Minneapolis: Successful Venezuela Film Premiere

On Friday, February 17, over 30 people braved the -10 below zero weather to attend the Minneapolis Premiere of "The Old Man and Jesus: Prophets of Rebellion".  The latest film by the Calle y Media collective follows the lives of two homeless people in Caracas during the bosses' sabotage of the oil industry in late 2002. This inspiring documentary shows just how deep the revolutionary consciousness of the Venezuelan masses flows.  The passion and revolutionary fervor of the most downtrodden members of society should give us all hope that another world is indeed possible.

The film was well-received (with an ovation), and was followed by a wide-ranging discussion facilitated by supporters of Hands Off Venezuela.  Interest in Venezuela is growing rapidly in Minneapolis and around the country, and with U.S. intervention sure to increase during the upcoming Venezuelan Presidential elections, it is important that we organize energetically to prevent it.  There are many lessons we in the U.S. can learn from the Venezuelan revolutionary process, and this is precisely why the U.S. government has its sights on Chavez and the Bolivarian masses.

Several people signed up to learn more about HOV and local solidarity activities, and we raised some money towards building the campaign. We have several events planned for the coming months, including a report back on the Venezuela Solidarity Conferences taking place in New York and Washington, DC.  Stay tuned for details.

We thank everyone for coming out on that brutally cold night (the coldest in 2 years!), and thanks to Mapps Coffee and Tea for having us; we hope to show more films at Mapps in the near future. We encourage you to get involved with building the Hands Off Venezuela Campaign; there is a lot of work to be done!

We invite you to attend our next event:

Minneapolis Film Showing: "Venezuela Bolivariana"

***PLEASE DISTRIBUTE WIDELY***

WHAT: An Introduction to the Venezuelan Revolution: A Presentation and Discussion on the film "Venezuela Bolivariana"

WHERE: Waite House (2529 13th Ave. S. in Minneapolis)

WHEN: Friday, February 24th at 6:00 pm

This 76-minute documentary by Venezuelan film maker Marcelo Andrade examines the Venezuelan Revolution as connected to the worldwide movement against capitalist globalization. The main theme is how the Bolivarian Revolution, thanks to its incredible grassroots and networking power, transcends the national frontiers of Venezuela and contributes with concrete alternatives in the fight against neoliberal capitalism. Covering the period from the 1989 "Caracazo" to the April 2002 coup against Chavez and beyond, this is a must-see film and an excellent introduction to what is happening today in Venezuela. A discussion on the film and recent events in Venezuela will follow.

We will also be reporting on the upcoming Venezuela Solidarity Conference to be held in Washington, DC on March 4-6. Help us send a delegation to this important meeting!

For more information, or to join our Twin Cities mailing list, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 651-373-7609

"Venezuela Bolivariana", "The Old Man and Jesus", and other films are available at: http://www.ushov.org/content/view/17/30/