[GVCP] GVCP newsletter 05-21-17

The next regular GVCP Meeting is Sunday, June 4th, 1:00 PM (Lunch), 1:30 PM (Meeting) at Mae’s (formerly Omega) Restaurant, 4182 Lakeville Road Geneseo.  [Please note that we are meeting again in the restaurant at which GVCP has met for more than ten years.  We’re happy to be back at “our” meeting place.]

Save the date: Thursday, June 1st 4:00 – 5:30 PM.  The organizers of C-27 will be sponsoring another rally outside Chris Collins’ office at 128 Main St. Geneseo.  The rally will focus on health care.  If you have the equipment, dress as a patient or health care practitioner. For more information check: <https://actionnetwork.org/events/c-27-rally-healthcare-collins-birthday>.
 
This Month’s Letters:  Dialogue, not Interference in Venezuela—No to S-1018.  The United States government is orchestrating an attempt at anti-democratic regime change in Venezuela.  The U.S aim is to bring the extreme right into power.  However, Venezuela does not need more US interference in its internal and electoral affairs.  What it needs is for the opposition and their Washington DC backers to recognize, respect, and answer the calls for dialogue.  Pope Francis has suggested dialogue between “the government and all the components of the Venezuelan society, so that every further form of violence is avoided, human rights are respected, and negotiated solutions are sought to the humanitarian, social, political, and economic crises, which are exhausting the people.”
 
What is in Senate bill S-1018?  Regime change in Venezuela has been official US government policy throughout the presidencies of Bush, Obama, and now Trump.  The US has used its entire arsenal of regime-change tools, except for directly sending in military troops.  Our administration has attempted to demonize President Hugo Chavez and now his successor, Nicolas Maduro.  The US has implemented economic warfare, just as we did in Chile in 1973 and in Nicaragua in 1980.  This includes tens of millions of dollars to fund the Venezuelan opposition.  Some of these funded factions seek the violent overthrow of the democratically elected Venezuelan government.

Among other things, S-1018 authorizes $10 million for the U.S. State Department and USAID to provide "humanitarian assistance" to Venezuela.  This phrase is the code for funding the opposition, including the violent opposition. (This same code was used to fund the Contras in the 80’s.)  We in GVCP must oppose S-1018.  Here’s a website for signing a petition:

<http://org2.salsalabs.com/o/7315/p/dia/action4/common/public/?action_KEY=24795>
 
Write letters to Senators Gillibrand and Schumer to vote No on S-1018:
 
Senator Charles Schumer                                                  Senator Kirsten Gillibrand
100 State Street                                                                 100 State Street
Rochester, NY 14614                                                         Rochester, NY 14614
Phone: (585) 263-5866                                                      Phone: (585) 263-6250

(Check websites to send messages using electronic mail.)
 
Peace,