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Voice, June 5-11, 2006 p12 VOICEMAIL – Letter of the week Chavez-style revolution speaks for all of us WE WERE among the thousands delighted to welcome President Chavez (pictured). But your report (The Voice, 'Chavez a hit in London', May 22) gives scant coverage to the achievements of the extraordinary movement he leads. Instead it repeats bogus US claims that Chavez "failed to co-operate in the fight against terrorism." Yet Chavez has not bombed, invaded or pillaged another country. He has not been holding hundreds of detainees without trial for over four years. He is not orchestrating torture through 'rendition' or by other means. He does not deny global warming and the need to address it. He is not the inept, ignorant and inarticulate figurehead of unelected corporations. He is not a religious fundamentalist. He is the most popular head of state, probably in the world. He has won eight elections, each time increasing his majority which is now over 70 per cent. He often speaks of the huge contribution of women's unwaged caring work to society, the economy and the revolution - he did so again in London. He identifies with his African and indigenous roots, promotes anti-racism and supports the revolution in Haiti. He is using Venezuela's oil revenue to eliminate poverty by giving power to the poor. Low income people all over the Caribbean and Latin America as well as the US victims of Katrina are now benefiting from it. Chavez promotes direct democracy rather than representative democracy so that those elected cannot ignore the electorate and do as they please as soon as they are voted in. The poorest sectors of the population, starting with women, have been running the anti-poverty and health programmes; they are determined to defend what they have won so far and to prevent any kind of intervention. Those who attack Chavez are jealous of his power and popularity, and wary of the possibilities the revolution he speaks for has opened for all of us. Nina Lopez, Global Women's Strike & Crossroads Women's Centre |