Media and Freedom Tour: Happy Birthday, Simon Bolivar!

In 2007, I participated in a "Media and Democracy" Reality Tour to Venezuela organized by Global Exchange. The research tour included 12 North Americans and 1 South African with backgrounds in teaching and media -- one person worked for Free Speech TV channel and another for an alternative weekly Milwaukee newspaper. Others in the group were community activists and artists. Many in the group had traveled to various parts of Latin America - Chiapas, Oaxaca, Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Chile, Brazil, Nicaragua and Cuba. The combination of professional backgrounds and Latin American experience generated thoughtful discussions at each of the meetings we had with 15 different community groups, media outlets or individuals.

Crowd listening to ceremonies commemorating Simon
Bolivar's birthday in Caracas, Venezuela.

July 24, 2007 - The group struck out today in hopes of watching ceremonies honoring the birth of Simon Bolivar, a revered person in Venezuelan history, as well as surrounding South American nations. The Venezuelan revolution underway takes Bolivar as its namesake – Bolivarian Revolution. His space would be equal to George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and others. He’s “The Liberator,” freeing Venezuela from the binds of Spanish colonialism in the early 1800’s.

We went to the square in front of the Parthenon hoping to participate in a memorable celebration. We found a dwindling crowd as the speeches concluded before we arrived. We wound our way to the back of the square and sat next to a small group that had traveled to Caracas the night before. They were strong advocates for the changes going on, especially Arroya, a woman lawyer, who shared her thoughts about the transformation.

In the afternoon we traveled to La Vega barrio, which is south of the Hotel Altamira, near where our hotel was located. To get to La Vega we went on a circuitous route, eventually driving to the top of one of the hills where the “informal,” housing communities had been built.

The tour guide indicated that the media theme of the tour itinerary had a wide range of media outlets – supporting and opposing the Revolution, "the process." He indicated we would be confused by hearing from some of these organizations. I’m not sure if what he indicated about “confusion” was related to confusion or some paradoxes of Venezuelan society. While the country has seen some truly spectacular advances in social services – education, health care, arts, to name a few – there is still heart-rending violence in the barrio. Spectacular advances in women’s health and participation in government and the economy, yet considerable repression of women through violence and machismo.

Venezuela - what I'm doing for my "summer school"

I am taking the time here to share with you some background on my upcoming trip to Venezuela. The trip runs from July 21-31 with most of the tour taking place in and around Caracas, the large capital. There is at least one trip to nearby Barlovento, a city where the tour group will visit a women's sewing collective, primary school and learn about the African heritage of Venezuela through a small village famous for it's historic haven for slaves.

Global Exchange has organized these "Reality Tours" for about 20 years that "positively influence international affairs." Reality Tours provide individuals the opportunity to understand issues beyond what is communicated by the mass media and gain a new vantage point from which to view and affect US foreign policy. Reality Tours was founded on the principles of eyewitness education and are intended to educate people about how we, both individually and collectively, contribute to global problems. Global Exchange then suggests ways to contribute to and facilitate positive change. Reality Tours goes to about 30 different countries.

The theme of the study tour is "Media," which is timely with the recent closing of Radio Caracas TV (RCTV) in the news. As part of the Media theme, we will learn about the Venezuelan media landscape from grassroots, community and independent media groups, along with major media outlets and government opposition groups.

Each tour to Venezeula has a unique theme, but each trip has many common parts such as the following:

• Learn about Venezuela's educational and health care "missions" (social programs) in urban areas and dialogue with participants and community leaders.


• Find out about new programs for women under the new constitution, and perspectives of indigenous peoples and people of African descent in Venezuela.


• Visit sites of the Literacy Campaign and learn about its successes and challenges.


• Enjoy Afro-Venezuelan music and dance by young people who are reclaiming and celebrating their heritage.

Why am I traveling to Venezuela? For years I have contemplated a Reality Tour to Israel/Palestine to learn about the crisis there and what steps are being taken to resolve the conflict, since this is where I spend most of my peace activism. That trip will have to wait, given the current unstable situation. Learning about other cultures is the real reason -- to learn their living history, music, food and, most importantly, their social struggles and new-found solutions.

Sadly, much of what Americans read about in the mainstream news demonizes Venezuela because of the statements of President Chavez. There will be 10 Americans (and one South African) on the tour with me to learn about Venezuelan social problems as we speak with a wide range of community groups, non-governmental organizations, government agencies and opposition groups. The tour will have three guides, all of which are fluent Spanish speakers.
Nothing can replace the first-hand experience, nothing really prepares you for the profound proverty in Latin America. I recall my trip to Nicaragua years ago, learning about their experience with literacy, land reform and other programs to transform the conditions for the majority. Why and how do people experiencing this deep poverty, choose a collective course of action to change their situation?

Lastly, the tour to Venezuela represents an exploration to a place that is working towards a profound and significant restructuring of their society and economy. I am going on this trip to see if and how this transformation is impacting poor and working people in Venezuela, then share my observations with friends and people in the Kansas City area.