Chávez’s speech capped a day that had started with a festive march—including mariachi music—that began in the eastern part of town and wound its way to Miraflores, the presidential palace, in central Caracas. The mobilization was called to oppose U.S. imperialist intervention and to support the Chávez administration in a dispute with the government of Mexico.

Diplomatic relations between Mexico and Venezuela were downgraded November 14 when both governments withdrew their ambassadors. A day earlier Mexico’s president, Vicente Fox, threatened to expel Venezuela’s envoy within a day if Chávez didn’t apologize for remarks he had just made in his weekly radio and TV program. Chávez called the government of Mexico a “puppy of the empire” for its vigorous support for the FTAA at the Argentina summit.

On Washington’s behalf, Fox and Canadian prime minister Paul Martin led a failed effort in Argentina to get the FTAA into the gathering’s deliberations and final document.

At the November 19 rally, Venezuelan foreign minister Ali Rodríguez and other government officials rejected Fox’s demand for an apology. Vice President José Vicente Rangel called for reestablishing normal relations with Mexico, but not through “apologies as the government of that country demands.”

Wearing a sombrero, Chávez sang Mexican ballads with a mariachi band and praised “the people of Mexico.” He said Washington is behind the dispute. “The one to blame for this lamentable conflict is none other than Mr. Danger,” he said, referring to U.S. president George Bush.

Regarding the country’s defense, Chávez announced Venezuela would soon receive the first lot of 100,000 Kalashnikov rifles purchased from Russia and patrol boats and planes from Spain. “Defend Venezuela’s sovereignty,” said banners at the march. A sea of red T-shirt contingents was punctuated with thousands of Mexican flags. In addition to backing the government in the dispute with Mexico City and opposing Washington’s confrontationist course, demonstrators expressed support for the administration’s social programs.

“No one forced us to come, no one paid us to come,” said María Mayorga, a young vencedora (achiever), a term used here to describe those who had dropped out of school but got a high school diploma through Mission Ribas—one of a number of literacy campaigns across the country.

Elena Lugo, 62, and 16 others who are enrolled in Ribas classes drove from Catia La Mar, a working-class neighborhood in the western outskirts of the city. Being able to complete high school “is marvelous,” said Lugo. “We had never known these kinds of things. This is a revolution in knowledge—a firmer step into the future.”  
 
 
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