On May 20, 2018, Nicolas Maduro was reelected
as the President of Venezuela with a
clear majority of 68%. This free and fair election
was a clear victory for the people of Venezuela
in defence of their sovereignty - which has
been under increasing attack from foreign
governments. Even before President Maduro's
victory was announced, the governments of
the U.S. and Canada, as well as their allies,
decried the results as "illegitimate" and "antidemocratic."
The Canadian government even
took the provocative and anti-democratic
move to deny the 6,000 Venezuelan citizens
living in Canada their right to vote!
Fire This Time was invited to participant in
the International Observers Delegation to the
Venezuelan Election. From May 18 ± 22, three
FTT representatives were able to see firsthand
how the Venezuelan people were engaged in
their democratic process. (For more, including
video reports, photos and interviews direct
from Venezuela visit the website “Venezuela:
This is What Democracy Looks Like” at
https://firethistime-venezuela2018.tumblr.com or check the special section in FTT
Volume 12 Issue 6.)
On June 7, the Hugo Chavez People’s
Defense Front - Southwest chapter organized
a report back from the Venezuelan Election.
The event, which took place at the Chilean
Housing Cooperative in Vancouver, gave an
opportunity for participants to hear from
delegates to the International Observers
Delegation, including representatives from
Fire This Time.
On June , the next day, the Fire This Time
Venezuela Solidarity Campaign held the
monthly action demanding “U.S./Canada
Hands off Venezuela! The action started in
front of the U.S Consulate with a picket,
where protesters heard from speakers in
between rounds of marching and chanting “U.S. Hands off
Venezuela!” The group then moved up to the busy downtown
plaza in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery, where an
information table accompanied by a large Venezuelan flag
attracted many people passing by. Activists also approached
people walking by, collecting
signatures on a petition
demanding that Canada end its sanctions and threats against
Venezuela.
On June 21, the Hugo Chavez People’s Defense Front
organized a rally in downtown Vancouver in defence of
Venezuela’s Bolivarian Revolution. Fire This Time endorsed
and participated in the rally.
Fire This Time delegates to the Venezuelan elections had
a chance to give a comprehensive report back from their
experiences on June 21, at the Fire This Time event “This
is What Democracy Looks Like! Venezuela Election
Report Back”. Alison
Bodine, Thomas Davies and
Michael Larson dispelled
the myths and outright lies
being told in mainstream
Western media about
the elections, with their
anecdotes and firsthand
accounts that showed how
Venezuela’s elections were
fair, transparent, and carried
out calmly and peacefully.
With details of how voting
is carried out in Venezuela’s
unique, cross-referenced paper/electronic system,
and stories of conversations with Venezuelans lined
up to vote, those in attendance came away with a
deeper understanding of Venezuela’s democracy in
motion! Following the delegate’s accounts, photos
and videos, participants had the opportunity to ask
more questions during a discussion period.
To find out about Fire This Time Venezuela
Solidarity Campaign events visit www.firethistime.net or follow on Facebook and Twitter @FTT_np
Janine Solanki on Twitter: @janinesolanki
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