The Louis Riel Bolivarian Circle and Hands Off Venezuela, April 15th, 2012

Sunday, April 15, 2012, the Louis Riel Bolivarian Circle and Hands Off Venezuela celebrated  an event of
Poetry and Revolution to mark 10 years since President Chávez and the Constitution of Venezuela was restored
after the  fascist coup d'etat of April 2002, due to the heroic intervention of the Venezuelan people and their loyal armed forces.

We extend our most heart felt thanks to Maria Elena Mesa and her partners of the collective, Sunday Poetry ,  for their fabulous hospitality and solidarity in hosting with us yesterday's event.Thanks also to Ellingham Café for providing a warm and welcoming venue.

Guests of honour included Ms. Aura Suárez, Consul General of Venezuela, and the Consuls from the sister Republic of Cuba , Mr. Jorge Soberón and Mr. Julio Pujol. Consul Suárez  regaled the audience by singing  songs of real  revolutionary commitment in a beautiful voice, and Consul Soberón read profoundly inspiring words of José Martí that spoke to us through the century about Liberty and Honesty:  " Liberty is the right of every man to be honest, to think and to speak the truth."

There were recitals of inspiring poetry and prose, much of it original,  from Asad Ismi, Morteza Gorgzadeh, Arnold Itwaru, Natasha Ksonzek, Marco Castillo,Beatriz Santiago, Sabrina Johnson, Pedro Cabezas, Billy Little Bear,  and polish poet Anne Janulin.  There was lively music  from  folksinger Steve Hall, Alex Grant of Hands Off Venezuela who sang British revolutionary songs, the wonderful group Voces Poéticas, on the hauntingly lovely Andean pipes José Gonzalez and Jocelyn Santiago and the pianist and the soulful singer June Harris. Moraima Rincón gave an update of her recent trip from Venezuela, and María Páez Victor read stanzas of a historic song of Simón Bolívar's  army and a paragraph of his speech to the Venezuelan Congress that is a presage of today's  achievements in Latin America.

The cafe was packed with people, laughter, good-will and solidarity! It was a joy to hear so many people recite, read or sing to the Bolivarian Revolution, to state their heartfelt good wishes for the health of President Chávez, and to reach out to all the peoples of the Americas and of the world who struggle against oppression and social injustice.

Thank you to all our many friends who came to celebrate with us - your solidarity keeps our struggle strong.

As President Chávez says: Viviermos y Vencermos! We will live and we will overcome!