Juanita Romero and Gastón Murat, grassroots activists from Venezuela, came to Scotland as part of a European tour to share the achievements of the revolution that has been unfolding in Venezuela.  Co-ordinated by the Global Women’s Strike (GWS), with the support in Scotland of Postive Action in Housing and the Scottish Socialist Party, the tour includes England, Ireland, Italy and Spain.

Housing is an acute problem in Venezuela. At a lively meeting in Glasgow on Participatory Democracy, Juanita Romero explained how the land committee is winning land titles for people who were previously unprotected.  The new anti-sexist, anti-racist constitution recognizes caring work in the home as an economic activity which produces wealth and social welfare.  This has not been implemented yet, but President Chavez has introduced an interim measure whereby 500,000 mothers in extreme poverty get a wage equating to 80 per cent of the minimum wage.  Juanita spoke about the co-operatives and the military reserve being run mainly by women. 

Gastón Murat discussed with a firefighter how trade unionists had to stop thinking that they are the vanguard and take leadership from the community, especially from women.  A mother from a Scottish housing scheme spoke of terrible poverty where people die on average at the age of just 54, and the high rates of suicides, especially of young men.  She thought the idea of payment for housewives was great.  Two young women students from Stirling University left the meeting planning to organise a video showing.

At St Stephen’s Church, in Glasgow, the new film produced by the GWS - Journey with the Revolution - was shown to great acclaim.  A Sudanese woman from Unity, the union of asylum-seekers which have been stopping dawn raids and deportations, said we need their experience in self-organising in order to organise better here.  Other discussions included positive working relations between Cuba and Venezuela, how grassroots religious people are working in the revolution and how rural farmers are now starting to return to the countryside after having been forced off the land by previous governments.

Ms Romero and Mr Murat also spoke briefly at the Radical Book Fair about the ring-fencing of media lies about the revolution and the high level of support and mobilisation in Venezuela to re-elect President Chavez at the 3 December elections.

All Change for Women
JUANITA ROMERO and GASTON MURAT explain how Venezuelan women have benefited from the Bolivarian revolution
Morning Star Interview October 2006

Two organisers from Venezuela on tour in Europe during October 2006 As the revolutionary movement seeks re-election for President Hugo Chávez in December, US dollars flow into Venezuela to try and get him out. Find out why he is so popular from two activists at the grassroots who have been organising to change our world.
more on Venezuela

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