Dec. 10: How Sanctions Violate Human Rights in Palestine, Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela Cuba Ambassador Lianys Torres Rivera; Nicaragua Ambassador Lautaro Sandino; Carlos Ron, Venezuela Deputy Foreign Minister, Eyad Kishawi, Al-Awda Palestine activist; In person in DC (6:30 pm ET): Online (Zoom, 7:00 pm ET)
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Venezuela
TeleSur: Venezuela Allocates 78% of the 2025 Budget to Social Investment Vice President Delcy Rodriguez presented the 2025 Economic and Financial Budget Bill to the National Assembly (AN). The proposed budget amounts to $22.6 billion, with 77.7% of this total allocated to social investment. This is a budget created with the people’s input. Over 100,000 assemblies defined the essential guidelines for formulating policies aimed at addressing the needs of Venezuelans,” President Nicolas Maduro confirmed that the Venezuelan economy grew by 8.5% in the first three quarters of this year. During the same period, agriculture grew by 6.2%, manufacturing by 4.6%, commerce by 6.2%, mining by 21%, construction by 25.9%, and the oil sector by 14%. “These are positive developments for an economic model that has faced sanctions, blockades, and aggressions,”
Orinoco Tribune: Venezuela Received More Than 1.5 Million Tourists During January-October 2024 Minister of Tourism Leticia Gómez added that the figure slightly exceeded the projection for this year, so “now the goal is to reach 2 million tourist arrivals in Venezuela by the end of 2024.”
Press TV: ‘New Chapter in Cooperation’ between Iran and Venezuela “Iran has established itself as an emerging power in the multipolar and multicentric world that is emerging today,” Maduro said. “It is a country with great technological capacity, a rich educational, cultural, and scientific tradition,” he said, noting Iran’s resilience against imperialist siege for over 45 years, which has strengthened its fighting spirit. Venezuela, Maduro said, has never had such a strong relationship with a powerful country like Iran. Defense Minister Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh said, “Iran and Venezuela are friends and brothers in a single boat carrying the destiny of both countries amid existing threats. Imperialism always seeks to dominate free and sovereign peoples and is upset by the cooperation between our countries that seek a world free of hegemony.”
Orinoco Tribune: President Maduro Calls for Creation of Powerful Media Network for the People He proposed the creation of a “powerful media network for the truth of the peoples across all continents, with all languages and on all existing social media of today and those that will be born as alternatives.” “Who controls the media networks and who is behind social media?” In Venezuela, we know that those who control the media and social media are trying to destroy our country and harm the minds of our children. They are hegemonic networks that reach directly through your phone and are personalized, and with the help of artificial intelligence, they organize global campaigns on all sorts of topics.” President Maduro insisted that initiatives must be taken so that new social media can emerge “in one of the great battles that we are fighting.” He recounted that he has held conversations on this matter with his counterparts from various countries on several occasions, and the latest BRICS summit was one such venue.
Mision Verdad: Regime Change Machine in Venezuela Grinds to a Halt The extremist sector of the Venezuelan opposition, represented by María Corina Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia, suffered a new setback both nationally and internationally on December 1, when a call to protest to demand “justice” before the International Criminal Court resulted in remarkably low participation. International media, such as the AP agency, reported that the main demonstration took place in Plaza La Castellana, Caracas, where “over one hundred people” gathered. This event reinforces the perception of a deterioration in the capacity to mobilize and convene the extremist opposition group, especially in the context of the lead-up to the inauguration of re-elected President Nicolás Maduro, scheduled for January 10. Far from being an isolated event, the demonstration on December 1 represents a new milestone in a series of failures that reveal a deep internal crisis in the opposition, especially with regard to the “leadership” of María Corina Machado.
Ultimas Noticias: Over 52,000 Candidates Register in Election for Venezuela’s Communal Justices of Peace The Minister of Communes, Ángel Prado, explained that there are 5,297 Communal Circuits in the country, and 4,840 are participating in these elections for justices of the peace. He added that 353 indigenous communities will also participate in the process while respecting their ancestral methods. Prado also reported that 52,000 candidates have registered for the elections that will be held on December 15, in which 15,000 principals and the same number of alternates will be elected. “With this extraordinary and historic election, we are handing over the power of justice to our people,” added VP of Organization of the PSUV, Pedro Infante, “Communal justices of peace means democratizing justice and providing our people with the capacity to address and resolve conflicts.”
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Nicaragua
Nicaraguan Government Statement: With the Russian Federation Always Supporting PeaceOur Indispensable and Permanent Solidarity with the Russian Federation, fighting hard against Fascism and at all costs defending Peace, which is the Right of everyone to live peacefully, securely, in Brother and Sisterhood, as God commands, and as we urgently need. Because another World has been born which we are making possible, defending Life, based on the Values and Ideals of Families everywhere who demand Peace, Responsibility and Security, so as to work and progress. At the same time as we denounce the cowardly gangsters, enslavers and genocidal destroyers of the World, we fully support everything that should be done and is being done, to guarantee Life and Peace, which are Sacred Rights of Humanity.
Respect the National Sovereignty of States: Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition policy for signing onto statements or campaigns A clear and needed statement about defense of nations’ national sovereignty.
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Cuba
Hombre del Silencio: The Prison Diary of Ramon Labanino Part 12: My attorney Williams Norris; Resentence Cuban 5 political prisoner recounts his life in US prisons.
Al Mayadeen: Cuba and Venezuela reaffirm support for Syrian government and, people amid US-Israeli-backed attacks Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez stated. “We renew Cuba’s support and solidarity with the Syrian people and government in facing the attacks carried out by terrorist groups on various Syrian cities.” He also called for “the necessity of preserving the sovereignty and unity of the brotherly Syrian state.” Venezuelan President Maduro confirmed, in a phone call with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, that “Venezuela, both the government and people, stands with Syria in its fight against terrorism and the countries that sponsor it.” Maduro emphasized that “what the US and the West is attempting is a move to weaken Syria due to what it represents in the region through its national sovereignty and independent decision-making.”
Open Letter to Biden: Elected Officials and Labor Leaders Call on President Biden to Remove Cuba from Terror List and Provide Relief Contents of the letter and the final list of signers.
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Donate
Donate to help Cuba in this time of need a list of various organizations sending aid to Cuba
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Events:
December 8, Los Angeles: California AFL-CIO, ILWU say End the blockade of Cuba
December 9: Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition monthly zoom meeting, 2:30 PM ET. Email NicaraguaSolidarityCoalition@gmail.com in advance to request Zoom access.
Dec. 10 Forum: How Sanctions Violate Human Rights in Palestine, Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela with Eyad Kishawi, Al-Awda Palestine activist; Cuba Ambassador Lianys Torres Rivera; Nicaragua Ambassador Lautaro Sandino; Carlos Ron, Venezuela Deputy Foreign Minister In person in DC (6:30 pm ET): Online (Zoom, 7:00 pm ET)
Dec. 11 End US Sanctions Rally at Congress and White House, to Take Cuba Off the State Sponsors of Terrorism List! Petition
December 12, 3pm ET Webinar Trump, Hands off Latin America, No to Racism and Intervention Rodolfo Pastor, Former Secretary of the Presidency, Honduras; Alex Main, Director of International Policy at the Center for Economic & Policy Research; Francisco Dominguez (VSC & NSCAG); Claudia Turbet-Delof (Bolivia); Bernard Regan (CSC); Maria Perez Ramos (Mexico) & more tba including guests from Argentina & Brazil.
December 15, 16: Events to Defend the Uhuru 3 Events leading to the Court case December 16 to defend them against the US government frame-up.
December 17: Sanctions Kill Campaign monthly zoom meeting. Email flounders.sara16@gmail.com for the zoom link.
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
January 4-11: Travel to Cuba with Code Pink
January 26 -February 4: Visit Cuba with the Center for Global Justice
April 17-May 3: Puerto Rico Brigada Juan Ruiz Rivera to Cuba
April 26- May 3: The Nation: Havana and Trinidad
April 27-May 9: May Day Delegation Itinerary Draft
Different Brigades and Solidarity Trips to Cuba
Witness for Peace delegations to Cuba
Friendly Planet delegations to Cuba
Nicaragua
Casa Ben Linder 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 