S.F. PRESS CONFERENCE / RALLY IN SUPPORT OF VENEZUELA'S DEMOCRATIC PROCESS COORDINATED WITH ACTIONS NATIONWIDE WEDNESDAY, DEC. 18th, NOON at VENEZUELAN CONSULATE 311 CALIFORNIA @ BATTERY
Local News Desk
For Immediate Release: Contact: Amie Fishman (415) 317-2509 December 16, 2002 or Eric Quezada (415) 699-0270
S.F. PRESS CONFERENCE / RALLY IN SUPPORT OF VENEZUELA'S DEMOCRATIC PROCESS COORDINATED WITH ACTIONS NATIONWIDE WEDNESDAY, DEC. 18th, NOON at VENEZUELAN CONSULATE
Bay Area community leaders embark on second trip to gain knowledge of turbulent political situation and support democracy in Venezuela
San Francisco, CA - A second fact-finding delegation to Venezuela this year will launch with a press conference and rally on Wednesday December 18th at noon, at the Venezuelan Consulate, 311 California St., in San Francisco in conjunction with other rallies of solidarity with Venezuela's democratic process throughout the U.S. and the world, including Chicago, New York, Washington DC, and Paris, France.
Delegation members will gain first-hand knowledge of Venezuela's complex political situation through dialogues with civic leaders, community members, labor leaders, independent media makers, and neighborhood groups dedicated to community-driven development (known as Bolivarian Circles).
Venezuela is currently experiencing the longest sustained general strike in its history. This strike has been coordinated by the richest sectors of Venezuelan society, some of whom briefly overthrew the democratically elected government of President Hugo Chávez in a violent coup on April 11th of this year, and some of whom have publicly called for similar unconstitutional measures in the current conflict.
Though Chavez has been elected twice in the last four years and his policy reforms have been ratified by a majority in national referendums, the government has been continually under siege by well-funded groups in Venezuela and abroad who have sought to destabilize the oil-rich nation.
Strongly biased, anti-Chavez reporting by media outlets in Venezuela and the U.S. has made it difficult to ascertain the situation on the ground (as documented by media watchdog group Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, at http://www.fair.org).
The delegation is a project of the Venezuela Solidarity Group (VSG), a network of Bay Area community leaders who support democracy and equitable development in Venezuela. In keeping with international law, the VSG also works to oppose illegal intervention by other nations in Venezuela's affairs.
Wednesday's press conference will be a send-off for the delegation, which will last ten days in early January. Please contact Amie Fishman at 415-317-2509 or Eric Quezada at 415-699-0270 for further information and to coordinate interviews for the press conference and during the delegation's visit.
<http://sf.indymedia.org/news/2002/12/1551638.php> -- Yoshie
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