REPRESSION IN VENEZUELA
The following article is based upon a statement sent to the Woek by the Committee for the release of political prisoners in Venezuela. We hope all readers will do their best to draw attention to the facts contained therein, particularly as there has been some confusion in the left on the nature of the Betancourt regime in Venezuola,
On September 30th, 1963, Senator J. Farias and Deputies G.G. Ponca, G. Machado, &. Machado, J. Villavicencio, and J.M. Casals were imprioned despite their parliamentary immunity, Thereafter, the already existing police state repression was intensified and a fierce persecution of parliamenterians and members of the Venezuelan Commnist Party and the Movement of the Revolutionary Left began.
Constant violation of the most elenentary human rights have since taken place. Manipulation of public funds and the power of the stato for the partisan benefits of the Government parties created the cond= itions under which the elections of lst December, 1953, took place, Peopie frightened by the armed forces and by police pressure were forced to vote. Irregularities of all sorts, the appearance of more votes than votes in some areas, the loss of clectoral records, oetc.e, are facts that thomselves conditute sufficient proof of the fraudulent nature of this election. The so-called “tritimph of democracy in Venezueia," to quote the Venezuelan official press and the intornational news agencies, is 2 gross misropresentation of what really happened. ( footnote)
The clections of Decomber 1st have changed or solved nothing. A deep crisis remains in the social, political and economic affairs of Venezuela. The bloody and ropres8ive policies of the Government conti— rue, the gaols are crammed to capacity with thousands of citizens, whose only offence is to disagroo with the Govornmont.
We call for your support in our demand for the freeing of political prisoners in Venezuela. If you are gracious enough to support us, you can best help by sponsoring our campaign in Britain, in which case you should let us know in -writing to the secretary of our movement at 65 Tregunter Rd., London S.W. 10. Letters of protest should also be sent to the Venezeulan Mmbassy at 3, Hans Crescent, London S.W. 1.
Footnotes According to official figures, the number of voters at the time of the election was 4,070,000, at the close of the electoral enrol— ment the number enrolled was 3,332,000 (showing; that’ 737,000 haa decided not to vote). According to official figures 2,918,896 voted 413,104 less than enrolled, there were also 100,000 blank papers. This means one-third of potential voters abstained.
THE WEEK - THE WEEK - THE WEEK - THE WEEK - THE WEEX - THE WEEK
Subseription rates: Three months 10/-
Six months &1
One year £2 Bulk rates, etc., available on application. List of sponsors (each in personal capacity)
Frank Allaun, M.P. Stan Mills Perry Anderson Jim Mortimer Julian Atkinson Tom Nairn Michael Barrett-Brown John Rex 2 Neil Carmichael, M.P. Ernie Roberts i Raymond Challinor Alan Rooney 4 Henry Collins David Steele e John Daniels Stephen Swingler, M.P. John ber E.P. Thompson Richard Fletchor Tony Toph am Ray Gosling Raymon, Williams Trevor Griffiths Bert Wynn Bllis Hiliman, L.C.C. Konni Zilliacus, M.P. Ralph Miliband We need your help to make this journal as comprohonsive as possible. Your suggestions, criticisms, requests for information, etc., will be very welcome. Please send all reports of interest (especially local ones)
We want to increase our size, cut our price and go over to printing as soon aS possible, This depends entirely on: tho number of subscribers, This is why you should help to increase cireulation by sending us the names and addresses of potential subscribers, by seeing if local bookshops will take copies (on sale or return), and by taking copies to aoll.
Advertisement oe 3