IT’S BEEN a whirlwind of a week in Caracas, Venezuela, and a gut-punch to empire and imperialism. As part of a British delegation to Venezuela, I was privileged to witness first hand the strength and tenacity of the Bolivarian revolution. Every day has been another nail hammered into the coffin of the Western disinformation campaign on Venezuela. 

The World Anti-fascist Festival kicked off on January 8 just days before the swearing-in and inauguration of Nicolas Maduro. Over 2,000 international delegates came to Venezuela from an astonishing 125 countries. Far-right opposition forces had been threatening up to 300 protests across the country, claiming that defeated candidate Edmundo Gonzalez should be installed as the president. The former election candidate fled the country months earlier. 

In solidarity against this threat, hundreds of revolutionary young people set up the “Big Encampment for Peace” in the heart of Caracas at the Parque Ali Primera. Hundreds of young people set up tents and camped out for days as guardians for peace in their homeland. Many teenagers from across the country came too with their organisations or parties. International delegates were invited to attend the opening (and later, closing) ceremony of the encampment.