Venezuela: the disturbing message of Robert Serra’s murder
You may remember we wrote to you last week about the murder of Socialist Parliamentarian Roberto Serra in Venezuela. I am writing to thank you all for your messages of support & to let you know we have all helped to break the collective media silence on the matter. In today’s Guardian our letter on the issue – signed by a cross section of figures from across British society – has been published.
The letter notes that, “Worryingly, Serra’s murder joins the list of other assassinations of government figures and the situation resembles the prelude to the overthrow of Salvador Allende in Chile, when sections of the Chilean opposition did not distance themselves from violent actions, including the assassination of a general,” concluding that, “We condemn this murder and other examples of extreme, anti-democratic violence aimed at destabilising Venezuela’s elected government.”
You can read the text and signatories as published below & the original source here. Please forward this email & circulate widely through social media.
Our thanks in advance. No doubt we will be in touch again soon as our campaign continues against both US intervention & anti-democratic, violent right-wing destabilisation in Venezuela.
Yours in Solidarity,
Matt Willgress, VSC National Co-ordinator
LETTER PUBLISHED IN THE GUARDIAN, OCTOBER 10, 2014
We express our condolences and solidarity to Venezuela following the murder of Robert Serra (27), the national assembly’s youngest parliamentarian, who was found dead in his home on October 1 (theguardian.com, 8 October).
Government officials have stated it was tied to a terrorist plot from extreme elements of the rightwing opposition, with the secretary general of the Union of South American Nations, former Colombian president Ernesto Samper, saying: “The assassination of the young legislator Robert Serra in Venezuela is a worrying sign of the infiltration of Colombian paramilitarism.”
Worryingly, Serra’s murder joins the list of other assassinations of government figures and the situation resembles the prelude to the overthrow of Salvador Allende in Chile, when sections of the Chilean opposition did not distance themselves from violent actions, including the assassination of a general.
We condemn this murder and other examples of extreme, anti-democratic violence aimed at destabilising Venezuela’s elected government.
Yours,
Ken Livingstone President, Venezuela Solidarity Campaign, Colin Burgon Labour Friends of Venezuela, Tariq Ali, Diane Abbott MP, Baroness Janet Royall Leader of the opposition in the House of Lords, Tony Burke Assistant general secretary, Unite the Union, Mike Wood MP, Elaine Smith MSP, Lord Nic Rea, George Galloway MP, Neil Findlay MSP, Katy Clark MP, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Mike Hedges, Welsh AM, Jenny Rathbone Welsh AM, John McDonnell MP, Michael Connarty MP, Kate Hudson General Secretary, CND,Lindsey GermanConvenor, Stop the War Coalition, Salma Yaqoob, Andy De La Tour, Victoria Brittain, Billy Hayes, General secretary, CWU, Mick WhelanGeneral secretary, Aslef, Doug Nicholls General secretary, General Federation of Trade Unions, Ronnie Draper General Secretary, BFAWU,Roger McKenzie Assistant general secretary, Unison,Professor Peter Hallward Kingston University, Dr Francisco Dominguez, Head, Centre for Latin American Studies, Middlesex University & over 100 more people from across British civil society.
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