Venezuelans pay tribute to Lumumba

The following statement was released on Feb. 26 by the Embassy of the ­Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela located in Washington, D.C. Go to venezuela-us.org

The Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela wishes to express its heartfelt condolences on the passing of our dear brother Mayor Chokwe Lumumba on February 25, 2014. We remember him today as a dear friend and ally of Venezuela in the struggle for peace and justice in the world.

Simply put, Mayor Lumumba was a man of conviction who, as an activist, lawyer and elected official, dedicated his life to serving the oppressed, in his own country and throughout the world. He defended well-known human rights activists and Black Panther Assata Shakur, among others. He also helped found progressive activist organizations such as the National Black Human Rights Coalition and the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement. Most recently as Mayor, he spearheaded innovative new programs in conjunction with the organized people of Jackson, Mississippi.

But his love for the poor didn’t stop at home; he defended people’s movements for social justice and deep economic and political change wherever they existed, from revolutions in Africa to Latin America and especially the Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela.

We Venezuelans especially remember him for his most recent show of support when on February 14, 2014, in defense of our people and sovereign nation he stated: “My administration is deeply concerned with the political unrest and violence occurring in Venezuela. We strongly condemn the killings that occurred … [and] call on the United States and all other governments to respect the outcome of the national elections of December 2013. We firmly call on all foreign governments to respect the sovereignty and self-determination of the Bolivarian Government of Venezuela, and not interfere in its internal affairs.”

We will not forget Chokwe Lumumba’s solidarity and never ending commitment to fight for a better world. He will be deeply missed. But, like so many of our most sacred heroes who have come before him, he will be remembered for being a man who not only talked the talk but walked the walk.