V enezuela’s Bolivarian Revolution continues to capture the imagination of those looking for new models of hope, dignity and sovereignty in Latin America, while defying categories and expectations.

As the worlds fifth largest oil producer, Venezuela has been radically re-directing oil profits to its citizens via sweeping projects in education, health care, job training, and infrastructure, along with the creation of cooperatives and community councils. This has led to a significant drop in poverty rates, the virtual elimination of illiteracy, and a sustained economic growth that can be felt in even the most remote of Venezuela’s barrios and villages. There is a palpable sense of dignity in citizens who for the first time are becoming protagonists in the shaping of their country. Venezuela continues to play the leading role in the emerging integration of South American nations. The recent liberation of two important figures held by Colombia’s FARC was negotiated by Chavez and brought a collective sigh of relief throughout South America. Numerous initiatives of economic, political and cultural integration have been set into motion by Venezuela, such as the Bank of the South, Petro Caribe, and Telesur. Another example of Venezuela´s leadership was the 2004 decision of President Chavez to withdraw Venezuelan troops from the School of the Americas, leading to similar decisions on the parts of the governments of Argentina, Uruguay, Boliviaand Costa Rica. The Bolivarian revolution has also had its setbacks. A year after President Hugo Chavez was elected by a landslide 63% majority in December 2006, his mandate for “socialism of the 21st century” seemed to be unstoppable. The proposed reforms for sweeping socialist constitutional changes lost by a fraction of one percentage point. Cast as a dictator by the international press, Chavez upended world opinion upon readily accepting defeat. Even his fiercest detractors reluctantly admitted that democracy is, indeed, alive and well in Venezuela. Chavez himself was surprised by the vote, the only defeat in a series of 11 elections over 9 years for the Bolivarian Revolution. Not one to take defeat lying down, Chavez quickly proclaimed the new motto of the revolution to be the “three Rs”: Revision, Rectification and Re-launching. Some idealist struggles will be put aside while the government focuses on such mundane issues as crime, corruption, food shortages and inefficient bureaucracy that are overwhelming citizens. Destinations: Participants will spend time both in the urban areas of Caracas and Barquisimeto, the rural area of Sanare in the foothills of the Andes and a charming fishing and cocao villiage on the lovely Caribbean coast of Aragua. They will have the chance to meet with government and opposition leaders, visit local communities to experience the many social programs, visit cooperatives, community television and radio stations, as well as dance to the rhythms of Afro-Venezuelan drums and soak up the beauty of a cloud forest. Group Leader: The 10-day delegation will be led by Lisa Sullivan and her son Pachi Rodriguez. Lisa has lived in Venezuela for 20 years, and is the Latin America Coordinator for School of the Americas Watch.

Pachi is an Earlam student in the US and was born and raised in Venezuela.

<!–[endif]–>Partial scholarships are available.For more information and an application, please contact Dale: 415/924-3227 or geodale1@earthlink.net.Co-sponsors: Task Force on the Americas, SOA Watch and Venezuela Solidarity Network

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