The campaign captures UEA students' imagination

On Monday 10^th October Hands Off Venezuela, together with activists and students at the University of East Anglia, jointly held a video showing of Venezuela Bolivariana. Jorge Martin and Hazel Marsh, a lecturer at University of East Anglia and expert on Latin America, were present, in an attempt to promote awareness and solidarity with our cause and set up a Hands Off Venezuela society in campus.

Last week we reported about the HOV stall at the fresher’s fair, where we received 35 signatures of people who were interested, and we had anticipated up to 50 people coming to the showing of Venezuela Bolivariana on 10^th October. In the week leading up to the event posters promoting it were put up around campus to heighten awareness, and Hazel did great work in sending round emails to all of her students and linking the event to anything and anyone involved in Spanish or Latin American studies. As a result, 160 people came to the viewing and talk by Jorge Martin and participated in a lively question and answer session. Needless to say, there were a few dissenters in the audience, one of whom was a Venezuelan who insisted the film was propaganda sanctioned by Chavez, against all evidence, while another insisted Chavez has supernatural séances with Bolivar (although he later admitted this was just hearsay in certain sections of Latin American society!). However, their questions were answered resoundingly by Jorge, and the general mood and attitude of the audience was extremely positive and participatory.

After the questions and answers were resolved there was a brief book sale with more personal questions on Venezuela. Again this was very positive and encouraging, with many people expressing their desire to help in the society and some even inquired on whether they could be part of the delegation to Caracas for the World Social Forum in January, not something you expect from 19 year old students in the middle of a degree!

We have arranged for a social on Monday 17^th October for all the activists to meet each other and discuss the future of the group and formulate ideas for events. We are also planning to show The Revolution Will Not Be Televised to students in the near future. Monday should also be the day we acquire status as an official UEA students society, allowing us access to a grant of roughly £300-400.

At the moment the group is in its very earliest stages of infancy and there is much to be resolved and made concrete, but all the signs are that UEA will provide Hands Off Venezuela with an excellent platform for extending solidarity towards the Venezuelan people and their revolution. So far all our expectations have been exceeded by staff and students alike at this university, and there is an extremely exciting progressive vibe which must be encouraged and expanded.