We have received news of the assassination of three prominent trade union leaders in Venezuela. Their comrades point the finger at the bosses in the Colombian owned Alpina factory, where the workers are on struggle and where the three killed comrades were coming from. They also point out the responsibility of Didalco Boliviar, former governor of Aragua, defeated in the regional elections last week. Didalco, was elected on a Bolivarian ticket but then joined the opposition, and was known for his support for the bosses and the use of the regional police against the workers. The International Marxist Tendency unites its voice to the condemnation of these killings and calls on the Venezuelan working class to stay firm, organise and continue the struggle for socialism, as well as to join all the protest actions that are being prepared. Below we reproduce the statement of the CMR and FRETECO

CMR and FRETECO condemn the fascist killing of trade unionists in Aragua

In the early hours of today, Friday, November 28, we have learnt about the assassination of Richard Gallardo, Luis Hernandez and Carlos Requena, well known workers' leaders in the Aragua state and members of the Socialist Left Union (USI). The Revolutionary Marxist Current (CMR) and FRETECO (Revolutionary Front of Workers in Occupied Factories) want to express our strongest condemnation of these killings, which represent an attack against the working class of Aragua and of Venezuela as a whole. At the same time we would like to send our condolences to their friends, comrades and families. 

This crime is a proof that sicariato (political killings) is a real threat to the revolutionary movement and has been encouraged by the impunity enjoyed by the counter-revolutionary criminals, who organise and finance these contract killings. There is no doubt that the limited advances of the counter-revolution in the regional elections has emboldened the fascist gangs, as we are already witnessing in a number of states where the opposition won. These comrades are the first victims in this offensive by the counter-revolutionary gangs. The aim of this crime is to behead the trade union movement in Aragua, eliminating its most prominent leaders. Those who benefit from this crime are the bosses in Aragua and in Venezuela, against whom these comrades had been fighting for decades. The workers of Aragua, amongst the most militant in Venezuela will not be cowed and must continue the road of organisation and struggled which the slain comrades advocated. 

The CMR demands those guilty for this crime, both material and intellectual authors, should be arrested and put on trial. We make an appeal to the working class to organise in the factories and mobilise against counter-revolutionary threats, through the setting up of self-defence committees to prevent attacks by the bosses and the right wing which are prepared to kill the workers of Venezuela. At the same time it is more important than ever to organise the occupation and take over of factories by the workers in order to put an end to the private property of the means of production in Venezuela. The best homage we can pay to these comrades is to continue the struggle for the victory of the socialist revolution, which they dedicated all their energies to. 

Source: Corriente Marxista Revolucionaria