Venezuelan Regional Meeting: December 1, 2018

The regional meeting of the ICP in Venezuela was held with revolutionary enthusiasm. We discussed the following topics.

Most importantly: the serious situation of workers and trade unions.

In August, the government announced a change of the currency (the “sovereign bolivar”), which corresponded to a minimum wage of 1,800 bolivars, about 16 dollars a month! At the same time it removed many items from the “Carnet de la patria” (a combined national ID and rations card). In November, the minimum wage was raised to 4,500 bolivars, but now, due to the devaluation of the currency, it is equivalent to only 12 dollars. At the same time, food prices have risen and inflation has accelerated.

In the first half of 2018 there were wage conflicts in the health sector and among electrical power workers. The workers’ wages are now made up of 40% wages and 60% state bonuses: the nurses have rejected the bonuses method and asked that the wages cover the cost of food.

In the second half of the year, discontent increased due to low wages and in November a so-called “Intersectorial de Trabajadores” was formed, which does not seem to be controlled by pro-government or opposition movements, but to be a movement of unions and grassroots trade unionists, focused on the demand for better wages and working conditions.

This movement had called for a demonstration in Caracas on November 28th, but the government prevented it by blocking the roads. On the same day, the Secretary General of the Orinoco Iron Miners’ union was arrested and brought before a military court, which ordered his detention in Pica prison. The day before, nine Iron Miners were arrested and imprisoned in El Dorado Prison, in the State of Bolivar. This stopped the protests and the government was not forced to resort to more widespread repression.

We have decided that our section will distribute a leaflet at the next meeting of the “Intersectorial de Trabajadores”. We will also promote class positions through constituent unions that we have contacts and influence in. We will also work on a report for the party on the situation of Venezuelan workers, their survival mechanisms and the factors which explain why they cannot mobilize against the government’s anti-labor policies.

Our other activities include translations, in particular of the reports presented at previous general meetings, which will be published in our periodical El Partido Comunista n.14, which is expected to be completed by January 15.

It was then decided to devote part of the funds available for the reproduction of some additional copies of El Partido Comunista n.13 and a leaflet.

Finally, the calendar of regional meetings of the party was established and established how to participate in general meetings and how to maintain a close and regular link with European comrades.