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The World Social Forum Will Be Naked

Categories: Latin America, Venezuela

A week from the opening of the Sixth World Social Forum [1], the Venezuelan blogosphere is not paying much attention to the event.

Pro-government Aporrea blog [2] is the only weblog publishing news about the WSF everyday. Most of such entries are quotations from the government news agency ABN [3]. Meanwhile, the anarchist blog, Colectivo La Libertad [4] is covering news about the Alternative Social Forum [5], that will be hosted by anarchist collectives in Venezuela the very same week of the WSF. Reste@dos is publishing notes about both the WSF [6] and the Alternative Forum [7] agendas.

The feeling among Venezuelan bloggers is that sixth WSF may not be authentically representative of the Porto Alegre spirit [8] since military officers and presidential bodyguards are expected to take control of all the Forum facilities [9]. Thus, the humble Alternative gathering is seen as more suitable for social-minded people to share ideas without “pledging fidelity” to the Venezuelan president [10].

The only activity related to the WSF that is catching the attention of Venezuelan bloggers is the open invite to be part of a naked crowd standing to be photographed by Spencer Tunick [11]. At least twelve Venezuelan bloggers swear they will be there [12].

Tags: Foro Social Mundial [13] World Social Forum [14]