Thursday, November 03, 2005

Castro & Chavez Strike Again

Being a doctoral student, I get mails on conferences across the UK frequently. Today, however, instead of receiving information on conferences, I got information on the shameless brainwashing attempt these two dictators are trying to pull here in the United Kingdom. Read the pdf flyer here.

Under the name "Haciendo posible un mundo mejor" (mistranslated as "Making another world possible") this event will cover topics
From the Bolivarian revolution in Venezuela to resistance in Colombia; from Cuba's experience of socialism and the fight against the US blockade. From the struggles for the rights of indigenous peoples, to the struggle to finally control its own destiny - Latin America is changing.

From the southernmost tip of Patagonia to the Mexican-US border at the Rio Grande the continent is fighting back. Progressive forces are on the offensive and people are challenging the US neoliberal agenda for the region.

The speakers of this faux conference are, among others, members of Telesur's board, the executive producer of the shamelessly biased mockumentary "The Revolution will not be televised" and the author of propaganda pamphlets "In the Shadow of the Liberator: The Impact of Hugo Chavez on Venezuela and Latin America" and "Cuba: A New History" Richard Gott. Of course the world is better for them now. Are they going to talk about their lucrative activities under the dictatorships or what?. The only thing missing from here are MAS representatives.

Finally, in case things were not clear, the event is
Organised by Venezuela Information Centre /Cuba Solidarity Campaign /Transport & General Workers Union

Brainwashing is on.

A copy of the email I got is below.

Dear Friends

Please find attached information on the Latin America 2005, a major conference featuring speakers from Cuba, Latin America and the UK, which will take place on Saturday 3 December in central London. I hope that you will be able to distribute this information amongst your staff and students. Leaflets are available on request. The information below includes a link to to the flyer (PDF file).

Many thanks

LATIN AMERICA 2005

Making Another World Possible: Haciendo possible un mundo mejor

SATURDAY 3rd Dec 2005

9.30am - 5pm

NUT, Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London WC1
Nearest tube: Kings Cross/Euston


Get the flyer (PDF).


From the Bolivarian revolution in Venezuela to resistance in Colombia; from Cuba's experience of socialism and the fight against the US blockade. From the struggles for the rights of indigenous peoples, to the struggle to finally control its own destiny - Latin America is changing.

From the southernmost tip of Patagonia to the Mexican-US border at the Rio Grande the continent is fighting back. Progressive forces are on the offensive and people are challenging the US neoliberal agenda for the region.

Latin America 2005 brings together trade unionists, NGOs, academics and progressive movements from Latin America and the UK to explore recent developments across the region. Latin America 2005 features films, music, discussion on:

VENEZUELA’S BOLIVARIAN REVOLUTION
INDIGENOUS IDENTITY
LATIN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES IN THE UK
CUBA AND THE FIGHT AGAINST THE BLOCKADE
WOMEN IN LATIN AMERICA
US MILITARISATION OF LATIN AMERICA
RESISTANCE TO NEOLIBERAL AGENDAS AND DEBT
THE MIAMI FIVE
WHAT NEXT FOR THE BRAZILIAN LEFT?

Guest speakers including:

TARIQ ALI: Author and broadcaster. Member of Telesur advisory board
TONY BENN
SUE BRANFORD: Author and journalist. Chair, Latin America Bureau
BARRY CAMFIELD: Assistant General Secretary, Transport and General Workers Union
NORA CASTAÑEDA: President, Women’s Development Bank, Venezuela
JEREMY CORBYN MP
JOHN CRABTREE: Latin America Centre, Oxford University
RICHARD GOTT: Author and journalist
JENNY PEARCE: Department of Peace Studies, University of Bradford
OLGA SALANUEVA: Cuba, Campaign to Free the Miami Five
ISAAC SANEY: Author “Cuba - A Revolution in motion”
ROD STONEMAN: Executive Producer “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”

Registration £8 waged (£6 unwaged)
REGISTER IN ADVANCE BY CREDIT CARD AT 020 7263 6452
OR SEND PAYMENT TO: Cuba Solidarity Campaign (LA2005), c/o Red Rose Club, 129 Seven Sisters Road, London N7 7QG

Organised by Venezuela Information Centre /Cuba Solidarity Campaign /Transport & General Workers Union

Supported by Brazil Network, Caribbean Labour Solidarity, Central America Women's Network, Haiti Support Group, Justice for Colombia, Latin America Bureau, Latin American Elderly Project, Liberation, Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign, Noticias Latin America, One World Action, Peru Support Group, Transport & General Workers Union, War on Want


More info contact CSC: 020 7263 6452 or see website:

http://www.cuba-solidarity.org.uk/events.asp?EventID=61

Trish Meehan
CSC Office
admin@cuba-solidarity.org.uk
Cuba Solidarity Campaign
Tel. 0207 263 6452
Fax. 0207 561 0191
c/o Red Rose Club,
129 Seven Sisters Rd,
London N7 7QG
http://www.cuba-solidarity.org.uk



, , ,

4 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hello there!

Why would you say this is brainwashing?

What is your opinion of Evo Morales and the protest against bush in Argentina?

9:36 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I know John Crabtree. He is a pol sci prof. Althoug, it really puzzles me what is he doing there?

And yes, please tell us, what do you think about Evo in Argentina? :-)

5:08 PM  
Blogger JRO said...

Propaganda is only brainwashing when you let it be so. Don't fret over these particular lefties. Harmless.

1:03 AM  
Blogger Alvaro Ruiz-Navajas said...

I thinlk that regardless all the leftist-propaganda, the summit was a success for FTAA. Only 5 countries rejected the agreement, but as Fox said, the FTAA can (and will) go on without them. In addition, I guess it is just a matter of time before 4 of these countries agree the terms of the agreement.
As for Evo, I think he just saw an opportunity to grab the spotlight and took it. Of course, in the end he showed he is just a sideshow bob for Chavez. I can only hope people in Bolivia realize that he is only Chavez's new puppet.
Finally, Jonathan, I agree with you. But you have to remember that you don't hear much about Latin America here in the UK (unless you talk about football), so most people are terribly uniformed about what goes on there. Many people are going to take what they hear at face value and that is what worries me.

11:00 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home