Thursday, February 20, 2020

Venezuela: STOP the persecution of communist trade unionists!

Oil industry trade unionists Yánez and Herrera.
On February 17th, the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV) and the National Front of Working Class Struggle (FNLCT) issued a statement denouncing the acts of aggression, repression and police harassment against communist trade unionists in the oil industry. 

More specifically, trade unionists Dolores Herrera and Gustavo Yánez, members of the Oil workers union “Jesús Faría” (CCT-CV), were attacked in their own house by an armed group, being violently evicted and deprived of their personal belongings. 

According to the statement of the PCV, a similar attack against oil workers, with the tolerance of police forces, took place in the state of Zulia, where three trade union leaders were allegedly arrested by the state agency DIGECIM. 

The PCV statement strongly condemns these actions and demands the immediate release of comrades Herrera and Yanez. “No to the criminalization and repression of workers’ struggles! Respect for the right to hold meetings and assemblies of workers! The united working class will never be defeated” reads the statement.

KKE expresses solidarity with PCV trade unionists

In a message published today the International Relations Section of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) points out: "The KKE follows closely the denouncements made by the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV) on the persecutions and attacks against  workers and communist trade unionists in the country's oil industry.

Specifically, the denouncements of an armed group attacking against the communist trade unionists Dolores Herrera and Gustavo Yánez which seems to have been done with the tolerance of the local authorities and the police, as well as the unjustified long-term violent detention of trade unionists preparing a labor assembly by the state agency DIGEDIM.

The KKE condemns the persecution and attacks against workers and communist trade unionists and expresses its solidarity with the PCV and its struggle for the defense of workers' and people's rights. The KKE calls on the Venezuelan government to take immediate action to stop attacks and prosecutions against trade unionists and communists.

El Partido Comunista de Grecia (KKE) sigue atentamente las denuncias del Partido Comunista de Venezuela sobre las persecuciones y los ataques contra trabajadores y sindicalistas comunistas en la industria petrolera del país. 
Específicamente, las denuncias por el ataque de un grupo armado contra los sindicalistas comunistas, Dolores Herrera y Gustavo Yánez que parece haberse hecho con el consentimiento de las autoridades locales y la policía, así como por la detención violenta e injustificada a largo plazo de sindicalistas que preparaban una asamblea de obreros, por parte del servicio estatal DIGEDIM. 
El KKE condena la persecución y los ataques contra trabajadores y sindicalistas comunistas y expresa su solidaridad con el PCV y su lucha por la defensa de los derechos de los obreros y del pueblo. Hace un llamamiento al gobierno venezolano para que tome medidas inmediatas para detener los ataques y las persecuciones contra los sindicalistas y los comunistas. 
20/2/2020
Sección de Relaciones Internacionales del CC del KKE.
inter.kke.gr