No subject

As activists in the Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network and the DSP=2C=
 we=92ve decided to reply to Jorge and Roberto=92s claims specifically a=
bout the DSP and Latin America solidarity activity=2E We are doing this =
for the record and for the information of those who are not involved in =
the AVSN=2C but also in the hope that Jorge and Roberto will recognise t=
he truth of what we say and not allow their differences with the DSP=92s=
 analysis of Australian politics and party building drive them to underm=
ine the tremendous solidarity with the Venezuelan revolution that the AV=
SN has been able to build over the last few years=2E

Yes=2C DSP members make up a significant proportion of the active AVSN m=
embership=2E Many=2C but not all=2C of the conveners of local AVSN commi=
ttees are DSP members=2C and two of the three AVSN national coordinating=
 committee members are in the DSP=2E This level of DSP activity in AVSN =
reflects the party=92s commitment to strengthening Australian solidarity=
 with the Venezuelan revolution and flows=2C historically=2C from the DS=
P=92s early (compared to other Australian parties=92) recognition of the=
 significance of the Bolivarian revolution for world politics=2E  =


But the AVSN also includes members of the Greens=2C two other communist =
parties and the Australian Labor Party=2C as well as members of the Aust=
ralian committees of left parties from other countries (such as the FMLN=
 and the Chilean CP) and a growing number of non-party members=2E

The AVSN is a thoroughly open and inclusive organisation - an approach s=
trongly promoted by the DSP members in AVSN - and actively encourages th=
e participation in its decision-making meetings=2C public forums=2C soli=
darity brigades and other activities of everyone who supports the Venezu=
elan revolution=2E The AVSN=2C with DSP members=92 full support=2C has g=
one out of its way since Jorge=2C Roberto and others formed Direct Actio=
n and the Bolivarian Circles (later renamed CLASS) to ensure that the Jo=
rqueras and other members of their organisations are encouraged to play =
as active a role in the AVSN as they want to=2E =

 =

Soon after leaving the DSP=2C Jorge and Roberto=2C along with a handful =
of other Latin America solidarity activists in Melbourne=2C established =
the =93Bolivarian Circle=94=2E This was done without any discussion in t=
he local AVSN committee=2C in which Jorge and Roberto were very active a=
t the time=2E Jorge and Roberto argued that their Bolivarian Circle had =
a broader scope than simply solidarity with Venezuela and therefore did =
not divide the solidarity campaign=2C and it was clear that they had dec=
ided to move some of their time and energy away from Venezuela solidarit=
y specifically=2C in order to campaign around other struggles in Latin A=
merica=2E

After refocusing their efforts onto establishing the Bolivarian Circles=2C=
 both Jorge and Roberto were elected (with the full support of all the D=
SP members involved) onto the AVSN national coordinating committee=2E Al=
so elected onto that five-person committee were a CPA member active in A=
delaide AVSN and two DSP members involved in the AVSN in Sydney and Canb=
erra=2E Despite having a significant number if not a majority of active =
members in AVSN at that time=2C the DSP willingly supported a national c=
oordinating committee on which it was a minority =96 hardly the actions =
of a party wanting absolute =93control=94=2E

The efforts by the DSP and AVSN to ensure that the Jorqueras=92 formatio=
n of the Bolivarian Circles/CLASS did not become in effect a =93split=94=
 in the solidarity movement=2C and to safeguard the AVSN=92s breadth and=
 inclusivity=2C was only partially successful=2E Jorge decided soon afte=
r being elected to the AVSN national coordinating committee that he did =
not want to participate in it (Roberto stayed on as DA=92s representativ=
e in AVSN) and instead focused on building Direct Action/Bolivarian Circ=
les/CLASS=2C and Bolivarian Circles began to be formed in other cities=2E=


Of course=2C Jorge has every right to make his own choices about how to =
spend his activist time and energy=2C  but blaming the DSP for denigrati=
ng his work is completely disingenuous given the lengths the AVSN and th=
e DSP went to to prevent disunity=2E Jorge has made no such claims of be=
ing undermined to the DSP or AVSN before now (because there=92s been no =
reason to) and we are a bit stunned that they are being made now=2C afte=
r a couple of years of what we (and the rest of the AVSN) thought was a =
reasonable ongoing collaboration with CLASS - including Roberto=92s posi=
tion as one of two AVSN National Coordinators and the close collaboratio=
n with him in the AVSN national coordinating committee=2E

The DSP (and the AVSN) took as good coin the Jorqueras=92 explanation fo=
r why they established the Bolivarian Circles/CLASS - that they would co=
ntinue to carry out their Venezuela solidarity work specifically through=
 AVSN so as to not divide that solidarity campaign=2C and use CLASS to b=
uild solidarity with struggles in other countries Latin America=2E On th=
at basis=2C we have encouraged CLASS to become an affiliate of AVSN=2C i=
ncluded CLASS members in all invitations to AVSN meetings and events=2C =
and encouraged CLASS to participate as fully as they wish to in the AVSN=
=92s decision-making=2E

How this is denigrating or undermining CLASS we have no idea=2E

Jorge and Roberto accuse that =93Any work done outside their =5BDSP=92s=5D=
 framework and sphere of influence is simply labelled =60trying to destr=
oy the movement=92=94=2E This is completely baseless=2C the result of ei=
ther wilful misinformation fed to them from =93inside=94 the DSP or para=
noia=2E Certainly=2C the DSP (and non-DSP) members in AVSN openly argued=
 with Roberto and Jorge that a broad=2C united Venezuela solidarity orga=
nisation would produce a stronger and more effective solidarity movement=
 in Australia=2C but the DSP (nor AVSN) has never argued =96 publicly or=
 internally - that CLASS is trying to destroy the movement nor acted to =
undermine CLASS=92s work=2E

On the contrary=2C DSP members (and other AVSN members) have been patent=
ly constructive and collaborative in relation to CLASS =96 something tha=
t Jorge=2C Roberto and other members of CLASS know to be true=2E This in=
cludes=3A consistently publicising CLASS=92s Venezuela-related activitie=
s on the AVSN website=2C national newsletter and elists=3B organising jo=
int public events with CLASS=3B attending and supporting CLASS=92s own f=
orums=3B working very closely with a range of CLASS members to organise =
the successful Latin America =26 Asia Pacific International Solidarity F=
orum last October=3B actively supporting CLASS initiatives in solidarity=
 with Colombia=3B and providing assistance with finances and articles fo=
r CLASS=92s new theoretical journal on Latin American politics=2E

Finally=2C in response to Jorge and Roberto=92s bizarre assertion that =93=
Apparently you can only support the Venezuelan revolution if you support=
 the leadership clique of the DSP=94=2C all we can do is suggest that Jo=
rge and Roberto actually talk to some of the extremely committed  non-DS=
P Venezuela solidarity activists who work alongside DSP members in AVSN =
committees every week and ask them if they think they are supporting the=
 Venezuelan revolution=2E They most certainly are - despite not even kno=
wing about=2C let alone =93supporting=94=2C this mythical =93DSP leaders=
hip clique=94=2E Jorge and Roberto=92s dismissal of  those activists=92 =
solidarity activity in AVSN is arrogant and does nothing to help build a=
 broader and stronger solidarity movement=2E

Over the last four years=2C the AVSN - with a lot of support from the DS=
P - has organised more than 150 people in eight solidarity brigades to V=
enezuela=2C established local AVSN committees in six cities=2C hosted na=
tional speaking tours of Venezuelan revolutionaries=2C produced radio an=
d TV programs about Venezuela=2C spoken at numerous campuses=2C workplac=
es=2C public forums and community organisations=92 meetings=2C etc=2E Th=
ese activities have won many supporters for the Venezuelan people=92s st=
ruggles=2C and they can win many more as the Bolivarian revolution conti=
nues to develop and show that another world is possible=2E We urge Jorge=
 and Roberto to engage in this debate responsibly and honestly=2C if onl=
y to preserve and strengthen the vital solidarity with Venezuela that we=
 have all contributed to building over the last few years=2E