Caracas, Venezuela hosted a historic gathering of solidarity with the Palestinian cause on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, on Friday, November 29. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro presided over the International Conference of Solidarity with Palestine, an event that brought together delegates from 53 countries, 119 organizations and more than 250 participants, all committed to the defense of the rights of the Palestinian people. The slogan of the conference was “From Venezuela to Palestine: We will live and we will be victorious!”
During the conference, held in Caracas until November 30, Venezuela was consolidated as an epicenter of global solidarity, promoting the struggle for justice and independence for Palestine.
Words of resistance and unity
The event was inaugurated by the Minister of People’s Power for Foreign Affairs, Yván Gil, who highlighted the importance of the Palestinian resistance in the struggle against imperialism. “The Palestinian martyrs are our martyrs, and their struggle is our struggle,” he affirmed.
For his part, the Palestinian ambassador to Venezuela, Fadi Alzaben, thanked the Venezuelan government and people for their solidarity and recalled the more than 70 years of struggle of the Palestinian people against Zionist occupation and colonialism, calling on the international community to act firmly to stop the genocide in Gaza.
Historic Palestinian leader Leila Khaled gave an impassioned speech in which she highlighted the link between the Palestinian struggle and the Bolivarian Revolution. “We are proud of President Maduro and Venezuela, a people who understand the meaning of freedom and dignity. This is a battle of liberation, and we will win,” expressed Khaled.
She stated: “When we come to Venezuela, we are in our second homeland, where our dignity is, with a people who have chosen a President with a lot of dignity, Nicolas Maduro. When we come here, we speak from heart to heart because we know the meaning of the freedom that you enjoy today and we aspire to live the same freedom that you have.”
From advocacy to action
Throughout the conference, intellectuals, activists and defenders of the Palestinian right to exist stressed the need for coordinated action to confront the Israeli occupation and war crimes. The urgency of strengthening grassroots activism, media campaigns, and diplomatic efforts to amplify the voice of the Palestinian people was highlighted.
President Nicolás Maduro also made a push for the construction of an international propaganda network that speaks about the truth of Palestine to balance the struggle in the media and social networks, denouncing the disinformation campaigns driven by the imperialist elites. “We will destroy fascism with the truth!” he asserted.
Maduro emphasized the importance of social networks as key tools in the communicational battle, pointing out the planning of cognitive wars by the United States and Israel to control human minds and silence the Palestinian cause.
A message of resistance and hope
At the conclusion of the conference, participants visited 4F-Cuartel de la Montaña, the resting place of the remains of late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez, as well as several communes in the capital. The activities finalized with a strong call for solidarity and action. Participants pledged to strengthen global movements for justice and to keep alive the memory of martyrs who have fought for freedom, such as Comandante Hugo Chavez, Simón Bolívar and Che Guevara.
Susana Velásquez is a Venezuelan journalist and communicator.
