed its ties with Israel in 2009 while Cuba broke off relations during the Yom Kippur War of 1973). Three governments twhich have strongly opposed Israel’s genocidal war—Nicaragua, Honduras, and Colombia. All are suffering attacks that appear to be either in direct retaliation for their actions or which suspiciously coincide with them.
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Venezuela
TeleSur: Venezuela Kicks Off the Congress of the Bolivarian Historic Block It will analyze over 500,000 development proposals gathered through a consultation process involving over 3.6 million citizens in 90,000 assemblies. The National Congress of the Bolivarian Historic Bloc began with the attendance of 6,000 representatives from social organizations, political parties, and movements. This event aims to serve as a platform to discuss the strategic lines that will guide the country’s development in the coming years. The congress sessions include conferences, working groups, and debates focused on implementing the “Seven Transformations Plan” (7T), a development plan proposing concrete actions in areas such as the economy, public services, peace, and sovereignty.
Mision Verdad: Three Facts that Tell of Venezuela’s Economic Takeoff This is a sustained recovery in which the country has boosted oil activity, the main source of national income, but also other activities such as construction, financial services and insurance, mining, trade, manufacturing and agriculture. The 2024 economic growth is attributed to higher oil revenues from crude oil exports, which rose by around 49% in the first half of the year. In June, the country ranked fifth among the countries exporting crude oil to the United States, contributing 3.4% of its consumption. Non-oil exports are also showing significant growth. Venezuela has achieved 100% of food production and supply with respect to national production. This is reflected in the elimination of queues in supermarkets and other commercial spaces; there is also a greater availability of medicines and drugs in the establishments. Industrial production in the private sector grew by 23.1% compared to the same period in 2023.
Sputnik News: Russia-Venezuela Trade Growth of 453% over Two Years Non-oil exports between Venezuela and Russia have increased by 453% over the past two years.
Venezuelanalysis: Oil Industry Registers Growing Output, Increased Exports In October, the state-owned company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) increased its average production to reach 989,000 barrels per day (bpd), marking a 4.8% increase compared to the 943,000 bpd produced in September. October’s production also shows a significant 25.8% increase compared to October 2023, when output stood at 786,000 bpd. Recently, Venezuela strengthened its production capacity by signing several cooperation agreements with transnational companies such as Spain’s Repsol and France’s Maurel & Prom. Despite the return in April of US sanctions on oil sales, Venezuela remains on track to increase its revenues compared to 2023. According to specialized portal Petroguía, the country has earned US $11.3 billion from oil exports through the end of September, 12.5 percent more than in the same period last year.
TeleSur: Venezuelan President Maduro Welcomes Brazil President Lula’s Statements Lula stated that Venezuela’s problems were not Brazil’s concern and that each country should find a way to resolve its conflicts through its institutions. “It seems to me that Lula’s reflection was wise. A point in Lula’s favor,” Maduro stated. “I agree with Lula. Every country must find a way to resolve its matters, conflicts, and problems. Brazil with its institutions and sovereign dynamics, and Venezuela with our institutions and sovereign dynamics,” the Bolivarian leader said. Lula also mentioned that he has no right to question the decisions of other countries’ supreme courts. “I don’t want any country to do the same with mine,” he said. Previously, after the Brazilian government blocked Venezuela from joining BRICS as an associate member, Venezuelan authorities criticized the interference from their neighboring country and called their ambassador in Brasilia for consultations.
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Nicaragua
Daniel Ortega: Carlos Fonseca opened up a huge Path for the Nicaraguan People. So here we are, Carlos, opening New Paths for the Benefit of the Nicaraguan People, Making Our Way as we Go, All of Us Together On November 8th 1976, 48 years ago today, Carlos gave up his life, but he also gave his Word, he gave his Ideology, he gave his Example, which was inherited by the Sandinista National Liberation Front leading it to achieve Victory on July 19th 1979. Today we tell Carlos that we remain in the Struggle, that we are still in the Battle, and we are continuing to build, above all, and we are building, because we have been able to defend Peace, we know how to defend Peace. And with Peace comes Security, and when there is Peace and Security, then there is Well-being for all Nicaraguans.
Rosario Murillo: And when Carlos talks about Traitors to the Nation, he is talking about Poverty and Precariousness of Soul too; because with a Great Soul, with Spirit, with Faith, imitating Christ, we give ourselves, and we continue to give ourselves to build, not to destroy, to love, never to hate, and to be and do the best possible every day, to bring about the Future that the Heroic, Great, Impressive, Courageous, Victorious People of Nicaragua deserve, one we all deserve.
Carlos Fonseca: What makes a Sandinista? (1975) 4. A Sandinista possesses, above all, revolutionary modesty. This is a quality that is more important than it may seem at first glance. Modesty facilitates collective life, the activity of a group of people, perhaps in many cases decisively. 8. The Sandinista knows that ideological correction is worthless without a consequent practical behavior, but positive practical conduct is insufficient if it is not accompanied by revolutionary ideological identity.12. There are questions that concern us personally, but our obligation is to subordinate everything to the interests of the Sandinista cause, to the interests of the subjugated Nicaraguan people, to the interests of the exploited and oppressed of Nicaragua.
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Cuba
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Bolivia
TeleSur: Bolivia: President Luis Arce highlighted achievements of his government The most significant were the industrialization of lithium and entry into BRICS.
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Donate:
The People’s Forum: Let Cuba Live! Donate
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Events:
November 15-17: National Network on Cuba Annual Meeting
November 17 webinar: Building solidarity with the Nicaraguan Revolution: the Friends of ATC network: The Friends of ATC is the solidarity network in Nicaragua of the Rural Workers Association (Asociación de Trabajadores del Campo, ATC). This webinar describes how the network was formed and its focus on solidarity with Nicaragua and the Sandinista Popular Revolution. Today, Nicaragua is over 90% self-sufficient in food, mainly grown by small farmers who received land during the 1980s agrarian reform, who are supported today by government programs focused on the popular economy. Speakers: Ari Gutman, Michelle Munjanattu.
November 25: The World Condemns US Policy Towards Cuba Merriam Ansara has been working for peace and justice for Cuba for 55 years. She has lived and worked in Cuba, and for 20 years ran Common Ground Education & Travel which sent universities, museums, environmental organizations, etc to Cuba so that ordinary US Americans could see for themselves. She has worked with and/or started various Cuba solidarity and policy organizations, including Two Wings/Dos Alas, The Cuba Working Group, ACERE, Mass Peace Action and others.
November 26: Stand with Venezuela This webinar explains how a stratum of US-based intellectuals make false ‘left’ critiques that deliberately obscure the permanent siege against the country. With Ricardo Vaz and Lucas Koerner.
January 28-31: 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. Organized by the Office of the Martí Program and co-sponsored by UNESCO and Soka Gakkai International.
February 8, London: Latin America Conference This will be the 19th annual Latin America Adelante! Conference.
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Delegations to Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua:
Bolivia
Feb 8 – Feb 17, 2025: Bolivia, 20 Years of Popular Democracy and Indigenous Self-Determination
Cuba
December 13-22: Hatuey Project delegation to Cuba
January 4-11: Travel to Cuba with Code Pink
January 26, 2025 to February 4, 2025: Visit Cuba with the Center for Global Justice
April 17-May 3, 2025: Puerto Rico Brigada Juan Ruiz Rivera to Cuba
Witness for Peace delegations to Cuba
Friendly Planet delegations to Cuba
Nicaragua
Casa Ben Linder 2024 Email casabenjaminlinder@gmail.com to apply:
20 February – 1 March 2025: The Bird Brigade: Birding in Solentiname Arquipelago
6-16 March 2025: Power & Protagonism: Women in Nicaragua
May 2025: Co-ops and Communities: Cooperative Movement in Nicaragua
June 2025: Global Health: Family and Community Health in Nicaragua
July 2025: Solidarity in Action: Nicaragua’s Popular Revolution
November 2025: Salud & Solidaridad: Hands-On Healthcare in Nicaragua
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This is also available at ChicagoALBASolidarity.org. If you have events to publicize, send them to venezuelaweekly@afgj.org or stansfieldsmith100@gmail.com
Chicago ALBA Solidarity 