Tres artículos sobre Venezuela 12

Workers and oppressed peoples of the world unite! workers.org Vol. 61 No. 8 Feb. 21, 2019 $1 The world demands NO WAR ON VENEZUELA!

By Sam Ordóñez

Feb. 17 — Nearly a month since the start of the U.S.-orchestrated coup attempt in Venezuela, the conflict remains primarily inter- national because the coup plotters from the Venezuelan oligarchy and their U.S. masters have failed to gather forces within Venezuela capable of toppling the legitimate Bolivarian government. Massive demonstrations have shown that the majority of the population continue to support Maduro. And despite repeated calls by the counterrevolutionary self-proclaimed government, the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) have not split or joined the traitors, beyond a handful of individuals. The plotters are now openly inviting the U.S. military to inter- vene. The coup leaders have relied on the false claims of a human- itarian crisis, with the full cooperation of the U.S. and European news agencies, to justify the delivery of “humanitarian aid” as a way to open the gate to counterrevolution. But international organizations have objected to this ploy. “Humanitarian action needs to be independent of political, mili- tary or other objectives,” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York. (Reuters, Feb. 6) The Red Cross, which recently expanded its programs with sev- eral Venezuelan hospitals, rejected the mission of the U.S. Agency Haitians rebel for International Development. “We will not be participating in what against their is, for us, not humanitarian aid,” stated Colombia’s International government, raise Red Cross (ICRC) spokesperson Christoph Harnisch. (tinyurl.com/ Venezuelan flag in yxm6phtu) solidarity. The counterrevolutionaries around Juan Guaidó, the U.S. puppet who got no votes for president in last May’s elections, have focused their media campaigns on convincing FANB troops to defect and allow the aid through. Guaidó has announced that Feb. 23 is the deadline for the delivery of humanitarian aid; and he has gone as far as to openly call for the U.S. to use military force to deliver it. Demonstrators Venezuela needs sanctions lifted, not phony aid in Philadelphia protest The total amount of aid being delivered from the U.S. is estimated Trump's at $25 million, and it is stated to be enough food and hygienic prod- Emergency ucts to last several thousand people 10 days. In comparison, the Declaration. latest sanctions announced by U.S. National Security Adviser John WW PHOTO: JOE PIETTE Bolton targeting Venezuelan oil assets are estimated to cost working and poor Venezuelans $30 million a day. The Bank of England has frozen $1.4 billion worth of Venezuelan gold, which the bank says it will release to Guaidó. Washington also froze $7 billion assets of Citgo, a subsidiary of the Venezuelan state Stop the oil company, under the latest sanctions. This means that in the past month, Washington and its allies have stolen $8.4 billion, or more than 350 times the promised “aid.” wall, shut The meager aid currently being gathered in the Colombian border town of Cúcuta is insignificant compared to the long-term damage down ICE 2-3 that U.S. sanctions have already done to the Venezuelan economy 'Say her since 2015. Venezuela sits on the largest certified reserves of oil in the Defend the name': world. Due to the legacy of colonialism and U.S. imperialism, the Venezuelan economy relies heavily on the oil industry and imports Bolivarian Sandra many essential consumer products. Bland 10 Continued on page 7 Revolution 6-7

Subscribe to Workers World New Yorkers Tribute to ☐ 4 weeks trial $4 ☐ 1 year subscription $30 push out Malcolm X 11 ☐ Sign me up for the WWP Supporter Program: workers.org/donate 11 Name ______Amazon 5 Pauli Murray

Email ______Phone ______

Street ______

City / State / Zip ______Workers World Weekly Newspaper workers.org 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10011 212.627.2994 Belgium 8 France 9 Haiti 9 Page 2 Feb. 21, 2019 workers.org

ICE ramps up state this week terrorism in the South ◆ In the U.S. ICE terrorism in the South ...... 2 By Rachel Utz to work, keeping children out of school and fleeing their No walls, no wars ...... 3 Durham, N.C. homes. Many of those living in Durham and other parts Minneapolis, Minn. protests Trump 'emergency' . 3 of the triangle area—which includes Raleigh, Chapel Hill Feb. 16 — The Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and Carrboro—are afraid to drive and have been resorting On the picket line ...... 4 agency has ramped up its presence in the South, specifi- to ride-shares. Oakland teachers set to strike ...... 4 cally in North Carolina, over the past couple weeks. ICE NYC nurses picket for safe staff-to-patient ratios . 4 Community fights back has begun their known terrorism tactics of separating fam- Mass movement stops Amazon in NYC ...... 5 ilies and attacking Black and Brown workers. Although ICE is attempting to maintain its campaigns of Alert: All out for Feb. 23 ...... 6 The raids started Feb. 5 at a workplace in a gun-man- tyranny and manipulation, people have been fighting back. Black Lives Matter fights racism in schools . . . 10 ufacturing center in Sanford, where 27 workers were Since learning of the ICE raids happening across the detained. They continued with arrests of parents attempt- state, activists have been coordinating rapid-response ◆ Black History Month ing to drop off their children at a high school in Durham. measures and demonstrations to keep communities Atlanta: "Say her name: Sandra Bland" . . . . . 10 There have been reports of ICE raiding homes and safe. The most recent tactics are volunteer ICE verifica- knocking on doors in neighborhoods with Black and tions, ride-shares and “know-your-rights” trainings and Young Black activist appreciation of Malcolm X . .11 Brown residents, specifically in the Latinx community. canvassing. Pauli Murray ...... 11 These neighborhoods are also heavily terrorized by a Other groups have assembled vigils and actions in Around the world police presence. response to the raids. Several im/migrant-led organiza- ◆ Even when im/migrants are doing everything “right,” tions, such as Alerta Migratoria, Mijente, El Siembra and World demands: No war on Venezuela ...... 1 they are punished and oppressed by the state. As of Feb. Comité de Acción Popular, have been pulling together Venezuela: Caracazo and imperialist hypocrisy . . 6 12, ICE had detained more than 200 people across North groups over social media to respond and verify any known Cuba: Stop U.S. military adventure in Venezuela . 7 Carolina. At least 60 of these arrests were collateral arrests or suspected ICE activity. These organizations’ goal is to ‘Great Debate’ about European Union ...... 8 of people who were not targeted, but who were simply in prevent rumors that may ignite more fear among undocu- Belgian unions stage general strike ...... 8 the wrong place at the wrong time. mented communities. Haitian masses shake U.S.-backed regime . . . . 9 During a Feb. 8 press conference, ICE Atlanta Field Another newly established online network is RadarSafe, Office Director Sean Gallagher admitted these raids are in which was created to inform communities about ICE raids, France: Yellow Vests movement battles repression .9 direct response to several North Carolina sheriff’s depart- its whereabouts and how to identify ICE. RadarSafe also ◆ Editorial ments’ refusal to collaborate with federal immigration offi- provides know-your-rights resources. cials, specifically in reference to the controversial Section Even though ICE remains present, the community in 'A fabulous achievement' ...... 10 287(g) of the Immigration and Naturalization Act. This the South is determined to keep their people safe. They ◆ Noticias en Español section allows state and local law enforcement depart- demand an end to the attacks on undocumented work- ments to voluntarily enter into a formal contract with ICE. ers, families, children and undocumented LGBTQ people. Cuba: Detener la aventura imperialista en Venezuela 12 Gallagher plans these raids to be the new normal. They call for the abolition of ICE, demand that local politi- Pandilla de siete estadounidenses ataca Venezuela . 12 To avoid run-ins with ICE, undocumented immigrants cians and sheriffs end any collaboration with ICE and put Mumia sobre legitimidad presidencial en Venezuela 12 have resorted to drastic measures. These include not going people’s safety first. q

Workers World 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Fl. Join us in the fight New York, NY 10011 Phone: 212.627.2994 for socialism! E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.workers.org Workers World Party is a revolutionary Marxist-Leninist people are gunned down by cops and bigots on a regular party inside the belly of the imperialist beast. We are a basis. Vol. 61, No. 8 • Feb. 21, 2019 multinational, multigenerational and multigendered orga- The ruthless ruling class today seeks to wipe out Closing date: Feb. 20, 2019 nization that not only aims to abolish capitalism, but to decades of gains and benefits won by hard-fought strug- Editor: Deirdre Griswold build a socialist society because it’s the only way forward! gles by people’s movements. The super-rich and their Capitalism and imperialism threaten the peoples of the political representatives have intensified their attacks on Managing Editors: John Catalinotto, LeiLani Dowell, world and the planet itself in the neverending quest for the multinational, multigender and multigenerational Monica Moorehead, Minnie Bruce Pratt; ever-greater profits. working class. It is time to point the blame at—and chal- Web Editors: Ben Carroll, John Steffin Capitalism means war and austerity, racism and repres- lenge—the capitalist system. Production & Design Editors: Gery Armsby, sion, attacks on im/migrants, misogyny, LGBTQ oppres- WWP fights for socialism because the working class Jayla Hagans, Sasha Mazumder, Scott Williams sion and mistreatment of people with disabilities. It means produces all wealth in society, and this wealth should Copyediting and Proofreading: Paddy Colligan, joblessness, increasing homelessness and impoverishment remain in their hands, not be stolen in the form of capi- Sue Davis, S. Hedgecoke and lack of hope for the future. No social problems can be talist profits. The wealth workers create should be socially solved under capitalism. owned and its distribution planned to satisfy and guaran- Contributing Editors: G. Dunkel, K. Durkin, The U.S. is the richest country in the world, yet no one tee basic human needs. Fred Goldstein, Martha Grevatt, Teresa Gutierrez, has a guaranteed right to shelter, food, water, health care, Since 1959, Workers World Party has been out in the Berta Joubert-Ceci, Betsey Piette, Gloria Rubac education or anything else—unless they can pay for it. streets defending the workers and oppressed here and Mundo Obero: Redactora Berta Joubert-Ceci; Wages are lower than ever, and youth are saddled with worldwide. If you’re interested in Marxism, socialism Alberto García, Teresa Gutierrez, Carlos Vargas seemingly insurmountable student debt, if they even make and fighting for a socialist future, please contact a WWP it to college. Black, Brown and Indigenous youth and trans branch near you. q Supporter Program: Coordinator Sue Davis Copyright © 2019 Workers World. Verbatim copying and distribution of articles is permitted in any medium Contact a Workers World Party branch near you: workers.org/wwp without royalty provided this notice is preserved. National Office Bay Area Durham, N.C. Philadelphia Workers World (ISSN-1070-4205) is published weekly 147 W. 24th St., 2nd floor P.O. Box 22947 804 Old Fayetteville St. P.O. Box 34249 except the last week of December by WW Publishers, New York, NY 10011 Oakland, CA 94609 Durham, NC 27701 Philadelphia, PA 19101 147 W. 24th St. 2nd Fl., New York, NY 10011. Phone: 212.627.2994 [email protected] 919. 322 .9 970 610.931.2615 212.627.2994. Subscriptions: One year: $30; institu­ [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Buffalo, N.Y. tions: $35. Letters to the editor may be condensed and Atlanta 335 Richmond Ave. Houston Salt Lake City edited. Articles can be freely reprinted, with credit to PO Box 18123 Buffalo, NY 14222 P.O. Box 3454 801.750.0248 Workers World, 147 W. 24th St. 2nd Fl., New York, NY 716.883.2534 Houston, TX 77253-3454 [email protected] Atlanta, GA 30316 10011. Back issues and individual articles are available 404 .627.0185 [email protected] 713.503.2633 San Antonio on microfilm and/or photocopy from NA Publishing, [email protected] [email protected] Charlotte [email protected] Inc, P.O. Box 998, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-0998. Knoxville, Tenn. Austin [email protected] San Diego A searchable archive is available on the Web at [email protected] [email protected] Cleveland [email protected] www.workers.org. Boston P.O. Box 5963 Minneapolis Tucson, Ariz. A headline digest is available via e-mail subscription. 284 Amory St. Cleveland, OH 44101 [email protected] [email protected] Boston, MA 02130 216.738.0320 Subscription information is at workers.org/email.php. Pensacola, Fla. Washington, D.C. 617.522.6626 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Periodicals postage paid at New York, N.Y. [email protected] Detroit Portland, Ore. West Virginia POSTMASTER: Send address changes to [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Workers World, 147 W. 24th St. 2nd Fl. New York, N.Y. 10011. workers.org Feb. 21, 2019 Page 3 WW Commentary No walls, no wars By Teresa Gutierrez (tinyurl.com/yyj7yl4c) emergency, worried Pedro Rios, director of the AFSC’s U.S.- about the alarming On Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day in the U.S., Mexico Border Program in San Diego, scope of his powers and the world once again witnessed a president emphasizes that “today U.S. Customs and violations of the U.S. with no heart. One might even argue with Border Protection, which includes the constitution. no brain. Border Patrol, is the largest law enforce- Yet the people of the If this was Oz, it would be entertaining. ment agency in the country.” border in south Texas, But it’s the belly of the imperialist Rios elaborates, “They use military-style primarily Mexicans, beast, so when President Donald Trump enforcement tactics, equipment, and strat- live in an area that announces any edict, it is ominous. egies to ‘control’ the border, including has been transformed, The workers and oppressed here and drone planes, military helicopters and according to the around the world are suffering. Migrants the coordination of local law enforcement National Network for McAllen, TX. WW PHOTO: JOE PIETTE are agonizing at the southern border of the and federal forces that embolden vigilante Immigrant Rights, “to a zone of permanent U.S. Yet on Feb. 14 Trump—calling up his groups.” vigilance, enforcement and violence. … [I]t Venezuela. signature campaign issue—declared that has become an imagined war zone … where In a statement Senator Schumer released the national emergency that needed the Humanitarian crisis at the Wall the U.S. Constitution has little to no value.” on “the crisis in Venezuela,” he repeatedly most attention and funding was—the Wall Clearly, the real crisis at the border is a (tinyurl.com/y6nb24or) lied to justify U.S. intervention and to rally at the southern border. humanitarian one that both parties created Where is the concern for the constitu- other countries to the attack, while claim- Sarah Sanders, Trump’s press secre- and that Trump has accelerated. tional rights of the Rio Grande Valley resi- ing that this was to support the Venezuelan tary, stated the emergency was needed “to Families have been teargassed; legit- dents of south Texas? people “in their efforts to restore democ- ensure we stop the national security and imate asylum seekers have been locked Probably in the same place where racy.” (tinyurl.com/yxnxd2k7) humanitarian crisis at the border.” up. Families have been torn apart, placed Democrats talk about the rights of Black Yet the administration of President in cages and in detention centers that are and Brown youth gunned down by racist Nicolás Maduro is a democratically elected More, more, more money cold and unbearable. police. Nowhere. government that, if allowed to live in peace, and lies for the Wall Children have died in custody—alone would continue to create conditions that At the Valentine’s Day press conference, and afraid. End the war on migrants, end all wars prevent migration. Trump, being his usual demagogic self, It is still not known how many children Today, the Mexico/U.S. border in south Not one more cent should be spent on used racism and lies as arguments for more have actually been taken from their par- Texas is the most militarized region in the the Wall. money and for the “emergency.” ents and placed in foster care. Officials say country—because despite their bickering, Democratic party allies were scheduled Making white-supremacist slurs that that many of these children will never be both parties are united in defending the to rally nationally Feb. 18 under the call undocumented workers in the U.S. are all returned to their parents, many of whom capitalist system. “No Racist Wall, No Power Grab.” They gang members, rapists and killers, Trump have already been deported. According to the National Priorities have finally been moved to call it a racist invited the “Angel Moms” to the event to Despite the current posturing by Project for 2015: “[M]ilitary spending is wall. prove his lies. These are mothers whose Democrats, it was under the Democratic projected to account for 54 percent of all Who will actually stop the Wall and the children were allegedly killed by migrants. administration of President Barack Obama federal discretionary spending, a total of wars? The movement of the workers and Everyone mourns the loss of a child. But that more immigrants were deported than $598.5 billion.” (tinyurl.com/pr7w8ml) oppressed must fight to dismantle the cur- when tragedies are weaponized and used ever before or since in U.S. history. These billions should be spent on the rent militarized Wall and to end the war on q as political pawns, they should be opposed. Currently, liberals are up in arms people, on social services, not for the Wall migrants and all wars. One of the “Angel Moms,” Maureen about Trump’s declaration of a national or for wars—certainly not for a war on Maloney from Massachusetts, lost her son in a motorcycle accident when he collided with a car driven by an undocumented MINNEAPOLIS worker. This is certainly no argument for racist pandering. Congress has already approved a spend- ing package of $1.38 billion for the Wall. Trump’s ‘national emergency’ protested However, this massive amount is short of the $5.7 billion that Trump demands. By Wyatt Miller country, who don’t know what’s Buoyed by his right-wing base, egged Minneapolis going on at the border and who on by his reactionary friends on Fox News, don’t know what’s going on with Trump is determined to undermine even Article published first in fightbacknews.org. people who make their meals his own capitalist government to get his at restaurants, who make their way. Hundreds of people poured into the beds at hotels and pick their By declaring a national emergency on streets Feb. 16 to demonstrate against food in every field in the United the border, he aims to use executive action the latest escalation of President Trump’s States.” to put together $8 billion to build his Wall. anti-immigrant policies. “We the immigrants, we built The day before, Trump had declared this country,” agreed MIRAC Both parties built the Wall a so-called “National Emergency organizer William Martinez, an In a joint statement, House Speaker Concerning the Southern Border of immigrant from El Salvador. Minneapolis, MN PHOTO: FIGHTBACK NEWS Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader the United States.” Under the National “We are union members, teachers, about legal challenges Chuck Schumer stated, “Declaring a Emergencies Act, the declaration could nurses, people in construction and in the to Trump’s declaration and also about national emergency would be a lawless grant Trump new executive powers to office. These are the people who built this legislation in Congress to stop it,” said act, a gross abuse of the power of the pres- allocate billions of dollars in funding country.” Joe Callahan of Minnesota Caravan idency and a desperate attempt to distract toward further militarization of the U.S.- A student, who had recently travelled Solidarity. “But we don’t want to rely on from the fact that President Trump broke Mexico border. Trump claimed these to Tijuana, Mexico, to observe the con- those things, especially those legal chal- his core promise to have Mexico pay for his measures will allow him to fulfill the racist ditions of refugees seeking asylum at the lenges ending up in a Supreme Court that wall." (NBC News, Feb. 14) “build the wall” narrative that he has used U.S. border, denounced the emergency is very conservative.” This is what some liberals call the to mobilize his white-supremacist base. declaration. “This is a deliberate abuse of “A lot of the crises in Latin American “Resistance” today! With only a day’s notice, several power that is going to hurt the most vul- countries that lead to their people seeking What if Trump had gotten Mexico to hundred local residents and dozens of nerable in Tijuana right now,” she said. asylum in the United States are the result pay for the Wall? Would that have made organizations responded to the call to “People fleeing violence have the right to of aggressive U.S. foreign policy and mil- the Democrats happy? protest Trump’s declaration, issued by go to a port of entry and ask for asylum, itary intervention,” said Autumn Lake of But despite the divisions between Trump the Minnesota Caravan Solidarity coa- and that’s not what’s happening at our the Anti-War Committee. “When we are and the Democrats—and now even some lition, which includes the Minnesota borders. Young people, LGBTQ people mobilizing in the streets, when we are Republicans—both parties are responsible Immigrant Rights Action Committee are being denied this right.” voting, if we care about the plight of our for the modern war on migrants. Both par- (MIRAC), the Anti-War Committee, The national Legalization for All migrant brothers and sisters from Latin ties have paid for the militarized Wall that Hands off Honduras and many more Network put out a call for local protests America, it is imperative that we also put already exists. local organizations. Demonstrators took after Trump declared a state of emer- pressure on politicians to adopt anti-war, The American Friends Service to the streets — marching through the gency, as have other national organiza- anti-imperialist stances.” Committee has pointed out: “[P]olicies immigrant-rich neighborhoods of South tions and networks. Actions happened “This manufactured crisis is nothing under every administration … have sys- Minneapolis before packing the Walker in several cities this weekend, and many more than a pretext to criminalize our tematically militarized southern border United Methodist Church for speeches more are planned around the country on immigrant neighbors, militarize our bor- communities, criminalizing millions of and planning further militant actions. Monday. ders and erode our constitution,” said immigrants and creating repressive condi- “It’s a political strategy. It’s to get The Minneapolis event featured David Gilbert-Pederson, a trade unionist tions from California to Texas. … Many of re-elected,” Jorge Mújica Murias said lively discussion of next steps in the with Minnesota Workers United. “But we these efforts have been couched in the lan- of the national emergency declaration. fight against racist political attacks on say no. We will march, we will rally, we guage of war,” such as “the war on drugs ... “Donald Trump offered a wall to people immigrants. will sit in, we will strike and we will shut the war on crime … and the war on terror.” who don’t know what’s going on in this “The media is going to be talking a lot this whole damn system down.” q Page 4 Feb. 21, 2019 workers.org

Enough is enough! On the Oakland teachers set Feb. 21 strike date By Judy Greenspan Oakland, Calif.

picket line At a Feb. 16 press conference By Alex Bolchi and Sue Davis Oakland Education Association President Keith Brown said, “Enough is enough. Bargaining with our school district has not Chicago charter teachers win worked. The only option that Oakland teachers, parents and historic strike victory! students have left to win the schools Oakland students truly Education workers, parents and students won the second-longest char- deserve and to take control ter-teacher strike in U.S. history on Feb. 18. Teachers and paraprofessionals, of our district back from the represented by the Chicago Teachers Union, reached a tentative agreement with billionaires is for the 3,000 Chicago International Charter Schools that will give teachers the limited class sizes OEA members to go on strike.” they demanded. In addition, their pay and that of counselors and social workers (ktvu.com, Feb. 16) will rise to the level of their Chicago Public School colleagues. Both sides agreed Brown announced that to a tentative contract after nine days of picketing, which began Feb. 5. (Chicago teachers will strike Feb. 21, WW PHOTO: JUDY GREENSPAN Sun Times, Feb. 16) following over two years of Feb. 16, Keith Brown: ‘We will strike for the future of After nine months of contract negotiations, around 200 teachers withheld their Oakland teachers having education in Oakland.’ labor at four CICS unionized schools. Five independent “school management orga- bargained for a fair contract nizations” operate these campuses with taxpayer dollars. The education workers and support services for students. Brown not the students. OUSD priorities are won by securing the support of parents and students, who joined them on picket said, “Oakland teachers cannot afford to billionaire donors who have funneled lines. Politicians also tweeted support; on Feb. 15, the Rev. Jesse Jackson urged live in Oakland. One out of five leaves each over one half a million dollars through Go parents and students to take their picket lines to the highways. year. Our students do not have adequate Public Schools and the California Charter CTU leaders accused Civitas Education Partners, CICS’s management firm, of supports. Oakland Unified School District School Association into school board races siphoning off $36 million in public money to line executives’ pockets while keeping schools are not failing; OUSD is failing in the last three years alone. teachers’ pay down. As CTU President Jesse Sharkey told the Sun-Times, “[We our schools. This is a racial justice issue Brown explained that the Oakland struck to] make sure funds go to our classrooms, not the three different layers of in a school district that is overwhelmingly school superintendent and school board boardrooms this company uses to run its schools.” students of color. We have been fighting for are implementing a so-called “portfolio Thanks to the strike, educators will see a pay raise of 35 percent by the last year two years for justice.” district” plan like ones forced upon poor of the 4-year contract and a reduction in class sizes to 28 students, capped at 30. On Feb. 15, a three-member “neutral,” communities in New Orleans, Detroit Workers also won “sanctuary language” to protect undocumented students from fact-finding commission released a report and Newark, N.J. This model mandates federal immigration agencies. CTU spokesperson Chris Geovanis said, “This is validating all the OEA contract demands public school closures in Black and Brown a huge step forward in terms of reforming the charter industry, which basically for higher salaries, smaller class sizes and communities despite lack of evidence that banks its own personal profits on the fact that it pays workers less to do more.” more nurses and counselors in the schools. closing schools saves money. (CTU.org, Feb. 18) In the midst of contract negotiations, Several Oakland parents spoke at the the OUSD came out with a five-year press conference, calling upon parents “blueprint” plan to close or consolidate to not send their children to school in 24 neighborhood schools. The first support of the strike. They urged parents, Southern unionization holds the line school closure announced was Roots community members and students to join International Academy, a predominantly the teachers on the picket line. 2018 marked a disappointing year for labor nationally, due to the Supreme African-American public school. Despite Union leader Brown reminded everyone Court’s setback in the Janus decision. (WW, June 27, July 3) But a Feb. 4 Louisiana a strong community-led campaign by that on Feb. 21, “We will strike with our Weekly article shows why unions should have hope, given that union membership Roots teachers, students and parents, the parents. We will strike for our students. We held ground in the South for the second straight year. (The South has traditionally school board voted 6-1 to close Roots. will strike for education and racial justice. had the lowest level of unionization in the U.S. due to its history of slavery and The teachers’ union quickly responded by We will strike for the future of public white supremacy, and the Taft-Hartley union-busting legislation of 1947.) opposing all plans to close Oakland public education in Oakland.” Chris Kromm’s article cited Bureau of Labor statistics showing the share of schools. Southern workers belonging to unions barely declined between 2017-18, from 5 OEA President Brown made it clear that Greenspan is a middle school public school to 4.9 percent, while the number of organized workers there held steady at 6.1 the union is opposed to the unregulated teacher and a member of the Oakland percent. The number of organized Southern workers is 2.3 million, with another growth of charter schools in the district Education Association. Follow the struggle 546,000 workers in unions but not official members—due to Taft-Hartley “right to at the expense of public schools. Thirty at its website: oaklandea.org/ or the Stand work” (for less) laws. This compares to the national average for union membership percent of all schools are currently with Oakland Teachers Facebook Page: of 10.5 percent, which fell from 10.7 percent. (BLS.gov, Jan. 18) The author expects charters. OUSD priorities are clearly tinyurl.com/y6kzvmn9/. the gap to grow as a result of Janus. Kromm reminds us of the successful struggle of the West Virginia teachers’ strike in February 2018: That struggle continues today. (WW, Feb. 12) The strike sparked large-scale protests in seven more states, including Kentucky, North Carolina and NYC nurses picket for Virginia. Kromm stresses: The rest of the U.S. should take its cues from the South! better staffing ratios

The New York State Mass. energy workers win improved Nurses Association held informational picket lines 6-year contract in front of 13 New York City hospitals on Feb. 13, six After a 7-month lockout, 1,200 members of Steelworkers (USW) Locals 12003 weeks after their 2015‑18 and 12012 voted overwhelmingly on Jan. 7 to ratify a 6-year agreement with contract expired on Dec. 31. National Grid. The contract includes significant wage increases, preserves afford- The contract is with the able benefits, provides additional health and safety provisions, and other protec- New York City Hospital tions for the natural-gas workers and residents. “The bottom line is when working Alliance, a bargaining group people stand together and fight for each other, they win,” said District 4 Director that includes Montefiore, John Shinn. “This contract is a win for these workers and for the entire commu- Mount Sinai and New nity.” (usw.org, Jan. 7) York-Presbyterian, as well PHOTO: NYSNA TWITTER The contract struggle with National Grid, a British-owned energy company as three independent NYC also serving three northeastern states, began when the contract expired June 24. hospitals. On top of wanting a raise, the advocate for the patients, families and Instead of respecting “both public safety and economic justice,” NG chose to lock nurses are demanding adequate staffing communities they serve.” the workers out and use “a combination of contractors and management staff, ratios and caseloads, which presently are The union has not yet held a strike vote. neither of whom have the experience with live gas lines required to ensure public “overwhelmingly high in both volume and Meanwhile, the NYSNA-supported Safe safety.” (usw.org, June 26) acuity." Statistics were compiled from Staffing for Quality Care Act, with a pro- That decision cost NG big time on Sept. 13, when dozens of explosions and fires nearly 3,800 official “protests of assign- posed nurse-to-patient ratio of 2 to 1 in in three towns north of Boston were triggered by a ruptured natural gas pipeline, ment” signed by over 20,000 nurses from intensive-care units, failed to pass the state killing at least one person, injuring 12 and forcing the evacuation of hundreds of January to December 2018. (nysna.org, Legislature in 2018. (Crain’s NY Business, residents from 39 homes. (Reuters, Sept. 13) Feb. 13) The union says this situation Feb. 13) Stay tuned. Capitalists beware: This is why it doesn’t pay to try to save money by shortchang- “challenge[s] the dedicated registered ing highly skilled workers in life-or-death jobs! q nurses who work tirelessly to protect and — Report by Sue Davis workers.org Feb. 21, 2019 Page 5 Lessons of the Amazon struggle Mass movement stops corporate behemoth

By John Steffin coalescing against New York Amazon. Some of the poli- To the surprise of almost every- ticians who became one—from the bourgeoisie to the forces the biggest critics of opposing Amazon—the behemoth the $3 billion handout announced Feb. 14 that it would not be to Amazon, includ- building its promised HQ2 in Long Island ing New York City City, in the Queens borough of New York. Councilman James And why was everyone surprised? To Van Bramer and put it into perspective: Amazon CEO Jeff State Sen. Michael Bezos is the wealthiest man in the world, Gianaris, originally and his company recently exceeded $1 supported Amazon trillion in wealth. In this high-tech era coming to New York. of capitalism, Amazon is a major part They, along with most of the system. Not only do nearly half of New York politicians, all e-commerce transactions go through signed a welcome let- Amazon, but it has also expanded into ter to Amazon in 2017, webhosting, data storage, facial recogni- when Amazon kicked Protesters at New York City Council meeting, Jan. 30. WW PHOTO: SARA FLOUNDERS tion technology, and, now with the acqui- off its bidding war to sition of Whole Foods, brick-and-mortar see which city would offer the best deal movement builds against Amazon HQ2,” guided by their own experience from past retail. for its new headquarters. Feb. 4, workers.org) struggles. So the other question is: What In other words, a large segment of That these politicians reversed their did we learn from this experience? private capital depends on Amazon for positions, and did so quite strongly, is a Amazon battles unions its profitability. So do many branches of testament to the mass movement, which The day before the surprise pull-out What Amazon’s decision tells us the bourgeois government, like the State had been building momentum for sev- announcement, Gov. Cuomo hosted an about current conditions Department, for their continued rule over eral years, but which exploded after news "11th hour meeting" with Amazon and Despite Amazon’s attempt to revise the masses of people. broke that Amazon had chosen Long labor union representatives, including the the story, people are discovering the On top of this, New York politicians Island City in Queens for HQ2. AFL-CIO, which represents 50 national power they have. The masses—not pol- Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Even before the bidding war for unions; New York State Teamsters; and iticians—scared the wealthiest man in Blasio bent over backwards to attract Amazon began in 2017, New York real the Department Store Workers (RWDSU). the world who owns the wealthiest cor- Amazon. Not only did they put together estate developers and politicians had Cuomo presented a framework for Amazon poration in the world out of town only one of the largest packages of corporate been trying to get the company to build to cooperate with the unions. three months after his company decided welfare in history—worth nearly $3 an office along Brooklyn’s Sunset Park RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum to build a headquarters here. The lesson billion in government handouts—but waterfront. Amazon has always been seen said the meeting had seemed to be pro- is clear: The ruling class is not invincible. Cuomo even offered to change his name by the ruling class as the magic bullet for ductive, that the parties had agreed What’s also clear, however, is that the from “Andrew” to “Amazon” if it would the New York economy, which to them to stipulations of fair union elections, ruling class realizes this power, too. In the get Amazon to set up shop here. just means further gentrification and hostility-free and retaliation-free envi- last several months, we have seen again and Most people assumed that if Amazon more profits. ronments, and union access to commu- again how the ruling class, not just in the wanted something, it would get it. But For example, getting Amazon into nications with workers. U.S. but around the world, has conceded that wasn’t the case. Sunset Park could, many politicians and The next day Appelbaum commented: just before a major struggle breaks out. Now, instead of preparing for what real estate developers had hoped, give “I think the anger is about the way the In France this December, Macron many expected would be a long campaign Amazon an incentive to fund the con- whole process was done—that Amazon offered a string of concessions before the against one of the most powerful corpora- struction of the BQX, the “gentrification did it in a way that ignored the commu- unions went on strike in solidarity with tions in the world, people are saying, “Bye train,” as activists call the state-of-the-art nities, ... ignored stakeholders, shrouded the Yellow Vests. In January, Trump Jeff!” and throwing farewell parties. streetcar system that would connect every the whole process in secrecy. … They do announced an end to the government piece of waterfront property between not listen to anybody's concerns. They shutdown just as unions began talking How did we get here? Long Island City and Sunset Park. This refuse to even discuss what these con- about a general strike. And then, in New In its official statement on the decision, would, of course, not help the commu- cerns are.” (tinyurl.com/y2jm2ttq) York City, we’ve seen Cuomo reverse Amazon claims that 70 percent of New nities displaced in those areas. For that With Amazon HQ2 no longer coming the L train shutdown and Bezos reverse Yorkers had said they looked forward to reason, the plan was bitterly opposed. to New York, one question is: What will Amazon’s course since the start of 2019. the company's arrival, but some pesky By the time of the Jan. 30 City Council become of this mass movement? From The system is more decayed than ever, state and local politicians made it feel meeting, the attempts to attract Amazon Sunset Park to Long Island City, from and the material conditions are not in the unwelcome. (tinyurl.com/yxrby6xk) had united opposition from a broad layer higher paid tech workers to lower-paid ruling class’s favor. These concessions This statement—setting aside the of working-class and oppressed people in workers in Amazon storefronts and ware- are buying time, but until when it’s not dubious origins of the 70 percent fig- New York City. houses, as well as the unemployed living clear. The bourgeoisie is deeply divided ure—reverses what actually happened. A recent rally outside the City Council in public housing who faced displacement, over how to manage the overall system of The politicians in question, who definitely meeting included frontline communi- what will be the afterlife of the connections capital accumulation, and as a result, the had strong words for Amazon in recent ties composed primarily of people of built through this struggle? system is more anarchic than ever. But City Council meetings and in the press, color and migrants, as well as unions, As Leon Trotsky wrote in his “History of one thing they all agree on is that a major were pushed into saying these things by tech workers, students and housing and the Russian Revolution,” it was the masses working-class revolt would be bad for all the mass grassroots struggle that was transit advocates. (“New York: Mass who led the February Revolution in 1917, segments of the capitalist class. And so they are doing everything they can to pre- vent that, including offering concessions. It’s still too soon to see what impact Amazon’s decision will have on the strug- gle. Will this movement dissolve, or will it find new targets? Undoubtedly, Amazon’s war on our class will continue, not just wherever it decides to build HQ2. But even in New York City where Amazon still has 5,000 workers—like those facing horrible con- ditions in the Bronx and Staten Island fulfillment centers. Amazon says it will continue to expand its presence here. Given the number of issues raised during the Amazon struggle—from crumbling transit infrastructure to crim- inally underfunded public housing and Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportations—the mass movement may shift its focus elsewhere. What’s important, however, is that we maintain our unity and continue the struggle. Today, let’s celebrate our vic- Protesters at New York City Council meeting, Jan. 30. WW PHOTO: JOHN STEFFIN tory. q Page 6 Feb. 21, 2019 workers.org ALERT! Danger of U.S. military confrontation on Venezuelan-Colombian border! All out for Feb. 23!

The following is based on an email from the No War on What you can do! Venezuela coalition issued Feb. 18. Every action during the weekend of Feb. 23 — no matter Global solidarity actions with Venezuela on Feb. 23 have the size or scale — will have an impact. Consider a small- taken increased urgency as the U.S. intensifies its military er-scale action to raise awareness: presence in the Caribbean and Colombia. • Read the call and add your name or organization as The people of the world are saying, “No war on an endorser at NoWarOnVenezuela.org. Venezuela! No war for oil!” • Link up with a few like-minded allies to print our More than 70 actions are planned for Feb. 23 across fact sheets on Venezuela and pass them out in pub- the globe against U.S. military intervention in Venezuela. lic places, such as a mall or public transit stop. (nowaronvenezuela.org) • Consider a banner-drop, a picket or holding signs See the growing list of actions and find one in your area, capabilities in Venezuela.” (tinyurl.com/yb83kchq) and distributing fact sheets near a busy intersection or submit details on an activity you’re planning in your city. Just as with the invasion of Iraq, this is U.S. intervention or overpass. Get slogans or pre-made placards from Tell Trump: No wall! No war! for oil profits. Venezuela's oil belongs to the Venezuelan our Resource page. U.S. is ramping up — so is the movement for Venezuela people, not U.S. oil companies! • Wear red with your friends and take a photo while Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has holding pro-Venezuela messages and tag the photo The Cuban government has warned that the U.S. military announced a declaration of a “national emergency” to move on social media as #HandsOffVenezuela or #23feb. is taking positions in strategic locations throughout Latin billions in funds and even more U.S. troops to the U.S./ • Picket your local gas station with messages that con- America and the Caribbean. The U.S. military is currently Mexico border to build the racist border wall. U.S. Marines vey: NOT ANOTHER WAR FOR OIL! flying so-called “humanitarian aid” in military aircraft into have also recently been deployed to Haiti to repress a grow- • Screen “Venezuela: La lucha sigue,” “The Revolution Cucuta, Colombia, on the Venezuelan border. ing uprising by the Haitian people. Will Not Be Televised” or other films that tell the The aid is likely a ploy to cover smuggling arms into truth about the Bolivarian Revolution at a public Venezuela and a tool to provoke confrontation to justify Global call for actions for Venezuela on Feb. 23 space or in your home. Invite like-minded activists greater U.S. intervention — a strategy that mirrors many Over 200 organizations and thousands of individuals to link up and begin to plan the next day of action in previous U.S. military aggressions in Latin America and from across the world have endorsed the call for actions support of Venezuela. across the world. on Feb. 23. Actions have been announced in a growing While the U.S. offers paltry Trojan Horse “aid,” the U.S. Social media actions number of U.S. and Canadian cities, as well as Australia, simultaneously levies sanctions that cost Venezuela $20 Azerbaijan, Ecuador, India, Iran, Italy, Mexico, Scotland • Make sure to post pictures of the actions you hold on billion a year, while the Bank of England steals $1.2 billion and many other countries. Feb. 23 on social media with #HandsOffVenezuela in Venezuelan gold reserves. The actions on Feb. 23 are part of an international move- and #23feb, and send them to info@nowaronvene- Opposition leader and U.S. puppet Juan Guaidó has ment to shut down U.S. imperialism and the destruction it zuela.org. called for the “aid” to be brought across the border Feb. has brought to peoples across the planet. • Use our Facebook page to link up with like-minded 23, one month after his failed coup attempt. His announce- We say: No U.S. troops on the border with Mexico, in allies, post a message on Twitter, tag our account or ment, as well as the U.S. military buildup, are warnings of Haiti or Venezuela! send an email to our international organizers. We imminent military action against Venezuela. No wall, no war! No war for oil! All out Feb. 23 for will be glad to assist you in planning an action in On Feb. 22, English billionaire Richard Branson is orga- Venezuela! your area and connecting with others in your area. nizing a propaganda spectacle on the Colombia-Venezuela Many new resources for Feb. 23 have been added to border, "Venezuela Live Aid,” as a cover for war. This Nowaronvenezuela.org, including large posters with room Please consider making a donation to support the orga- mega-media event will push the U.S. imperialist lie that to add your local event, a leaflet on the impact of sanc- nizing for the Feb. 23 global day of action: No War on the Venezuelan people need and want U.S. intervention. tions on Venezuela produced by the Latin American and Venezuela! Every mobilization has many hidden costs for U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton has admit- Caribbean Solidarity Network, a fact sheet on Venezuela websites, social media, signs, banners, printing, producing ted what U.S. intervention is really about: “It will make a and more. materials and more. Click here! tinyurl.com/yywot3dr/. big difference to the United States economically if we could We will be adding placards and other materials, so check Help us keep mobilizing against U.S war: No war on have American oil companies invest in and produce the oil the Resource page for regular updates. Venezuela! q Venezuela’s ‘Caracazo’ and imperialist hypocrisy

By Deirdre Griswold military to put down the rebellion — that these bodies of armed men existed to pro- This month marks the 30th anniversary of the “Caracazo” tect the property of the rich and put down — a spontaneous uprising of the poor in Caracas, Venezuela, any challenges to the status quo. which lasted for days and had a tremendous impact on all Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in layers of society. the world. The Rockefeller empire, at that In February 1989, Caracas was a modern city of high- time called Standard Oil, began exploiting rise apartment buildings and well-stocked stores, which them in 1921. The Venezuelan govern- catered to an affluent upper class who enjoyed the fruits of ment nationalized this valuable resource Venezuela’s oil wealth. They were cosmopolitan and could in 1976, supposedly for the benefit of the afford to see the world. To American and European tourists people. But at that time little changed for and oil functionaries, Caracas was a delightful place, close the hungry poor in Caracas. to the Caribbean Sea but cooled by its 3,000-foot elevation in the mountains. U.S. oil companies suck out But tucked in and around the capital were impoverished Venezuela’s wealth neighborhoods where hungry people barely eked out an By the early 1990s, changes in the PHOTO: TELESUR existence from day to day. nationalization law had allowed U.S. Feb. 27, the anniversary of the ‘Caracazo,’ is celebrated nationally as the day Many low-paid workers, priced out of the city, lived in companies like ConocoPhillips and on which the Bolivarian Revolution was born in Venezuela. surrounding areas and relied on buses to get to their jobs. ExxonMobil (originally Standard Oil) to surrender — but on the condition he be allowed to address Others lived inside the city, but were too poor to enjoy any regain effective control of Venezuela’s oil reserves. But even his fellow officers on national television. He told his com- of the benefits of urban life. before the law was changed, the Caracazo had shown that rades that regrettably — “for now,” he said — their goal of Then the government announced it would raise bus this great wealth was benefiting only the few and not the taking power could not be accomplished. fares. many. Chávez spent two years in jail, and he emerged in 1994 At the time of the Caracazo, Hugo Chávez was an officer as a hero of the people. He formed a new political party, Hunger brought people to boiling point in the Venezuelan army. Born into a working-class family, and in 1998 he was elected president of the country with That was the last straw. While the wealthy could zip he sympathized with the plight of the workers and poor. 56 percent of the vote. He continued to be re-elected until around in their high-end imported cars, those living on He and a number of fellow soldiers had formed a secret his death, when he was succeeded by former bus driver and the edge had to choose between food and getting to work. organization within the military, known as the Bolivarian union leader Nicolás Maduro. The fare increase led to an outburst of fury. Hungry Movement 200, to spread revolutionary ideology among Today, after years of attempting to drown the Bolivarian people of all ages broke into stores and took whatever they their peers. Revolution through economic sanctions and direct sabo- needed or could drag home. At first it was food, but as the The Caracazo of 1989 signaled to them that the masses tage, the U.S. imperialists, who have fattened for almost a rebellion broadened, the stores were emptied of everything were ready to rebel, and they must either try to take power century off Venezuela’s oil, are trying to carry out a right- that could be carried away. or be used against the people. wing coup that would turn back the clock to the days of The Caracazo, or “Caracas smash,” revealed the deep On Feb. 4, 1992, Chávez and a group of his fellow officers total rule by a hated U.S.-backed oligarchy. chasm between the social classes in Venezuela and showed led an attempt to overthrow the government of President And the hypocritical imperialists claim they are doing it — as the government mobilized the police and then the Carlos Andrés Pérez. It failed, and Chávez agreed to to end hunger. q workers.org Feb. 21, 2019 Page 7 Cuban gov’t statement U.S. military adventure against Venezuela must be stopped

pressures on numerous governments to at the U.N. Security Council which cyni- and the Caribbean and the peoples of the force them to support the arbitrary call for cally and hypocritically expresses “deep South. Equally at stake is the survival of new presidential elections in Venezuela, concern” for human rights and the human- the rule of international law and the U.N. while promoting recognition for the itarian situation and what it calls recent Charter. What is being defined today is usurper, who barely won 97,000 votes attempts to block the delivery of human- whether the legitimacy of a government as a parliamentarian, against the more itarian aid, the millions of Venezuelan emanates from the express and sovereign than 6 million Venezuelans who elected refugees and migrants, the excessive use will of its people, or from the recognition Constitutional President Nicolás Maduro of force against peaceful protesters, the of foreign powers. Moros last May. breakdown of regional peace and security The [Cuban] Revolutionary PHOTO: CUBAMINREX Since the resistance mounted by the in Venezuela, and then calls for taking the Government calls for an international The Revolutionary Government of the Bolivarian and Chavista Venezuelan “necessary steps.” mobilization in defense of peace in Republic of Cuba condemns the escala- people against the coup, evidenced by It is obvious that the United States Venezuela and the region, based on the tion of pressures and actions by the U.S. the mass demonstrations in support of is paving the way to forcibly establish a principles established in the Proclamation government in preparation for a military President Maduro, and the loyalty of the humanitarian corridor under international of Latin America and the Caribbean as a adventure under the guise of a “human- National Bolivarian Armed Forces, the supervision, invoking the obligation to pro- Zone of Peace, which was adopted by itarian intervention” in the Bolivarian U.S. government has intensified its inter- tect civilians and take all “necessary steps.” heads of state and government of CELAC Republic of Venezuela, and calls on the national political and media campaign, and It is worth recalling that similar behav- [Community of Latin American and international community to mobilize in strengthened unilateral economic coercive iors and pretexts were used by the U.S. Caribbean States] in 2014. order to prevent its being carried out. measures against Venezuela, among them during the prelude to the wars it launched It likewise welcomes and supports Between Feb. 6 and 10 of 2019, sev- the freezing of Venezuelan funds in third against Yugoslavia, Iraq, and Libya, which the Montevideo Mechanism, an initia- eral military transport aircraft flew to the countries’ banks, worth billions of dollars, resulted in tremendous human losses and tive promoted by Mexico, Uruguay, the Rafael Miranda Airport in Puerto Rico, and the theft of this sister nation’s oil reve- caused enormous suffering. Caribbean Commonwealth (CARICOM), the San Isidro Air Base in the Dominican nue, causing serious humanitarian damage The U.S. government attempts to remove and Bolivia, which seeks to preserve peace Republic, and other strategically located and harsh deprivation to its people. the biggest obstacle — the Bolivarian and in Venezuela based on the principles of Caribbean islands, most certainly without In addition to this cruel and unjustifi- Chavista Revolution — to imperialist dom- non-interference in the internal affairs the knowledge of the governments of those able plunder, the U.S. intends to fabricate ination of Our America and deprive the of states, legal equality of states, and the nations. These flights took off from U.S. a humanitarian pretext in order to launch Venezuelan people of the largest certified peaceful resolution of conflicts, as stated military facilities where Special Operations a military attack on Venezuela and, by oil reserves on the planet and numerous in its recent declaration. troops and U.S. Marine Corps units oper- resorting to intimidation, pressure, and strategic natural resources. It welcomes the positive consider- ate. These units have been used for covert force, is seeking to introduce into this sov- It is impossible to forget the sad and ation given to this initiative by President operations, even against leaders of other ereign nation’s territory alleged “humani- painful history of U.S. military inter- Maduro Moros and the international com- countries. tarian aid” — which is one thousand times ventions perpetrated more than once munity, and expresses its concern given Media and political circles — includ- inferior compared to the economic dam- in Mexico, Nicaragua, the Dominican the U.S. government’s categorical rejec- ing within the U.S. — have revealed that ages provoked by the siege imposed by Republic, Haiti, Cuba, Honduras, and, tion of the dialogue initiatives promoted extremist figures of the government with a Washington. most recently, Grenada and Panama. by several countries, including this one. long history of actions and slander aimed The usurper and self-proclaimed “pres- As Army General Raúl Castro Ruz The Revolutionary Government reit- at causing or instigating wars, such as John ident” shamelessly announced his disposi- warned on July 14, 2017: “The aggres- erates its firm and unwavering solidarity Bolton, U.S. National Security Advisor; tion to call for a U.S. military intervention sion and coup violence against Venezuela with Constitutional President Nicolás and Mauricio Claver-Carone, director of under the pretext of receiving the afore- harm all of Our America and only benefit Maduro Moros, the Bolivarian Chavista the National Security Council’s Office of mentioned “humanitarian aid,” and has the interests of those set on dividing us in Revolution, and the civic and military Western Hemisphere Affairs, while count- described the sovereign and honorable order to exercise their control over our peo- unity of its people, and calls upon all ing on the connivance of Senator Marco rejection of that maneuver as a crime ples, unconcerned about causing conflicts peoples and governments of the world Rubio of the anti-Cuban mafia in Florida, against humanity. of incalculable consequences in this region, to defend peace and mount a joint oppo- designed, directly and thoroughly orga- High-ranking U.S. officials have been like those we are seeing in different parts of sition, over and above political or ideo- nized, and funded, from their posts in arrogantly and blatantly reminding us the world.” logical differences, to a new imperialist Washington, the attempted coup d’etat in all, day after day, that when it comes to History will severely judge a new impe- military intervention in Latin America Venezuela by means of the illegal self-proc- Venezuela, “all options are on the table, rialist military intervention in the region and the Caribbean, which will damage lamation of a president. including military action.” and the complicity of those who might the independence, sovereignty, and inter- They are the same individuals who, In the process of fabricating pretexts, the irresponsibly support it. ests of all peoples, from the Rio Bravo to either personally or through the State U.S. government has resorted to deception What is at stake today in Venezuela is the Patagonia. Department, have been exerting brutal and slanders, presenting a draft resolution sovereignty and dignity of Latin America Havana, Feb. 12, 2019 q The world demands NO WAR ON VENEZUELA! Continued from page 1 While the Bolivarian Revolution has people of Palestine. In contrast, U.S. made great strides in food autonomy and puppet Guaidó has announced that he is developing non-oil industries, Venezuela “rebuilding ties with Israel” and alludes still needs to import certain products. to opening an embassy there. Instead of lifting the sanctions that block In a move that blatantly shows the Venezuela from buying needed medi- Trump administration’s hatred of the cines, the United States is delivering a Venezuelan people, it has appointed token amount of aid at gunpoint. Elliott Abrams as special adviser on Venezuela, adding this war criminal to Venezuela, Haiti and Palestine the gang that includes Bolton, Marco At the same time as Washington calls Rubio, Mike Pence and Mike Pompeo. for this delivery to Venezuela, the people Abrams was convicted on two counts of Haiti have been in open revolt against of lying to Congress about his role a government the U.S. installed when it in the Iran-Contra affair, which was twice kidnapped and deposed President part of a plot to overthrow the govern- Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The corporate ment of Nicaragua. He was later par- media in the U.S. have barely covered doned by George H.W. Bush. Abrams the mass revolts in Haiti, in which U.S.- brought major U.S. backing to geno- flee the results of the geno- People's Militia training on Venezuelan-Colombian border. backed police and army shot dead at cidal right-wing governments in Central cide and war crimes backed least seven protesters as of Feb. 16. American republics like El Salvador and is greater than the number of homeless by Abrams during the 1980s, as well as The current insurrection in Haiti is Guatemala. people. the more recent U.S.-engineered coup in directly linked to the Venezuelan cri- While preparing to deliver supposed In light of this grisly humanitarian Honduras in 2009. sis. A major issue in Haiti has been the “humanitarian aid” to Venezuela, the record, it is clear that the U.S. govern- Inside its borders, the United States theft of funds from PetroCaribe, an eco- Trump administration continues to dis- ment has no authority or desire to truly continues the murder and mass incar- nomic alliance established by Venezuela play its contempt for all Latin Americans, improve the lives of Venezuelans. What ceration of Black and Brown people. The to allow Caribbean nations to purchase most recently declaring a national emer- the U.S. ruling class wants is to plunder U.S. ruling class refuses to fix deadly discounted oil products. gency to divert billions of dollars to build the natural resources of Latin American levels of water contamination in Flint, Venezuela’s Bolivarian government a wall along the southern border. countries and crush the momentum of Mich., and towns all across the Midwest. has also used its wealth from natural The wall is supposed to prevent migra- anti-imperialist liberation movements The number of empty homes in the U.S. q resources to offer material aid to the tion from Central America, where people there. Page 8 Feb. 21, 2019 workers.org The urgency of the ‘Great Debate’ about the European Union

By Rémy Herrera The extreme harshness of the anti-so- logical that increasingly this order has someone who took himself for a monarch. cial policies carried out by the EU in this been openly and massively rejected. Jans Weismann, Bundesbank president, Herrera, a Marxist economist, a era is too well-known to require exten- criticized the French president for his researcher at the Centre national de sive discussion here. People have been But the Yellow Vests protest! budgetary slippages and the concessions la Recherche scientifique (CNRS), who subjected to violence for four decades, Some people on both sides of the he has allegedly granted to the Yellow works at the Centre d’Économie de la with deregulation and decline of the gov- Rhine River, especially on its western Vests. But were these concessions real? Sorbonne, Paris and often contributes ernment’s participation in the economy, banks, dreamed for a while that President A close examination shows that he gave guest articles to Workers World, wrote wage austerity, reduction of budgetary Macron would be the long-awaited leader almost nothing to the protesters. this article for Unsere Zeit, the newspa- expenditures, dismantling of social pro- who would finally succeed in reinvigorat- The German media have spoken on per of the German Communist Party. tections, “flexibility” in the labor market, ing a now dusty and contested European this. A Der Spiegel editorial stated that WW staff translated and excerpted it for job precariousness and unemployment, project. Who could be better than a for- the supposedly overly generous French print—the entire article is on workers.org. facilitation of capital transfers and more. mer investment banker to breathe new social state should come to its senses and life into ruling-class confidence and carry reduce the minimum wage, pensions and Jan. 23—A recent, significant opinion The people denied a voice out their wishes? unemployment benefits. Bild’s columns poll revealed how French people cur- As if the implementation of such neo- But this was not to be! The French pres- stress that it is not possible to "work less rently feel about the European Union. liberal programs in the name of European ident's pretty "federal rocket" took off from and earn more.” Die Welt's columns say When asked, "Which geographical unit integration were not enough, all the steps the Sorbonne in September 2017, but had that France has become a "risk factor." do you feel you primarily belong to?” 39 were conceived of and carried out by high to return to the mainland a year later It is in this unique context that the percent of respondents answered France; officials with no participation by the peo- to face booing by the Yellow Vests. The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle/Aachen has just 23 percent named their city or locality; ple in what directly affects them. No pri- “little Napoleon” of the "French startup been signed in January 2019. This was 18 percent named their region, province ority has been given to ensuring popular nation" wanted to conquer "an Empire,” done to make us believe that European or department; and 11 percent responded well-being or providing any means for as his Minister of Economy and Finance integration—traumatized by the shock the world. Only 6 percent, the smallest the people to make their voices heard and Bruno Le Maire said in an interview with of Brexit and abused by worrisome percentage, replied that they identified enable them to protest against unaccept- the German daily Handelsblatt. Le Maire centrifugal forces in Italy, Poland and primarily with Europe! This shows how able policies. stated, “Europe must be an empire." Hungary—was continuing to move for- far the image of the European ideal has ward. The grandeur of Macron's vision sunk in continental France today! contemplates the possible salvation of the A majority of French people still European idea through the more com- remember that on May 29, 2005, nearly plete submission of France to Germany. 55 percent of the electorate voted "no” in New Deutschmark: The euro the referendum on the treaty establish- ing a Constitution for Europe. This was Disgusting! To tell the truth that all despite the flood of pro-Europe media capitalists know will not be offensive to propaganda and the mobilization of many either Germany or the Germans: The leading intellectuals to support a “yes.” neoliberal EU is, above all, a space for In many parts of the country, the neg- the exercise of German oligopolies’ hege- ative vote was over 60 percent: in the mony, which, in order to assert the inter- north as well as the south, as well as in ests of the national ruling classes, defends the underpopulated rural regions situ- this new Deutschmark: the euro. ated along a line from the Meuse to the For this reason—and because of con- Landes departments (the “diagonal of the genital Atlanticism [special relations with void”). In fact, only the departments of 'United, change is possible,' say Yellow Vests. the United States—WW]—Britain has Bas-Rhin (bordering the German states chosen to remain outside the eurozone of Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland- The terminology usually adopted by Fortunately for Macron, the police are and has recently reactivated, despite Palatinate), Yvelines, Hauts-de-Seine and the Brussels bureaucracy when speaking still with him, although who knows for intense internal tensions, the jurisdic- Paris—among the richest [departments] of governments that won’t listen to popu- how long. The police are silencing pro- tion of its national sovereignty. It is for in France—as well as the Caribbean lar demands and don’t respect the verdict testers with batons, tear gas, high-pres- the same reason that all the peoples of Antilles and French Guiana in South of the ballot box is to call them "authori- sure water jets and flash balls! The Europe, including Germans, are con- America clearly voted "yes!" tarian” (if their regime is on the right) or repression has resulted in more than demned to neoliberal purgatory. Yet in a disgraceful and particularly out- "dictatorial” (if they judge it to be on the 2,000 wounded, including over 100 peo- On Jan. 21, 1793, the French masses rageous denial of democracy, the ruling left). Following this pattern, it can be said ple maimed and disfigured. Eighteen beheaded a king and queen at the Place elites—then President Nicolas Sarkozy, that the EU mode of governance has been have lost an eye, four a hand. Some 6,475 de la Révolution in Paris. After the Yellow supported by the high European author- “authoritarian” since its origins. have been arrested and 5,339 detained Vests mobilized for more than 10 weeks, ities—signed the Lisbon Treaty in 2007. The European gift package was pre- in police custody. There were more than President Macron declared in front of 150 This affirmed France’s participation within sented to the public in a beautiful blue 1,000 convictions from Nov. 17 to Jan. 7. blissful global capitalists: "If they [Louis the European Union’s Constitution. wrapping decorated with gold stars and This is the France of Kinglet Macron! XVI and Marie-Antoinette] came to such This act of betrayal of the French people’s tied up in benevolent and pacifist slogans. The people’s legitimate anger will not an end, it is because they renounced will was symbolically carried out on Feb. Its primary objective was nonetheless be calmed. It is rooted in their radical, reform. France is on the path to reform." 4, 2008, at the Palace of Versailles. This is clear: To offer transnational corporations definitive refusal to accept injustice. By “reforms,” President Macron means the same place where President Emmanuel from partner countries exorbitant power To say that Macron disappointed the "destruction" of state and public owner- Macron held a reception in mid-January on European soil, with the added bonus German elites is an understatement. ship, unemployment insurance, pensions for the big bosses of the most powerful of a legal framework designed to make Perhaps only Federal Chancellor Angela and the heart of France. This began when transnational corporations—to convince private property sacred and to make any Merkel and Peter Altmaier, her minister he was minister of economy, industry them to invest in France and establish their transition to socialism illegal. of economic affairs, showed magnanim- and digital affairs for President François companies there. With the aim of imposing on all ity. They need Macron if they hope to Hollande. He authorized the sale of If proof was still necessary, this proved Europeans the leaden blanket of a cap- save what can still be salvaged from the entire sectors of domestic industry to for- that the consolidation of the European italist market dominated by oligopolies European project. eign transnational corporations, favoring Union has been carried out in ways that exempt from accountability to the people Others showed less pity and attacked U.S.-based companies. q are anything but democratic. (or their parliaments), the heads of states On the French side, it is true that and governments in the EU adopted the the "founding fathers of Europe" were "Unique Law" in 1986. Belgian unions stage general strike not great “progressives.” Jean Monnet, The trap closed completely on the peo- anti-parliamentary to his core, was ple when they were led to believe the great By G. Dunkel defense ministers’ meeting. Even the the key figure in the Anglo-American fiction that a single currency could be cre- NATO officials were not exempt. They political-financial networks. Robert ated without a state power—or even that Over 50 percent of Belgian workers are had to land in nearby countries and drive Schuman, an ultra-conservative and a political Europe really existed. Herein unionized, so when the unions went out to their meeting. anti-secular politician, served the steel lies a basic mistake: that this Europe on a 24-hour strike on the evening of Feb. Robert Verteneuil, president of the magnates and was a fervent admirer of could bring together different econo- 12, they shut the country down. General Federation of Belgian Labor, a the corporate Christian fascists of the mies, using force, without strengthening Air traffic controllers struck, so air- trade union with about 1.2 million mem- 1930s—the Austrian Engelbert Dollfuss regional political institutions or promot- planes had to fly around Belgian airspace. bers, said in a 15-minute interview on and the Hungarian Miklós Horthy. ing social harmonization, however desir- Some 30 ships in the port of Antwerp, public radio: “What we want is to tell Then there was Maurice Lagrange: able that might be. among the busiest in Europe, had to wait employers, whoever they are, that we’re Barely 10 years before he drafted the This "bad Europe," inherently to be unloaded. Buses and trains didn’t sick of them putting all the dough that we treaty establishing the European Coal and anti-democratic and anti-social, turned run; schools and day care centers didn't create in their pockets. It’s time to give Steel Community in 1951, he was one of against its own peoples, and forced the open. Police replaced prison guards who some of it back to the workers.” the leading figures and zealous executors peoples and the Eurozone’s member walked out. Most supermarkets closed. If Belgian workers don't get a raise, of the anti-Jewish laws of the "National countries and the entire hierarchy of Factories closed. The country lost mil- there will be more strikes, according to Revolution” under the Nazi-collaborator national laws and rights to submit to lions of euros in canceled production. Verteneuil. q Vichy regime. its merciless order. It is therefore quite The strike coincided with a NATO workers.org Feb. 21, 2019 Page 9 Haitian masses shake U.S.-backed regime By G. Dunkel PetroCaribe money?” Beginning in 2005 government was already in arrears under President Hugo Chávez, Venezuela on its loan from Venezuela. Now Tens of thousands of people took to financed an alliance that gave Caribbean the government had a good excuse the streets for 10 days beginning Feb. 7 in and Latin America nations low-cost oil to stop paying entirely and end the every major city of Haiti—Cap Haïtien, and loans for economic development. The PetroCaribe deal. Jeremie, Gonaïves, Jacmel and the capi- PetroCaribe Alliance eventually spread to Washington's financial tal, Port-au-Prince. In a series of hungry, 17 countries. enforcer, the International angry marches they demanded President Haiti joined in 2006—much to the Monetary Fund, had a solution Jovenel Moïse resign. displeasure of Washington—and after for Haiti regarding this loss of Haitians want enough income to pay two years of back-and-forth struggle, funding: austerity. When Moïse their rent, feed their families and send the Haitians began to get some benefits. tried to double the price of fuel their kids to school. French TV reported After the 2010 earthquake, ex-President in July 2018, the reaction was so people lining up to buy propane for their Bill Clinton used his near-total control of sharp and militant that he backed stoves, water to drink, gasoline for their Haitian finances to put the U.S.-backed down almost completely after three days. in his electoral campaign of 1998. generators and cars, and whatever food candidate Michel Martelly in as president But the political and economic changes Some progressive forces in the streets they could scare up from depleted super- in the 2010-11 election. (All this maneu- that losing PetroCaribe funding created of Haiti are not only raising the issue of market shelves. vering is documented in the Wikileaks led to the latest challenge to the U.S.- “Kote kob PetroCaribe a” but are also call- Protesters set up flaming barricades reports published by Haïti-Liberté.) sanctioned Haitian regime. ing for solidarity with the Bolivarian revo- of tires and trash and burned fancy cars Martelly used his position to embezzle, The connections between Haiti and lution and saying Jovenel Moïse is Haiti's and government vehicles. Even after misspend and misplace about $4 billion Venezuela are older and deeper than the Juan Guaidó. (For a video recorded in police fired at them, they kept returning of Haiti's PetroCaribe Fund as docu- PetroCaribe Fun d. Simón Bolivar, the Creole, see tinyurl.com/y34pyh3c/.) to the streets; people would disperse and mented by several Haitian Senate inves- liberator of Venezuela, Colombia and Haiti doesn't have Venezuela's oil then regroup. The cops reported that they tigations. Then Martelly got his protégé Ecuador, got money, arms and a printing reserves, but it does have a long history of killed seven people and injured dozens. Moïse in as his successor. press when he took refuge in Haiti after resistance to Washington's intrigues and The protests did not let up until Feb. 16. When the Trump administration started being forced out of Jamaica in 1816. The attempts to control its destiny. Its dire sit- Besides demanding Moïse resign, turning the economic screws on Venezuela electoral victory of Jean-Bertrand Aristide uation shows what the U.S. has planned protesters want to know: “Where is the in 2017, it affected Haiti. The Haitian in 1990 was an inspiration to Hugo Chávez for Venezuela. q FRANCE Yellow Vests movement battles repression By G. Dunkel Over 2,000 people have been seriously shield and through his injured by French cops during Yellow face mask, down and For the 14th consecutive Saturday, tens Vest protests, most of them by “flash out. Dettinger was sen- of thousands of Yellow Vests marched balls,” hard rubber projectiles copiously tenced to a year of prison, throughout France on Feb. 16. The cops fired by the cops, or by GLI-F4 grenades, though he will be able to gave the number of marchers as 41,500, which combine a loud bang (165 deci- work during the day and while the Yellow Vest movement claimed bels), tear gas and a hard blast. From pic- be locked up at night. the figure was 104,070. tures on Google and Flickr, most of the Government political While the major focus of media attention injuries have been to eyes and limbs. pressure has come down was on Paris, there were also significant The intensity of feeling by Yellow Vest on the Yellow Vests. marches in Rouen, Lyons and Bordeaux, protesters is such that even after they Minister of the Interior where the main slogan was “Death to the have been severely injured, they keep on Christophe Castaner has rich.” The cops broke up the march in protesting. regularly denounced Bordeaux with water cannons and tear gas the movement in grenades. (Le Monde, Feb. 16) Legal and political reprisals Parliament. On Feb. 14 The French government, under In legal reprisals, Éric Drouet, a truck he announced he was highly unpopular President Emmanuel driver and prominent member of the “watching” Christophe Macron—whose approval index has Yellow Vests, was recently convicted of Chalençon, a Yellow Vest member, on the prison and a 45,000 euro fine. However, dipped as low as 24 percent—has organizing two demonstrations in January far-fetched charge that he was planning a Finkielkraut did not file a complaint. attacked the Yellow Vests from three without “prior notification.” Under the coup and organizing a paramilitary band. Nevertheless, the whole bourgeois directions: physical, legal and political. state of emergency in force in France On Feb. 16, a well-known right-wing political establishment piled on, treating because of the threat of “terrorist attacks,” member of the French Academy, Alain the incident as being essentially anti-Se- this charge carries major penalties. Drouet Finkielkraut, got out of a Paris cab when mitic. Those feigning outrage included has thus far received only a month in it was stopped by the Yellow Vest march. Emmanuel Macron, his Prime Minister prison, perhaps because of the ferocity of Protesters recognized him and began call- Edouard Philippe, Marine Le Pen, head the protests. He has another trial set for ing him a “dirty Zionist.” of the Front National—whose roots are June. (Le Huffington Post, Feb. 17) Some cops who escorted him out of the anti-Semitic and neo-Fascist—and every Christophe Dettinger, an ex-cham- crowd said they heard an anti-Semitic epi- other right-wing party. It was a clear case pion boxer, was arrested when he kicked thet, which, if uttered in a public place in of the French establishment working a cop during a demonstration in January France “with the intent to injure or defame as hard as they could to take down the and then punched another one, over his someone,” carries a penalty of 12 years in Yellow Vests. q

Honor Black History Month—Support WW Capitalism at a Fighting racism in February 2019, Black chains, on the principle of self-determi- Dead End History Month, means starting at the top nation—that oppressed people have the of the political ladder and denouncing right to fight to end all forms of inequality Job destruction, the openly racist, white supremacist in and injustice by any means necessary. overproduction the White House. It means opposing and If you appreciate our coverage, it’s time exposing his administration’s racist pol- to join the Workers World Supporter and crisis in the icies, like shutting down the government Program established 42 years ago so high-tech era for 35 days, which put 800,000 govern- readers could help us publish anti-racist, By Fred Goldstein ment workers, many of whom are African working-class truth and build campaigns American, in dire financial straits because needed to make revolutionary change Goldstein uses Marx’s laws of capitalist accumulation and the declining rate of he demanded $5.8 billion to build a racist leading to socialism. profit to show why global capitalism has wall on the Mexican border. For a donation of at least $75 a finally reached a tipping point. Employers Workers World makes a big deal of the struggles of African Americans to erad- year—and more if you’re able—mem- have increased the productivity of Black History Month because racism per- icate institutionalized, systemic racism. bers receive a year’s subscription to WW, a labor to such an extent that as soon as vades every aspect of life in this country. Case in point is our continuing coverage monthly letter about timely issues and five the system starts up in a growth curve, Everything from fighting for living-wage of the struggle to free Mumia Abu-Jamal. free subscriptions to give to friends. Write production rapidly outstrips demand jobs to ending mass incarceration to hav- The latest chapter involves calling out the checks (either monthly or once a year) to in the market and overproduction kicks ing affordable housing and fully-funded Philadelphia courts for hiding evidence Workers World and mail them, with your in to block further growth. Then come public schools is rooted in the centu- about Abu-Jamal’s case that could lead to a name and address, to 147 W. 24th St., 2nd stagnation, economic contraction, and mass unemployment. ries-long struggle to end this vicious his- new trial and eventually his freedom. Floor, New York, NY 10011. Or sign up to tory of racism, rooted in slavery. WW bases our weekly coverage of the donate online at workers.org/donate/. Read about it at That’s why every month, not just Black Black struggle in the U.S., and in the Know that we’re grateful for your help in LowWageCapitalism.com History Month, the newspaper chronicles African diaspora to throw off imperialist building Workers World! World! q Available at major online booksellers. Page 10 Feb. 21, 2019 workers.org Seattle editorial Black Lives Matter fights racism in schools ‘A fabulous achievement’ By Jim McMahan BLMatSchool has influenced and been involved in teacher strikes across the Elliott Abrams, the architect of Ronald U.S. policy in Central America under Black Lives Matter at School was country. Statements supporting the strik- Reagan’s “dirty war” in Central America, Reagan was “a fabulous achievement.” She held Feb. 4-8 and beyond at schools ing Denver Public School teachers were is an undisputed war criminal and blatant asked him point-blank if he considered El all across the U.S., including Seattle. posted on the website. liar. Mozote to be “a fabulous achievement” and This widespread week of action in cit- A statement for the striking United In 1991 he pleaded guilty to two counts if genocide would be permissible if it fur- ies both big and small was scheduled Teachers of Los Angeles said their of withholding evidence to Congress about thered U.S. interests in Venezuela. to coincide with Black History Month. demands "were directly aligned with the notorious “Iran-contra affair.” Earlier, This forceful questioning, which (blacklivesmatteratschool.com) BLMatSchool Week of Action." Abrams had dismissed as “communist Abrams failed to answer, would have Growing out of the Black Lives UTLA’s demands were more nurses, propaganda” a factual report on the infa- been a courageous act for any House Matter protest movement since 2016, counselors, school psychologists, librari- mous El Mozote massacre in El Salvador, member to engage in. However, for BLMatSchool involves education work- ans; smaller class sizes; sustainable com- in which U.S.-backed paramilitaries had Congresswoman Omar—a Black woman, ers in collaboration with teacher unions, munity schools; an end to privatization slaughtered over 800 people, including a Somali immigrant and, along with teacher caucuses, community groups and and charter expansion; and an end to children as young as 2 years old. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, one of the others, especially students. criminalization of students. In 2002, as Bush Jr.’s special assistant, first two Muslim women ever elected to BLMatSchool fights for an anti-racist BLMatSchool sent a resolution to sup- he orchestrated a failed coup attempt the House—it was especially bold. agenda and curriculum in public schools port Teachers Against Child Detention, a aimed at toppling the elected government Not surprisingly, this multiply-­ and the teaching of Black history and nationwide organization that held a Feb. 17 of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. oppressed sister has been ruthlessly ethnic studies. Many schools hold events rally and teach-in at the border in El Paso, These are just a few “achievements” criticized, not only by Trumpites and every day of action week, especially classes Texas. BLMatSchool supported TACD’s of the man the ultra-right Heritage conservatives but by House Speaker teaching anti-racism. To stimulate stu- "demands for an immediate release of all Foundation calls “a patriot and dedicated Nancy Pelosi and other establishment dent involvement and leadership, activi- immigrant children in U.S. government voice for repressed communities.” Democrats. ties range from student discussions and custody and to shut down all detention Thus it was hard not to jump up and Antiwar activists, on the other hand, artwork to protests later in the week. In centers housing immigrant children." cheer when newly elected Minnesota couldn’t help but feel glee seeing Abrams New York City, students and teachers held Jesse Hagopian, a Seattle teacher and a Congresswoman Ilhan Omar grilled put in the hot seat. The video, which a large protest at the Board of Education. founder of BLMatSchool, said, "With rac- Abrams, Trump’s recent appointee to again has gone viral, depicts a real “fabulous The four basic demands of BLMatSchool ist hate crimes on the rise and the presi- oversee U.S. efforts to “restore democ- achievement.” (tinyurl.com/y46p436h) are ending zero-tolerance discipline, dent who makes openly racist comments racy”—read regime change—in Venezuela. For this, for criticism of Israel and for replacing it with restorative justice; hir- about Africa and Haiti, it is vital that As a member of the House Foreign other political stands, Congresswoman ing more Black teachers; mandating Black we transform our education to be about Relations Committee, Omar reminded Omar has been viciously attacked—and history and ethnic studies in schools; and uplifting Black lives and undoing racism." Abrams of his notorious statement that must be defended! q funding counselors, not cops. (The Seattle Medium, Jan. 30) q

Atlanta Say her name: Sandra Bland

By Atlanta Workers World Bureau Sandra Bland was the lightning rod for the hashtag #Say Her Name as a com- Feb. 16—The room at the Auburn ponent within the Black Lives Matter Avenue Research Library for African- Movement. It was a grim but import- American History and Culture was filled ant reminder that her case shined a to capacity, with over 100 people seated bright light on how Black women/

and others standing to watch the docu- women of color are victims of police PHOTO: KIA JACKSON mentary film "Say Her Name: The Life terror, but many still don’t get the Monica Moorehead and Dianne Mathiowetz and Death of Sandra Bland." While the national and international attention chant, 'Say her name, Sandra Bland' in solidarity audience was diverse, the largest group that Bland’s case did." with Sharon Cooper, seen on screen. was Black women of all ages. Both she and O'Neal cited the names Dawn O’Neal, an Atlanta Black Lives of several other women and girls killed by by teleconference, answering questions Matter activist, and Monica Moorehead, police as well as the disappearances and and sharing her family's experience in Workers World Party national leader, deaths of thousands of Indigenous women fighting for answers about why and how provided introductory remarks about and gender-oppressed people, which their loved one died in jail. Sandra Bland's case in the context of underscores the need for more community This amazing dialogue, sponsored by growing consciousness around police organization and mobilization. Workers World Party in collaboration PHOTO: KIA JACKSON violence and mass incarceration. Following the film, Sandra's older sis- with the Auburn Avenue Library, was Dawn O'Neal at the podium. Moorehead explained, "The murder of ter, Sharon Cooper, joined the program chaired by Dianne Mathiowetz. q

Cuba: Urge detener la aventura militar imperialista contra Venezuela Continúa de la página 12 del planeta y de otros cuantiosos y y la dignidad de América Latina y el Saluda la favorable acogida a dicha contra manifestantes pacíficos, la situa- estratégicos recursos naturales. Caribe y de los pueblos del Sur. Se decide iniciativa por parte del Presidente Maduro ción de ruptura de la paz y la seguridad No puede olvidarse la triste y dolorosa también la supervivencia de las normas Moros y la comunidad internacional y regionales” en Venezuela e insta “a adop- historia de intervenciones militares del Derecho Internacional y la Carta de expresa preocupación ante el rechazo tar las medidas necesarias”. de los Estados Unidos, en más de una las Naciones Unidas. Se define si la legiti- categórico del Gobierno estadounidense Es evidente que Estados Unidos pre- ocasión en México, Nicaragua, República midad de un gobierno emana de la volun- a las iniciativas de diálogo promovidas para el terreno para establecer por la Dominicana, Haití, Cuba, Honduras y tad expresa y soberana de su pueblo o del por varios países, incluida esta. fuerza “un corredor humanitario” bajo más recientemente en Granada y Panamá. reconocimiento de potencias extranjeras. El Gobierno Revolucionario reitera “protección internacional”, invocar la Como alertó el 14 de julio de 2017 el El Gobierno Revolucionario llama a la su firme e invariable solidaridad con “obligación de proteger” a los civiles y General de Ejército Raúl Castro Ruz: movilización internacional en defensa de el Presidente Constitucional Nicolás aplicar “”todas las medidas necesarias”. “la agresión y la violencia golpista la paz en Venezuela y en la región, basada Maduro Moros, la Revolución bolivariana Es indispensable recordar que contra Venezuela dañan a toda “Nuestra en los principios de la Proclama de la y chavista y la unión cívico-militar de su conductas similares y pretextos parecidos América” y solo benefician los intereses América Latina y el Caribe como Zona de pueblo y hace un llamado a todos los pue- fueron adoptadas por Estados Unidos de quienes se empeñan en dividirnos para Paz adoptada con la firma de los Jefes de blos y gobiernos del mundo a defender la en el preludio de las guerras que lanzó ejercer su dominación sobre nuestros Estado y Gobierno de la CELAC en 2014. Paz y a oponerse unidos, por encima de contra Yugoslavia, Iraq y Libia, al precio pueblos, sin que les importe generar Expresa su bienvenida y apoyo al diferencias políticas o ideológicas, para de inmensas pérdidas de vidas humanas conflictos de consecuencias incalculables Mecanismo de Montevideo, iniciativa de detener una nueva intervención militar y de enormes sufrimientos. en esta región, como los que estamos México, Uruguay, la Mancomunidad del imperialista en la América Latina y el El gobierno estadounidense intenta presenciando en diferentes lugares del Caribe (CARICOM) y Bolivia,que busca Caribe que dañará la independencia, la eliminar el obstáculo mayor que mundo”. preservar la paz en Venezuela basado, soberanía y los intereses de los pueblos representa la Revolución Bolivariana y La Historia juzgará severamente una como dice su reciente Declaración, en del Río Bravo a la Patagonia. Chavista al ejercicio de la dominación nueva intervención militar imperialista los principios de no intervención en los imperialista sobre “Nuestra América” y en la región y la complicidad de quienes asuntos internos, la igualdad jurídica La Habana, al despojo al pueblo de Venezuela de la irresponsablemente lo acompañen. de los Estados y la solución pacífica de 13 de febrero de 2019. q primera reserva certificada de petróleo Se decide hoy en Venezuela la soberanía controversias. workers.org Feb. 21, 2019 Page 11 A young Black activist’s appreciation of Malcolm X

By Makasi Motema did not deserve to be degraded by gangs of angry racists. Feb. 21, 2019, is the 54th anniversary Self-defense, then, is not an act of resis- of the assassination of Malcolm X. tance against the other, but an affirma- tion of the self. The preservation of life is “Who told you to hate the color of the preservation of the dignity and worth your skin?” Malcolm’s words always cut of that life. Suffering is only redemptive to like a knife. That’s because Malcolm X those who are in need of redemption, and understood that in order to destroy the we who have been tortured by the lash of citadel of white supremacy which rules inequality have no such need. this country, Black Americans must first Che Guevara said that the true revo- destroy the fortresses of anti-Blackness lutionary is guided by love. If that is so, which occupy our own minds. Malcolm X would make us all revolu- I was 12 years old when I was first tionaries by teaching us to love ourselves introduced, via the Spike Lee film, to the enough to defend ourselves. ideas of Malcolm X. It was a shock to the That—under the teachings of system. Here was someone who did not Malcolm X—is the meaning of self-de- bother to defend Black people from rac- fense: Not a commitment to radical ist slanders. He never tried to justify why violence, but a commitment to radical we deserved to be free. Instead, he deliv- self-love in the face of overwhelming anti- ered a scathing indictment of “the White Black hate. Man,” an indictment of the settler-colo- tossed it in the gutter. In its place, he gave anti-social tendencies. He asserted the Liberals will never canonize Malcolm X nialist U.S. society which had no great- us a worldview that identified—with laser- only means of deliverance for Black people as a patron saint of “racial progress” or ness but that which it stole. like precision—the sources of systemic was to separate from white supremacy and equality. Malcolm X’s message cannot be Growing up with the belief that I must oppression and paired that insight with the connect with a sense of pride. whitewashed. The white supremacist cap- do my best to prove that I was as good as courage to call oppression what it is. italist state cannot rehabilitate the image my white peers, to prove that my parents Malcolm X did not believe in making Perspective on self-worth of Malcolm X because that image stands “raised me right,” I never could have con- apologies for the conditions under which And therein lies the fundamental dif- in inflexible opposition to racial and class ceived of such a line of argument. the Black community lived. He spoke ference between Malcolm X, along with oppression. Laboring under respectability politics often of the effects that drugs and crime the Black Power movement he inspired, Malcolm X never compromised with and the burden of representation, I never had on Black neighborhoods, but he and the Black liberal civil rights tradition. the oppressor, and so he left nothing imagined that it was white “America” who placed them within the proper context of It was not Malcolm X’s perspective on behind that could be appropriated and needed to justify their actions to us. But white oppression. violence that set him apart, but his per- defanged. Malcolm said it, and the bell could not be He was never ashamed of the six and a spective on self-worth. To me, Malcolm X is a reminder to unrung. From that day I on, I could not half years he spent in prison. Rather, he He was against passively submitting never compromise in the face of that help but view the world differently. used his life experience to demonstrate to beatings and attack dogs, not because oppression. To always see the world as That was the effect that Malcolm X had how African Americans, when separated he believed in violence, but because he it is, and yet have the courage and the on Black Americans—then and now. With from their history and culture and placed believed in himself. He believed that he, determination to make it how we believe no delicacy or trepidation, he snatched in an impoverished internal colony, will along with every other Black person in the it should be. As he said, to “make it plain.” away the Black inferiority complex and inevitably suffer from alienation and adopt U.S., was a human being with dignity who q Pauli Murray, gender-nonconforming Civil Rights, women’s rights activist By Minnie Bruce Pratt before the Supreme Court in Brown v. became the first U.S. case in Board of Education, leading to the his- which “a federal court relied on Civil Rights and women’s rights activ- toric 1954 victory overturning “sepa- [equal protection in] the 14th ist Pauli Murray was the brilliant theorist rate-but-equal” segregation in public Amendment to declare a state who laid the intellectual foundation for education. law unconstitutional because some of the most important Civil Rights In the 1960s, Murray began to argue of sex discrimination.” (Dr. victories of the 20th century. that the Equal Protection Clause of the Susan Mallon Ross, “Dialogic Born in 1910 in Baltimore and raised U.S. Constitution, in the Fourteenth Rhetoric,” tinyurl.com/zjjkzvw) in Durham, N.C., by her maternal grand- Amendment, should be applied to cases Ruth Bader Ginsburg, cur- parents, she went on to become the first of sex discrimination in the same way it rently sitting on the Supreme African American to earn a Doctor of was applied to racial discrimination. She Court, named Murray as one Juridical Science degree from Yale Law coined the term “Jane Crow” in a 1965 of the co-authors of her 1971 School in 1965. essay to describe the sexist and racist dis- brief in Reed v. Reed, even Long before that, however, Murray had crimination she experienced. (Salon, Feb. though Murray had not actu- made her mark on history. In 1940, she 18, 2015, tinyurl.com/yykzkzf5) Murray ally helped write the brief. refused to leave her seat in the whites- went on to become one of the co-founders Ginsburg argued and won that only section of a Virginia bus and was of the National Organization for Women case, which marked the first arrested for violating segregation laws. In in 1966. time the U.S. Supreme Court 1944, graduating as valedictorian of her In 1967 Murray co-wrote a brief in White applied the Equal Protection PHOTO: PAULI MURRAY PROJECT Howard University law class, she argued v. Crook that ultimately struck down the Clause to a federal case of Telling Stories of Community Life Project, located at in her senior thesis—to public deri- constitutionality of the all-white, all-male sex discrimination. Ginsburg 1101 West Chapel Hill St., Durham, N.C. sion—that the 1896 “separate-but-equal” jury system in the South. Gardenia White wanted it on the record that segregationist Supreme Court ruling in of Lowndes County, Ala., was the lead Murray had laid the groundwork for the Communist Party USA left her open to Plessy v. Ferguson should, could and plaintiff in the case. historic ruling. Red Scare harassment. would be overturned. The case was initially filed to put Black Murray was also a groundbreaker in In 1977 Murray became the first African- The late Supreme Court Justice people on the jury rolls in Alabama and her personal life within the movement. American woman to be ordained an Thurgood Marshall, while chief coun- then expanded to challenge a law that kept She was a gender-nonconforming person Episcopal priest and continued trailblaz- sel for the NAACP, called Murray’s 1951 all women from serving on Alabama juries. who “favored a masculine-of-center gen- ing until her death in 1985. Her childhood book, “States’ Laws on Race and Color,” Jury selection had become a movement der performance during her 20s and 30s” home in Durham is now a National Historic the “bible” of the Civil Rights Movement. focus because all-white juries were acquit- and changed her name from Anna Pauline Landmark of the U.S. Park Service. (tinyurl.com/y3af8h84) ting white supremacists in the murders of to be more gender neutral. She was open A loving tribute by local activists on “The But Murray’s skill went beyond merely Civil Rights workers in Lowndes County. with friends, family and other Civil Rights Bulls of Durham” blog sums up her life of compiling existing laws. In 1954 Marshall The White v. Crook decision in 1971 not leaders about her “passionate, roman- action against racism and sexism: “Pauli actually used Murray’s senior law school only brought an end to the systematic legal tic partnerships and friendships with Murray had an incurable case of can’t-stop- thesis as the blueprint for his argument exclusion of Blacks from jury service. It also women.” Her past participation with the won’t-stop.” (tinyurl.com/yxeb7hoo) q Correspondencia sobre artículos en Workers World/Mundo Obrero pueden ser enviadas a: [email protected]

¡Proletarios y oprimidos de todos los paises unios! workers.org Vol. 61 Núm. 8 21 de febrero 2019 $1 Cuba: Urge detener la aventura militar imperialista contra Venezuela El Gobierno Revolucionario de la trayectoria de acciones y calumnias dirigi- demostrada en las masivas manifestacio- El usurpador y autoproclamado “pre- República de Cuba denuncia la escalada das a provocar o alentar guerras, como el nes de apoyo al Presidente Maduro y en sidente” declaró desvergonzadamente su de presiones y acciones del Gobierno de Asesor de Seguridad Nacional John Bolton, la lealtad de las Fuerzas Armada Nacional disposición a reclamar una intervención los Estados Unidos para preparar una el Director del Hemisferio Occidental del Bolivariana, el Gobierno de los Estados militar de Estados Unidos con el pretexto aventura militar disfrazada de “inter- Consejo de Seguridad Nacional, Mauricio Unidos ha intensificado su campaña polí- de recibir dicha “ayuda humanitaria”, y vención humanitaria” en la República Claver-Carone, con la participación del tica y mediática internacional y recrudece ha calificado el rechazo soberano y digno Bolivariana de Venezuela y llama a la Senador de la Florida, Marco Rubio, dise- las medidas económicas coercitivas uni- a esa maniobra como “un crimen de lesa comunidad internacional a movilizarse ñaron, gestionaron el financiamiento y laterales contra Venezuela, entre las que humanidad”. para impedir que se consume. organizaron directa y detalladamente, puede citarse el bloqueo en bancos de ter- Altos funcionarios estadounidenses Entre el 6 y el 10 de febrero de 2019, se desde Washington, el intento de golpe de ceros países de miles de millones de dóla- recuerdan cada día, con arrogancia y des- han realizado vuelos de aviones de trans- estado en Venezuela mediante la ilegal res pertenecientes a Venezuela y el robo fachatez que, en relación con Venezuela, porte militar hacia el Aeropuerto Rafael autoproclamación de un presidente. de los ingresos de las ventas de petróleo “todas las opciones están sobre la mesa, Miranda de Puerto Rico, la Base Aérea Son ellos mismos los que, personal- de esa hermana nación, lo que está provo- incluida la militar”. de San Isidro, en República Dominicana mente o a través del Departamento de cando graves daños humanitarios y duras En el proceso de fabricación de pre- y hacia otras islas del Caribe estratégica- Estado, vienen realizando presiones bru- privaciones a su pueblo. textos, el gobierno de Estados Unidos mente ubicadas, seguramente sin conoci- tales contra numerosos gobiernos para Junto a este cruel e injustificable ha acudido al engaño y la calumnia al miento de los gobiernos de esas naciones, forzar su apoyo al llamado arbitrario a nue- despojo, EE.UU. pretende fabricar un presentar un proyecto de resolución en que se originaron en instalaciones milita- vas elecciones presidenciales venezolanas, pretexto humanitario para iniciar una el Consejo de Seguridad de las Naciones res estadounidenses desde las cuales ope- mientras promueven el reconocimiento al agresión militar contra Venezuela y se Unidas que, cínica e hipócritamente, ran unidades de Fuerzas de Operaciones usurpador que apenas cuenta con 97 mil ha propuesto introducir en el territo- expresa una grave preocupación por “la Especiales y de la Infantería de Marina votos como parlamentario, frente a los más rio de esa nación soberana, mediante la situación humanitaria y de derechos que se utilizan para acciones encubiertas, de 6 millones de venezolanos que el pasado intimidación, la presión y la fuerza, una humanos…, los intentos recientes de blo- incluso contra líderes de otros países. mes de mayo eligieron al Presidente supuesta ayuda humanitaria, que es mil quear la prestación de ayuda humanita- Medios políticos y de prensa, incluso Constitucional Nicolás Maduro Moros. veces inferior a los daños económicos ria, la existencia de millones de migrantes norteamericanos, han revelado que figuras Tras la resistencia al golpe ofrecida que provoca la política de cerco, impuesta y refugiados…, el uso excesivo de la fuerza extremistas de ese gobierno, con una larga por el pueblo bolivariano y chavista, desde Washington. Continúa en la página 10 Pandilla de siete estadounidenses ataca Venezuela

Por John Catalinotto Elliott Abrams, el enviado especial que pueblo. Esta banda de siete puede ser reconocer la desconfianza masiva de la supervisa la política de Venezuela, a quien menos hábil para llevar a cabo una inter- administración Trump y movilizarnos A principios de la década de 1960, un tuvieron que arrastrar desde la trinchera vención, que al final puede ser derrotada. contra la intervención de los EUA. grupo de altos funcionarios de la admi- de Mariana. El record de Abrams data La incompetencia de esta pandilla y su Manifestémonos el fin de semana nistración John Kennedy, conocidos de la década de 1980, cuando armó a congénita subestimación de las masas, sin del 23 de febrero en nuestras ciuda- como los "genios" por su presunto des- los "contras" contra Nicaragua y puso al embargo, no significa automáticamente des. ¡Vaya a No War on Venezuela! empeño en la universidad, como oficiales genocida régimen de Ríos Montt en el menos daño al pueblo de Venezuela boli- (NoWarOnVenezuela.org) para ver las industriales o como funcionarios de EUA, poder en Guatemala. Abrams incluso fue variana o a toda América. acciones. Movilícese a una manifestación intensificaron la guerra de agresión de condenado por mentir ante el Congreso Los líderes del Partido Demócrata nacional en Washington, DC, el 16 de Washington contra Vietnam. de los EUA, pero fue indultado por el pre- aquí, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, marzo y otra el 30 de marzo. Y prepárese El reportero del New York Times David sidente George H.W. Bush. etc., que conocen muy bien el sórdido para discutir, luchar y ganar para detener Halberstam en su libro de 1972, "El mejor El senador Marco Rubio, de Florida, historial político de la pandilla Trump una nueva calamidad. y el más brillante", un título que preten- cuya historia y creencias personales descrito anteriormente, sin embargo El presidente venezolano, Nicolás día ser irónico, describió cómo los genios coinciden con la conveniencia política de apoyan la intervención de los EUA contra Maduro, el verdadero presidente, advir- sobreestimaron la capacidad de los EUA ponerlo del lado de los exiliados cubanos, Venezuela. (Ver tinyurl.com/yx9xr2o3) tió de un conflicto "peor que Vietnam" si al tiempo que subestimaron a los vietna- nicaragüenses y venezolanos. Estos anti- Razón de más para aquellas/os den- Estados Unidos invade. Ese mensaje debe mitas y su liderazgo. guos oligarcas, capitalistas y sus seguido- tro de los EUA que queremos defender ser tomado en serio. q Ahora, casi 60 años después, otro grupo res ahora habitan en el estado de Rubio. a Venezuela de estos criminales para de altos funcionarios de EUA está lide- Mike Pence, el vicepresidente evangé- rando el cargo de una nueva cruzada reac- lico, anti-mujer, anti-LGBTQ, que tele- cionaria. Nadie los llamaría los mejores o foneó a Juan Guaidó para que anunciara Comentario de Mumia Abu-Jamal los más brillantes, incluso irónicamente. al día siguiente, 23 de enero, que era el Estos siete funcionarios están librando "presidente interino" de Venezuela. Venezuela y la legitimidad presidencial la agresión más abiertamente de lo habi- El secretario de estado Mike Pompeo, tual. Han declarado públicamente su ex jefe de la CIA, y el secretario de Por Mumia Abu-Jamal Electoral, una institución diseñada para objetivo: conquistar a Venezuela y apro- Hacienda, Steven Mnuchin, también negar la democracia a millones de africa- vecharse de sus recursos, especialmente anunciaron su intención de movilizar a El siguiente comentario, ligeramente nos y asegurar la hegemonía del sur. sus reservas de petróleo y oro, y tam- todos los títeres de América Latina y a los editado, fue escrito por el preso político ¿No es el supuesto Colegio Electoral bién restablecer la dominación completa socios menores imperialistas en Europa Mumia Abu-Jamal y publicado en Prison fundamentalmente ilegítimo? ¡El de EUA sobre el hemisferio occidental mientras intentan bloquear a Venezuela Radio. Colegio Electoral debería ser abolido de mediante el derrocamiento de los gobier- y robar sus propiedades. inmediato! nos de Cuba y Nicaragua. El propio Trump hace que su odio hacia Ahora el presidente de los Estados En una edición del 9 de septiembre de Lejos de ser genios, son personas cuya todos los que se encuentran al sur de la Unidos (Donald Trump) ha decidido que 2018 del New York Times, se reportó que principal y, a menudo, única cualificación frontera de los EUA (excepto sus lacayos) determinará quién es y quién no es el funcionarios de Trump se comunicaron es su disposición a decir las mentiras más sea enfático cada vez que tuitea. Uno se líder legítimo de un país extranjero. con oficiales militares venezolanos para extravagantes y cometer los crímenes más pregunta si sus "asesores" lo han conven- Dijo que Nicolás Maduro, de Venezuela, apoyar un golpe de estado contra el pre- atroces para lograr sus objetivos reaccio- cido de que será bienvenido en Caracas era ilegítimo y apoyó al opositor de sidente Maduro. narios y anti pueblo. Son los alimentado- para arrojar toallas de papel a las multi- Maduro para el liderazgo nacional del país. Durante gran parte de los siglos XIX res de fondo en la cloaca de funcionarios tudes, como lo hizo en Puerto Rico luego ¿Qué pasaría si Maduro declarara que y XX, los EUA decidieron quién debe- imperialistas. de ser devastado por los huracanes. Trump, quien recibió unos 3 millones de ría gobernar en América Latina, basán- Estos criminales incluyen: votos menos que su oponente, Hillary dose en disparates como la Doctrina El asesor de seguridad nacional John No menos peligroso Clinton, era ilegítimo? Monroe, un pretexto para el imperialismo Bolton, quien constantemente agita la gue- Cualquier venezolana/o u otra/o lati- ¿Quién escucharía? estadounidense. rra contra Irán, amenaza con la aniquila- noamericano con conciencia política En realidad, Trump se sienta en la Casa No nos equivoquemos, Monroe está de ción de la República Popular Democrática reconocerá fácilmente a esta pandilla Blanca solo por el artefacto de la era de vuelta. de Corea y es un perpetuo belicista. estadounidense como enemigos de su la esclavitud conocido como el Colegio ¡Qué lástima! q