- Conference
- 2008 National Black Members' Conference
- Date
- 15 September 2007
- Decision
- Carried
Conference notes that President Hugo Chavez’s government in Venezuela has introduced a number of inspiring social reforms since his first election in 1998.
Previously, despite Venezuela’s oil wealth, 80% of the population, mostly people of African, indigenous Indian and mixed-race origin, lived below the poverty line without access to basic services.
Now, for the first time, free healthcare has been extended to the majority and UNESCO (the United Nations’ Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) has declared that mass illiteracy has been eliminated. University and college education is free, and trade union rights have been reinforced.
Across the Caribbean and Latin America, the Venezuelan government’s ‘Operation Miracle’ has funded free eye operations for more than 400,000 people.
President Chavez has created a state-owned oil company, PetroCaribe, which gives preferential oil deals to Caribbean countries to boost their economies and social infrastructure. He is setting a similar company, PetroAfrique, to support African countries.
Since 1998, Venezuela has had more democratic elections than any country in the world. President Chavez’s policies have won each time.
Since being re-elected in December 2006, Hugo Chavez has accelerated progress, devolved power to communities and re-distributed more wealth.
Conference believes that Hugo Chavez’s actions have reduced Latin America and the Caribbean’s economic dependency on US aid.
George Bush’s administration has instituted an international campaign to isolate President Chavez – showing that it has no care for democracy or the Venezuelans’ welfare.
Conference instructs the National Black Members’ Committee (NBMC) to work with the National Executive Council (NEC) to:
1.Support the Venezuela Information Centre to inform UNISON’s Black members of progressive change in Venezuela and support their right to determine their own affairs free from foreign (US) interference;
2.Encourage members’ engagement with work being done in Venezuela and produce a briefing on how we can raise awareness of this in branches and regions.