| The rally was attended by several key figures in Britain, including Jeremy Corbyn, a parliamentarian running to lead the Labour Party reports Telesur English A London rally, held Thursday June 4, calling on the United States to end the sanctions on Venezuela and its interventions into the South American nation’s internal affairs was packed full. The event heard from speakers from across U.K. political and social movements as well as prominent U.S. progressive figures. One of the keynote speakers at the event, British lawmaker Jeremy Corbyn, addressed how Latin America has been at the forefront of challenging the free market corporate domination that dominated Latin American governments for decades. The rally heard from other politicians, including Member of Parliament Grahame Morris and Neil Findlay, a member of the Scottish Parliament, both of whom have visited Venezuela to witness the electoral processes that have seen supporters of Hugo Chavez winning election after election over the past 15 years. Morris said that today “the progressive path of Chavez is continued by Nicolas Maduro, a former bus driver,” noting the government was made up of and served ordinary working people. Findlay said that the wave of progressive governments in Latin America today has seen public services increase and infant mortality cut. He reminded the audience of the shock doctrine and U.S-backed coups and dictatorships afflicted in Latin America in the past. From the United States, ?Mark Weisbrot, an economist and co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington, D.C., said that despite the media distortions against Venezuela there are success stories such as poverty from 44 percent to 28 percent. He said progressives need to “fight for the sovereignty of the entire regions.” U.S. peace activist Medea Benjamin from the renowned Code Pink, attended the rally and said that Venezuela, which nationalized vast oil reserves long controlled by multinationals, “threatens the neoliberal world order of empire and aggression.” Benjamin received huge huge applause for quoting Hugo Chavez on Latin America uniting with U.S. citizens against imperialism. Prominent U.K. peace activist Bruce Kent ridiculed the idea that Venezuela is a threat to the U.S: “The idea that Venezuela threatens the USA rather than the other way round is frankly cobblers and we should say and say so very loud,” he said. |