It was withgreat sadness that we received the news of the passing of President Hugo Chávezof Venezuela. As citizens of the world, wecontinue to draw hope and inspiration from the Bolivarian Revolution.It is a point of reference in the global resistance to the suffering imposed bygovernments, corporations and ruling classes - beginning with those of theUnited States and its massive military.

In theclosing days of 2012, three members of IJAN had the privilege of visiting theBolivarian Republic. They witnessed a peopleengaged in building a more just society and standing up to imperial domination. They saw the coming to fruition of a projectof building nearly one thousandapartments for victims of natural disasters.This was in sharp contrast to the US experience in the aftermath ofHurricanes Sandy and Katrina, when the government left the victims to fend forthemselves, and treated as criminals those  trying to escape the floods, even shooting  refugees dead.