Alan stressed that the Venezuelan revolution finds itself at an extremely critical stage. At every decisive turning point, the Bolivarian masses have fought with all their might to defend the revolution. Now the revolution must be completed.
After a very successful speaking tour throughout the western part of Venezuela, covering Caracas, Barinas, Portuguesa and Mérida, Alan Woods spoke on Monday, November 23, in the enormous SIDOR steel-works located in the east of Venezuela, in Puerto Ordáz, Bolívar State.
The meeting was arranged by the CMR in cooperation with the Revolutionary Front of Steelworkers (FRTS), which has conducted a constant fight for the implementation of genuine workers' control in SIDOR. Before the meeting Alan was taken on a guided tour to see the gigantic installations of the steelworks which is the second largest in Latin America and employs 15,000 workers and sub-contracted employees. He also had the opportunity to have a meeting with the comrades of the FRTS who were very enthusiastic about Alan's visit and explained to him in detail how they are conducting revolutionary work in the factory.
At half past three in the afternoon, the meeting opened in the big theatre of SIDOR. 250 workers and youth attended. Among the participants there were workers from SIDOR, ALCASA and CARBONORCA. There were also an important number of young people from Ciudad Bolívar, students from the Bolivarian University and from UNEFA (University of the Armed Forces).
After two brief introductions of Jésus Pino, one of the leaders of the FRTS, and Elisabeth Alves of the CMR-Bolívar, Alan gave his speech. Speaking on the subject “The World Capitalist Crisis and the Bolivarian Revolution”, Alan explained how the World Economy has entered into the worst crisis since the 1930s and how this fact is reflected in every corner of the world. While the strategists of the bourgeoisie were euphoric 20 years ago with the fall of the Berlin Wall, now these illusions have turned into dust! What we have witnessed is not a peaceful, harmonic development of Capitalism, but a period of turbulence, wars, revolutions and counter-revolutions.
Alan went on to stress that the Venezuelan revolution finds itself at an extremely critical stage. At every decisive turning point, the Bolivarian masses have fought with all their might to defend the revolution. Alan asked the audience the following question; “In 2002, who defeated the coup d’état and who saved the revolution?” The audience shouted, “The People, the people!” Alan then asked who defeated the December 2002 Bosses Lockout, and the audience shouted, “The workers, the workers!”
However, while the masses have been the motor force of the revolution, there are now serious signs of discontent in the rank and file of the Bolivarian revolution and in the PSUV in particular. The masses want clear, decisive action in order to defeat the counter-revolution and complete the Socialist Revolution.
Turning specifically to the SIDOR workers, Alan pointed out that he had visited the factory for the first time in June 2008, just two months after the nationalisation of the plant and explained, “In my last visit I saw a huge enthusiasm as a product of the speeches of Chávez who had insisted on the need for a ‘Socialist factory’ managed and run by the working class itself. But one year later, a balance-sheet must be drawn. The comrades here have told me that the same bureaucratic managers are still in place. This is not the way forward. We must fight for genuine workers' control. The workers are capable of running the factory under their own control and administration.” This idea found a particularly strong echo among the workers present.
“I am not an extremist”, Alan added. “I consider myself a very moderate man. I don't want to nationalise small shops, the small property of peasants or other individuals. I am just proposing the nationalization of three things: the land, the banks and big industry.”
After the speech, several participants from the audience intervened with questions and comments. A worker from SIDOR who is responsible for industrial security intervened. He said that Alan's speech reflected exactly what he and many workers were thinking. He was particularly delighted with Alan's analysis of bureaucracy and the fact that he had quoted Lenin's State and Revolution as a guide to combat it.
A comrade of the Bolivarian University asked Alan what he thought about the provocations of US imperialism and Plan Columbia in particular. The comrade asked whether Alan thought that a military intervention against Venezuela would be likely.
In his reply, Alan strongly backed the proposal of Huge Chávez to arm the people in defence of the revolution: “What is needed is a peoples' militia composed of workers, peasants, students, and women. Every factory, every workers’ district, every village, every school and university must become a bulwark of the revolution. There are plenty of skilled officers in the Venezuelan army who can give the masses military training. This is the best way to defend the revolution, not only against the external enemy, but also against the internal enemy, the bourgeois fifth column which is far more dangerous.”
Alan was received with great enthusiasm and in the end the workers were queuing up to have their copy of “Reformism or Revolution” signed by the author.
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