Caracas-Venezuela, Tuesday 7th March 2023.- The commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the passing of El Commandente President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela affirmed the leading role he played in advancing a progressive agenda in Latin America, the Caribbean and international solidarity with the oppressed people of the world.
His relationship with Cuba and Commandente Fidel Castro in particular was instrumental in advancing the agenda of anti-imperialism in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa in particular. We salute him and the revolutionary people of Venezuela who supported our struggle against the Apartheid regime in South Africa in the United Nations and other multi-lateral forums.
Hugo Chavez will be remembered for championing the unity of the Venezuelans particularly indigenous people and African brothers and sisters in the diaspora who were brought to Latin America through the colonial slave trade.
He was a hero of the Bolivian revolution championing regionalism with a focus on Cuba, Latin America and the Caribbean. His cooperation with Commandente Fidel Castro in advancing health care and social housing will stand as his lasting legacy.
He fostered internationalism, global solidarity with the poor and building strong relations with the international global community especially engendering a relationship with Russia and China. This year July the Russia-Africa Summit will be held and the imperialists are doing everything to prevent it from taking place. We call on the SADC region to follow in the footsteps of Hugo Chavez in building stronger global relations to advance the development agenda.
The Hugo Chavez commemoration in Caracas, Venezuela was attended by the President of Ecuador His Excellency Luis Arce, His Excellency President Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua and former presidents of Ecuador His Excellency Rafael Correa, former President of Bolivia His Excellency Evo Morales, former President of Cuba His Excellency Cde Raul Castro, former President of Honduras His Excellency
Manuel Zelaya and Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves from St Vincent & Grenadines, Dominican Republic and others.
We salute this gathering of revolutionaries and in honouring the legacies of our heroes Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro, we must continue to mobilise international solidarity with Palestine, Western Sahara and all oppressed and suffering peoples of the world.
We will continue to uphold and advocate the principled stand of our global icon and founding father of democracy in South Africa that "as long as there is a single human being suffering anywhere in the world, our struggle is far from over."
We call on this forum of revolutionaries and all freedom loving people of the world to be voices for the Palestinian struggle and bring and end to the illegal occupation of Palestinian land by Apartheid Israel and the imperialist forces that continue to arm and support the occupation.
We call on the global community to support the struggle of the Saharawi people for the liberation of the last colony in Africa and demand that the United Nations hold the long overdue referendum under international law.
Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela