http://www.iacenter.org/Venezuela/venez_fox1105.htm

Solidarity organizations condemn President Vicente Fox’s comments on Venezuela
Organizers call for a protest at the Mexican Consulate to demand a retraction
Declares that Mexicans and Latinos & Latinas in the U.S. stand with President Chavez

Organizers of a major event in support of Venezuela at Town Hall in mid-town Manhattan last week are calling on the progressive movement to protest in front of the Mexican consulate on Thursday, November 17, 2005, from 4-6pm.

The protest has been called in response to the rupture of relations between Mexico and Venezuela this week.

“Members of the press have called our office asking us what we think about this development,� stated Teresa Gutierrez, a co-coordinator of the Evening in Solidarity with Bolivarian Venezuela at Town Hall on November 8. “They asked what we thought about President Chavez’ words to President Fox and whether they were befitting for a president. We responded that this was not the right question at all; in fact it was a diversion. The real question is: which President is standing with its people and which President is not? Clearly it is President Chavez not President Fox,� stated Gutierrez, a Mexican born in Texas.

The tensions between the two Presidents are a result of the stunning defeat President George Bush received in Argentina two weeks ago. Because President Chavez is against the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas while President Fox supports it, disagreements have arisen between the two.

“President Fox clearly is showing more and more that he is totally in the back pocket of Washington. Support for the FTAA is support for the multinational corporations,� said Teresa Gutierrez.

William Camacaro of the Alberto Lovera Bolivarian Circle stated, “Venezuelans are for the first time living in a real democracy. For the first time in Venezuela poverty and unemployment are being dealt with in a serious way. The Venezuelan government announced late October that illiteracy had been eliminated in Venezuela. This could not be said about Mexico,� said Camacaro.

“If Mexico had a president like Venezuela, more Mexicans would not have to leave their country to come find work in the U.S.,� said Gutierrez. “Fox’s comments serve President George Bush’s aims to destabilize Venezuela that could lead to U.S. intervention. That is why our protest Thursday in front of the Mexican consulate is so important.�

Larry Holmes of the Troops Out Now Coalition said that Venezuela would be a big part of the December 1 actions against the war in Iraq to be held on Wall Street. December 1 is the 50th Anniversary of the struggle of Rosa Parks against racism that led to the civil rights movement.

The protest against President Fox will take place Thursday, November 17 from 4-6pm at the Mexican Consulate located at 27 East 39th St. between Park and Lexington.