Women in struggle rally in Venezuela

From April 9-14, the 14th Congress of the Women’s International Democratic Federation convened in Caracas, Venezuela under the theme of “Women in Struggle.” Approximately 1,600 women representing six continents attended the conference. In 2005, the WIDF had

At the April 13 rally in Caracas, Venezuelan women soldiers chanted “Patria socialisma o muerte!�(A socialist homeland or death!) WW photos: Liz Green

126 national organizations affiliated from 99 countries. Today, they have 223 affiliates in 103 countries and

200 friends. Their goals are “Peace, Equality, Development and National Liberation.”

At the opening plenum, leading WIDF members including María León, an outspoken communist and director of the state Women’s Institute; the vice-president of Venezuela, Jorge Rodríguez Gómez; and WIDF current president, Marcia Campos spoke.

One of the highlights of this trip was when President Hugo Chávez spoke to thousands of Venezuelans

along with the WIDF delegates on April 13, a national holiday in this country. On this day in 2002, President Chávez returned to Venezuela to a hero’s welcome following his April 11 kidnapping by right wing forces friendly to the Bush administration. Tens of thousands of Venezuelans, especially the poor, rebelled in the streets, demanding his return.

During his speech, given at the Miraflores Plaza, Chávez mentioned that on May 28, the opposition is planning another destabilization effort and called for everyone to organize to prevent their success with these counter-revolutionary aims. The stage banner behind President Chávez read: “Todo 11, tiene su 13. El Pueblo sigue en la calle, ahora rumbo al socialismo!” (Every 11th has its 13th! The people continue on the streets, this time towards socialism!)

Another highlight of the trip was meeting two relatives of the U.S. political prisoners, the Cuban Five, who were unjustly sentenced to multiple life sentences in 1998 for trying to prevent terrorist attacks against their homeland by U.S.-backed right wing puppets in Miami.

Vinie Burrows, delegate and permanent representative for the WIDF with the Economic and Social Council of the U.N., renowned actor, educator and activist with The Granny Peace Brigade, spoke at a workshop report back session and expressed solidarity with all the women of the world who are struggling for peace and against racism and U.S. imperialism.

Women representing various organizations from the U.S. also attended the WIDF congress and raised the banner from the Women’s Fightback Network, a national organization affiliated with the International Action Center, which demands that the U.S. stop the war against women from New Orleans and New Bedford, Mass. to Iraq and to end racism and immigrant bashing.

The writer was a member of the Women’s Fightback Network delegation. There will be more articles on this trip in future issues of WW.

On April 13 millions of Venezuelans poured into the streets of Caracas to celebrate their defeat of the 2002 U.S. coup attempt against the Bolivarian Revolution. Assisted by women from the PCV (Communist Party of Venezuela), the Women’s Fightback Network delegation carried a banner and hung it directly below the podium where President Hugo Chávez was speaking. Some delegation members were (r to l) Million Worker March leader Brenda Stokely, FIST leader LeiLani Dowell, and Harlem Tenants Council organizer Nellie Bailey.