The Hands Off Venezuela campaign in Canada has issued the following declaration relating to yesterday’s coup attempt in Ecuador.  HOV calls on all workers, youth, and unions to educate themselves about these events, so we can raise solidarity for the next provocation.

As well, please check out the following article, “Ecuador–Mass insurrection defeats coup d’etat ,” for more information on the attempted coup in Ecuador.

Yesterday (Thurs. 30 Sep. 2010), the Ecuadorian police and sections of the armed forces (apparently acting in concert with US imperialism and the right-wing forces in Ecuador) attempted to overthrow President Rafael Correa and put an end to the revolution in Ecuador.

The coup began in the morning when sections of the police, along with sections of the military, began occupying airports, police barracks, the offices of Ecuador’s public broadcaster, and the National Assembly in Quito. The police refused to patrol the streets, prompting looting and violence. President Correa went to the barricades in an attempt to negotiate with the police when he was seriously attacked with a tear gas canister, requiring him to be rushed to a police hospital for treatment.

The police sequestered President Correa for nearly 12 hours in the hospital. President Correa was not allowed to see anyone, including cabinet ministers and the Venezuelan ambassador. Thousands of Ecuadorian workers, peasants, and poor (ignoring the incredible danger to their lives), flooded towards the hospital. This appears to have been the decisive element in securing Correa’s safety and convinced the military that the masses would not tolerate another coup d’etat. At around 10:30pm (ET), the military took the police hospital where Correa was being held; there are reports that the police were intending to assassinate President Correa. After being freed from the hospital, Correa was rushed to the presidential palace, where he addressed thousands of Ecuadorians who had gathered to celebrate his return. Correa promised that all of those involved in the coup would be punished and that nothing would get in the way of the advancement of the Ecuadorian Revolution.

The wave of revolutionary struggle in Latin America is a great threat to global capitalism. No doubt, imperialism and their oligarchic allies in Latin America have felt strengthened after last year’s successful coup in Honduras, as well as by the advancements made by the right-wing in the Venezuelan national assembly elections last weekend. Contrary to the corporate media reports, this was not a simple police protest. It is very clear that this coup had been planned for a long time by the right-wing and the disgraced former president of Ecuador, Lucio Gutiérrez. As well, there is growing evidence that the US had begun infiltrating the Ecuadorian police in 2008.

Their failure in Ecuador is an important victory for all workers and youth across the Americas, as an example of the power held by working class people. The success by the masses in Ecuador, Bolivia, or Venezuela will help us in our own struggles at home! It is vital that news of this attempted coup be spread as wide as possible, in order to mobilize ALL workers and youth if another attempt is made in Latin America. Already, the global press (particularly the Canadian corporate media) is downplaying the coup in Ecuador as a simple “protest!”

We denounce the attempted coup, and congratulate the Ecuadorian masses in defending their revolution.

We denounce the corporate media for covering up the coup in Ecuador, and white-washing the anti-democratic actions of the Latin American right-wing and their US backers.

We call on the US and Canadian governments to recognize the self-determination of the revolutionary peoples of Latin America.

We call upon workers, youth, and trade unions to educate themselves about these events, so we can raise solidarity for the next provocation.

For more information, please contact canada@handsoffvenezuela.org, or visit www.handsoffvenezuela.org .