About 20 people gathered at Sydney Town Hall on May 28 to demand, "No to right-wing coups in Brazil, Venezuela" and "US hands off Latin America" The rally was organised by the Latin America Social Forum (LASF), with the support of other solidarity groups.
Venezuelan ambassador to Australia Nelson Davila gave solidarity greetings. He spoke about the economic and political war being waged by the Venezuelan oligarchy, backed by the US, against the progressive government and people of Venezuela, and urged continuing international support for the right of Latin American peoples to determine their own future.
Raul Bassi, an activist from Argentina, noted that the coup in Brazil followed closely on the election of right-wing President Mauricio Macri in Argentina. Macri has initiated a neoliberal offensive in his country, which is now spreading to Brazil and elsewhere in Latin America.
Fred Fuentes, long-time Latin American solidarity activist and Green Left Weekly journalist, condemned the coup launched by right-wing forces in Brazil against elected Workers Party President Dilma Rousseff, and in support of the people's struggle against this attack on democracy. He also spoke against the attempts by the Venezuelan right wing to remove elected socialist President Nicolas Maduro.
Socialist Alliance candidate for the seat of Sydney Peter Boyle stressed the need to build solidarity with the peoples of Brazil and Venezuela and to defend the movement for socialism of the 21st century in Venezuela and similar struggles throughout Latin America.
Victor-Hugo Munoz, from the LASF, spoke of the fight by the Guatemalan people for their rights, and the need to support the progressive movements of the oppressed throughout Latin America.
Speakers from Chile and Ecuador also stressed the need to increase international solidarity with struggles in their home countries and around the continent.
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