On Thursday, June 9, thousands of Venezuelan workers took to the streets of the capital Caracas in support of President Nicolás Maduro’s economic protection policies for workers and in rejection of the country’s exclusion from the Ninth Summit of the Americas.
The workers gathered at the Candelaria square and marched to the office of the Vice-President of the Republic. Representatives of different trade unions delivered a letter to Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez, in which they thanked the socialist government for approving their demands and reiterated their support for President Maduro and the government of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) in the face of US attacks.
Arrancó la gran marcha de la clase obrera. Todo el centro de Caracas se llena del fervor de la fuerza laboral de la Patria, es respaldo irrestricto a nuestro líder, el presidente obrero @NicolasMaduro @PartidoPSUV
¡Nosotros venceremos! #VenezuelaYArgeliaUnidas pic.twitter.com/ImDojFL0mA— Nahum Fernandez (@Nahumjfernandez) June 9, 2022
Vice-President Rodríguez received the multitude of workers and thanked them for their support. She highlighted the leading role of the Venezuelan working class in the country’s economic recovery, which has been severely affected by nearly 500 unilateral coercive measures imposed by the US against Venezuela. “There are no miracles, there are victorious struggles,” she said.
Rodríguez called on the people to remain united in defense of the country’s sovereignty and independence, and against attempts by some sectors to sabotage the recovery process. She said that the salary increase decreed in March by President Maduro constituted a first strategic step to recover the income of the workers, affected by the impact of the US sanctions..
#AsiLoDijo @delcyrodriguezv: "Todos en unión revolucionaria vamos a defender a la Patria. Qué a esos minúsculos no se les ocurra atentar contra los trabajadores de Venezuela y su poder adquisitivo. Dimos un paso al frente y vamos a cuidar el salario".@NicolasMaduro @PartidoPSUV pic.twitter.com/dH8AqerQPn
— Nahum Fernandez (@Nahumjfernandez) June 9, 2022
Meanwhile, President Maduro, who was in Algeria as a part of an official tour, thanked the Venezuelan workers for their massive support through his Twitter account. “All my appreciation and affection for the workers of the country. Congratulations for the massive march held in the beautiful city of Caracas. Thank you all for showing your love and support, you know that you can always count on me, on a people’s president,” he wrote.
Todo mi aprecio y cariño para las trabajadoras y trabajadores del país. Felicitaciones por la multitudinaria marcha realizada hoy #9Jun, en la bella ciudad de Caracas. Gracias por todas esas muestras de amor y apoyo, saben que siempre cuentan conmigo, con un Presidente Pueblo. pic.twitter.com/tWkEwfMdqe
— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) June 9, 2022
In addition to the internal support, President Maduro’s government received support from numerous Latin American and Caribbean leaders. Various leaders boycotted the Summit of the Americas, hosted by the US from June 6 to 10 in Los Angeles, California, and sent delegations in their place. Meanwhile, several of those who attended explicitly condemned the exclusion of Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba from the Summit, and called for the lifting of the over six-decade-long blockade against Cuba and sanctions against Venezuela and Nicaragua.
