FITUG in solidarity with Venezuelan working people

Dear Editor,

The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG), a major segment of the organised Guyanese working-class, has been following over the last months the situation in Venezuela, an important neighbouring country, with growing uneasiness and deep concern.

The street violence coming from the extreme right, a section of the political opposition is clearly aimed at destablisation of the Maduro Government – a constitutionally and democratically-based Government. We consider that the unleashed violence and its instigators find encouragement from the several intrusive statements made by the foreign ruling circles.

In the tension-filled situation, FITUG expresses appreciation of the several significant efforts made by the present Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to reach a compromise with the Opposition Parties and return the country to normalcy and continuing its pro-people development.

So far, unfortunately, the Opposition’s intransigence has led to little or inconsistent progress in this direction. The Opposition’s stances have revealed their insincerity to bring a halt to the existing situation. Their real intention, obviously, is to ensure a change of Government by violence rather than the democratic route.

FITUG has especially noted the expressions of solidarity coming from the Caribbean, extra-regional countries and many independent, conscientious, progressive and democratic forces to the Maduro Government.

The rule of imperialism, hand-in-glove with local reactionaries, have brought back memories of the past filled with horrifying violence and militaristic ventures, most notably, Chile of the 1970’s.

We of FITUG have taken cognizance of the new Constitutional initiative taken by President Maduro to address the on-going situation.

This effort relates to the decision to convene a Constituent Assembly which would continue to rely on democratic means to consolidate the country’s social achievement and chart a just destiny for the Venezuelan masses. We welcome this initiative and wish it all success.

As a neighbour, we are aware that developments over there can and will almost surely impact our own country one way or another. With this in mind, FITUG, a workers organization, is of the view that the National Constituent Assembly can lead to a halt of the violence, see an end to this assault on democracy and self-determination and ensure stability in our region.

We join with other democratic and peace-loving forces to express solidarity with Venezuela’s working-people and their leaders in this time of trials and also in the democratic institutions in their admirable struggles to defend democracy and the gains made over the recent years.

Sincerely,

FITUG