Global Exchange organizing ten-day tour of Venezuela, its energy economy and environment.
One nation who has decided to do something constructive with their oil revenues, including supplying discounted heating oil to the poor in America's northeastern states, is Venezuela. Activist
Medea Benjamin has written a very illuminating article highlighting U.S. government efforts to destabilize their government, despite Hugo Chavez having been democratically elected times and having a national approval rating of 70% -- twice that of George Bush's here in the U.S.
Following a link in that article, I came across a tour of Venezuela being organized by Global Exchange. The tour runs from May 13-24, 2006 and costs a relatively modest $1,250, not counting air fare to Caracus and other incidentals. It's limited to the first 18 people to sign up.
Here's what the program will include:
- Study oil's role in alleviating poverty by visiting centers of "endogenous development--" development from within and from below
- Canoe through giant mangrove forests with coastal indigenous groups while you learn about deforestation and environmental protection
- Meet in barrios in and out of Caracas with community leaders to see firsthand the success of educational and health missions and cooperatives supported by the government
- Walk through the beautiful Sierra de Perijá mountains with environmentalists, academics and indigenous groups who are opposing mining activity in their territory
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- Take a ride on Lake Maracaibo to learn about the effects of oil on the environment, and visit oil installations
- Speak with government and industry officials about Venezuela's leading role in regional integration of Latin America, and the state of ecological sustainability
I am thinking about signing up, especially if I can wrangle a couple of freelance assignments out of it to help pay for it. (Any newspaper or news organization interested in engaging my services contact me at editor@evworld.com).
If you're interested in coming along, contact Zach Hurwitz (zach@globalexchange.org) or call toll-free 1-800-497-1994 ext. 226 and tell him that you heard about it from EV World.