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U.S. Steps up Offensive Against Cuba, Venezuela

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U.S. Steps up Offensive Against Cuba, Venezuela · AUSTRALIA $3.00 · CANADA $2.50 · FRANCE 2.00 EUROS · ICELAND KR200 · NEW ZEALAND $3.00 · SWEDEN KR15 · UK £1.00 · U.S. $1.50 INSIDE 2005 World Youth Festival to be held in Venezuela — PAGE 3 A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE VOL. 68/NO. 3 JANUARY 26, 2004 U.S. steps up offensive Utah strikers reject mine against Cuba, Venezuela bosses’ ploy Charges ‘destabilization’ to prepare expanded intervention of talks BY MARTÍN KOPPEL AND SAM MANUEL WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. offi - without cials have stepped up their campaign of smears and threats against Cuba and Venezuela, accusing both governments of seeking to destabilize other coun- UMWA tries in Latin America. Washington, BY GUILLERMO ESQUIVEL which has never accepted normal ties HUNTINGTON, Utah—Striking coal between revolutionary Cuba and the miners here have unanimously rejected government of President Hugo Chávez an attempt by CW Mining, also known as of Venezuela, is using this offensive to Co-Op, to negotiate a return to work under prepare intervention in the region of a the very same conditions that existed when different scope and character. they were locked out by the company more As part of this campaign, Wash- than three months ago. ington also unilaterally suspended The coal miners are fi ghting to win their twice-yearly talks with Cuba on the jobs back and to gain recognition of the implementation of immigration ac- United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) cords between the two countries. as their union. The company illegally fi red These moves came on the eve all 75 workers on September 22 when they of the Summit of the Americas in protested the unjust suspension of a co- Monterrey, Mexico, a gathering of all worker for union activity. the governments in the region except “The company is not proposing anything Cuba, which is excluded. Leading up new. They are just throwing crumbs at us,” to the meeting, which began January said Domingo Olivas, who has worked at 12, tensions also mounted between the Co-Op mine for six years. “They are Washington and the governments of Reuters/Jorge Silva not guaranteeing medical insurance, better Argentina and Brazil. Continued on Page 3 Speaking to reporters January 6, Farmers and other supporters of Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez rally January 10 Roger Noriega, assistant secretary of outside the Central Bank in Caracas. Chávez said that Washington’s stepped-up propa- state for Western Hemisphere affairs, ganda campaign seeks to prepare the ground for an attempt to overthrow his government, Continued on Page 9 whether by a military coup or an assassin’s bullet. N.Y. protest White House seeks temporary visa bill demands to gain tighter control over immigrants justice for BY MARTÍN KOPPEL taurants, garment and textile, construction, sions in the working class by establishing A proposed bill announced by U.S. presi- and meatpacking. a pariah layer with few rights and subject youth killed dent George Bush January 7 would allow The U.S. employers do not seek to drive to superexploitation. At the same time, undocumented immigrants who have jobs out undocumented workers. Rather, their the huge infl ux of immigrants has led to in the United States to apply for a tempo- goal is to reap added profi ts and foster divi- Continued on Page 7 rary three-year work visa. They would be by cops able to renew the permit, but would not re- ceive special consideration for permanent BY SALM KOLIS resident status or citizenship. West Coast meetings boost NEW YORK—Protesters against police If approved, such legislation would brutality gathered in the bitter cold Janu- create a category of workers dependent ary 10 outside the Rosario family home in on an employer to keep their legal status Headquarters Building Appeal the Bronx to mark the ninth anniversary and subject to deportation once their visas of the killing of Anthony Rosario, 18, BY NORTON SANDLER more effi cient. The windows will greatly and Hilton Vega, 21, by the cops on Jan. At a standing-room-only meeting held reduce street noise and facilitate editorial 12, 1995. Both men were shot lying face January 10 at the Pathfi nder Bookstore work,” Britton said. “We will also have to down on the fl oor by two New York police NEWS ANALYSIS in Seattle, nearly 50 people substan- rearrange the electric service, an expense detectives. tially raised the amount pledged to the we did not initially anticipate.” The demonstrators gathered in front of a expired. It would give federal authorities a 2004 Headquarters Building Appeal to A special committee monitors these mural depicting the two young men, which list of immigrant workers they could keep construct a new Pathfinder bookstore, expenses so the crew can stick to its Continued on Page 10 track of. And it would make it easier for the headquarters for the Socialist Workers budget. ruling class to carry out mass deportations Party, and the offi ces of the Militant and “This is going to be a headquarters we in the case of a depression. Perspectiva Mundial in the heart of New can be proud of,” he said. “When you step While many undocumented immigrants York City’s Garment District. off the elevator into the lobby area, the are expected to take a risk and apply for the During the event, which featured a fi rst thing you will see is a big seven-foot Also Inside: temporary worker visas, hoping to obtain presentation by Socialist Workers Party display window where Pathfi nder titles a measure of protection even if only for National Committee member Joel Britton, will be featured. This will be your walk- a few years, the measure is designed to those present boosted the goal for the Se- way into the Pathfi nder bookstore.” Health care is at center of defend the interests of the employers at the attle area by more than $5,800. Seattle As of January 13, $171,500 has been Canada paperworkers strike 2 expense of the rights of working people, supporters have set a fund-raising goal of pledged to the fund appeal with $74,100 particularly immigrant workers. $15,000, more than $11,000 of which has collected. “We have gotten a tremendous Mirta Vidal: lifelong socialist 4 The plan, one of several legislative already been collected. response to this appeal, but the next two proposals on immigration that are likely Britton is a chairperson of the 2004 weeks are decisive,” said Britton. “We to be debated in Congress over the coming Headquarters Building Appeal, along must collect the entire amount to keep How July 26 Movement in months, is a response to the needs of U.S. with Martín Koppel, Janice Prescott, and to the tight construction schedule, and Cuba appealed to soldiers, capitalists in the face of the unprecedented Arrin Hawkins. that will mean collecting $53,000 each youth to join revolutionary increase in the number of immigrant work- “We are appealing to supporters to week.” struggle in December 1956 6 ers who have been drawn to this country contribute $180,000. As the project has Those attending the Seattle forum also by U.S. imperialism. advanced, we decided to add new double- heard a presentation from Dean Denton, Prisoners in New Jersey Many sections of the U.S. economy rely pane glass windows to the budget. Mod- who had just returned from a week on immigration jail speak out heavily on the superexploited labor power ern windows, which will cost $30,000 to the construction crew at the new center from behind bars 11 of immigrant workers mainly from Latin purchase and install, will provide greater in New York. A display with photos of the America and the Caribbean, and Asia. insulation for the new headquarters to volunteers on the construction crew put- These include agriculture, hotels and res- make the heating and air conditioning Continued on Page 5 The Militant xxx xx, 2003 1 Socialists in UFCW campaign to win support for miners BY ANNE PARKER union members had distributed fact AND MAURICE WILLIAMS sheets at their packing plant. “One ST. PAUL, Minnesota—Socialist work- co-worker’s reaction was, ‘This is ers and Young Socialists employed in outrageous. Someone’s got to do meatpacking plants across the country met something about this.’ One guy put here December 20–21. They discussed the more money in the collection can after centrality of building solidarity in their another worker took some time to talk union, the United Food and Commercial with him to explain the importance of Workers (UFCW), with coal miners who the strike,” he said. are on strike in a fi ght for union recogni- Tom Fiske, a meat packer in Min- tion at the Co-Op mine in Huntington, nesota, reported on work in building Utah. They also discussed the political UFCW Local 789 in St. Paul, which work they carry out together with fellow has been involved in a number of workers and unionists to strengthen the union-organizing drives, from the UFCW itself. successful fi ght to organize the Da- The miners at Co-Op are fi ghting for a kota Premium Foods plant to ongo- union, for their jobs, and for safety and dig- ing union drives at poultry plants and Militant/Lisa Rottach nity, in what is currently the most important retail stores in Minneapolis. “Local 789 has also been involved United Food and Commercial Workers Local 271 members at Swift factory in Omaha, labor battle in the country. Nebraska, take plant-gate collection for Utah miners November 26. Building solidarity in A central issue in this struggle is safety.
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