Venezuela: SUMATE Trial
Written byDavid Sasaki
Miguel Octavio, Alex Beech, and Ana Julia Jatar (ES) all have something to say about the current court case against Maria Corina Machado, the director of opposition group SUMATE, who is charged with accepting a $31,000 grant from the National Endowment for Democracy.
Written byDavid Sasaki
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Venezuela’s President, Hugo Chavez, has accused SUMATE, an opossition linked vote advocacy NGO, of treason for receiving US funds trough the National Endowment for Democracy. Indeed, SUMATE is literally facing treason charges brought by Government prosecutors. Its leaders could face up to sixteen years behind bars.
On the other hand Nelson Bocaranda, a Venezuelan journalist, just published a list of US based organizations that have received Venezuela’s funds. It is long, and it’s mostly formed by NGOs politically active in the US. Here it goes:
“Alliance For Global Justice, All-African People’s Revolutionary Party, Artist’s Network of the Americas, BendCondega Friendship Project, Bolivarian Circle-Oregon, Bolivarian Circle-Washington, DC; Campaign for Labor Rights, Cimarrones Capstone, Howard University Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (Cispes), Cuba Solidarity New York, FMLN-MD, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Fight Back, Friends of the Third World, George Washington Univ. Progressive Students Union, Global Exchange, Global Women’s Strike, Gray Panthers of Metro Washington, DC; Green Party of the US: Peace Action Committee, Hands Off Venezuela (HOV), Hermandad Mexicana Latinoamericana/MAPA, Howard University Student Association, Interconnect, International Action Center, International Socialist Organization (ISO), Iranian Cultural Association Inc., Latin American Solidarity Coalition (LASC), Latin American Students Assn, University of District of Columbia; Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, New Orleans; Marin Interfaith Task Force on the Americas, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, Metro Justice, National Lawyers Guild, National Network on Cuba, Nicaragua Network, No War on Cuba Movement, Ocean Press, Pan-African Roots, People’s Hurricane Relief Fund, Philadelphia Cuba Solidarity Coalition, Quixote Center/Quest for Peace, Rochester (NY) Committee on Latin America, Rosewood I.C. Foundation, School of the Americas Watch, US Cuba Sister City Association (PA) and Young Socialists.”