Trade Union Leader Luis Primo (Venezuelan UNT) in Tucson, AZ

Luis Primo's only tour stop away from the West Coast was a visit to Tucson, AZ on the same day Vice President Dick Cheney was in town.  In a land where the issue of immigration from Latin America is a question of life and death (hundreds die each year attempting to cross the arid deserts of Arizona), Primo spoke to an enthusiastic crowd of trade unionists, youth, and social activists.

The tone for the evening was set by the outstanding Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Jose Saavedra, and singer-activist Ted Warmbrand's moving banjo-backed rendition of "Who's Side Are You On?" and a song about 2 young immigrant rights activists from Arizona who face 15 years in prison for the "crime" of helping immigrants survive the desert crossing.

Jose Saavedra

Ted Warmbrand

Primo's exposition of the history of the CTV and the emergence of the UNT was met with great interest.  He emphasized the need to link up the various struggles emerging in the US: the anti-war movement, the movement for immigrant rights, the labor movement, the movements to close the NED and the School of the Americas, etc. He explained that every little victory we achieve here in the US is a victory for the world revolution.  Primo's message was enthusastically applauded and his call for genuine democracy - participatory democracy - as opposed to "false" representative democracy, was also appreciated by the audience, which asked a variety of questions after his speech.

Thanks to all those who worked to organize this successful event, in particular SOAS Watch, and to all those who showed such generous hospitality during Primo's brief stay in Arizona.