14/09/09
Successful screening of Documentary “Red Oil” in South London
It is a rare occasion to be able to meet up-close and in-person leading characters of ground breaking film documentaries. However, the audience that attended the screening of “Red Oil” last Friday at the Honor Oak Pub in South London enjoyed one of these rare opportunities, followed by an engaging and interesting conversation with Marianela Yanes, the main character of Red Oil and a manager at PDVSA, the Venezuelan oil company.
“Red Oil” is a documentary by Lucinda Broadbent and Aimara Reques (Media Co-op, 2009) that explains the political conflicts in Venezuela between the former, pro-US and liberal bosses of PDVSA and the new socialist and revolutionary managers, who came to the rescue of the company during the lock-out of December 2002 and January 2003; which was implemented by the then former bosses to sabotage the Venezuelan economy and topple the legitimate government of President Chavez.
Yanes answered questions about the lock-out, corruption, social policies and the environment.
“The oil workers who left their post in 2002 were given plenty of opportunities to come back to work, but they simply refused,” commented Yanes about the redundancy of PDVSA workers who supported the lock-out.
She added: “We mainly succeeded because of the great support of blue-collar workers of PDVSA.”
Yanes also talked about successful environmental policies put in place by PDVSA, such as: gas engine replacements for public transportation and water cleaning programs.
Approximately 30 people attended this event; which was organised by the Venezuelan Solidarity Campaign, VSC. www.venezuelasolidarity.org.uk whose mission is to coordinate solidarity activities within Britain and work together to further the cause of the Venezuelan peoples.
Richard Abendorff, Chair of the VSC in Lewisham and Greenwich congratulated Yanes and Alvaro Sanchez, from the Venezuelan Embassy, for coming to speak about Red Oil and Venezuelan politics.
Venezuelan Embassy Press Office