The RSISL Coordination Delegation in Venezuela

The Solidaires Trade Union Federation, together with CSP Conlutas, is part of the delegation from the International Trade Union Network for Solidarity and Struggles (RSISL) that traveled to Venezuela—at the request of our comrades from the Comité Nacional de Conflictos de los Trabajadores en Lucha (National Committee of Conflicts of Workers in Struggle —CNCTL)—to Venezuela from July 29 to August 2, 2026.

TheNational Committee of Conflicts of Workers in Struggle (CNCTL) is made up of 200 organizations that identify with a form of trade unionism independent of governments, employers, and political parties. For the past three years, the CNCTL has been organizing mobilizations aimed at securing better working conditions—and, more broadly, better living conditions—for workers in Venezuela. Decisions are made by consensus, without a vote that would pit a majority against a minority, but rather through the building of a consensus that respects the diversity of member organizations. At times, this search for consensus can slow down decision-making, but once a decision is reached, it is solid. Faced with a dictatorship, state-sponsored terrorism, the crushing of all social rights, wages ranging from $0.20 to $3, and extremely meager living conditions, one must be very resilient to continue the struggle.

Throughout these four days, each meeting organized by our comrades provided an opportunity to present the RSISL and to gain a full understanding of the situation faced by all workers in Venezuela, through the statements of representatives from trade union organizations, union factions, and the Committee for the Liberation of Political Prisoners.

In a country where workers have been living below the poverty line for several years, surviving on just one meal a day, the twin earthquakes of June 24 were yet another collective trauma with a horrific toll: 5,398 bodies recovered, 16,740 injured, and 50,000 still missing. This tragedy highlights the reality of a country devastated by a dictatorship structured around a “boli-burguesia[1]” that plunders the nation’s wealth, now in collusion with the Trump administration and other foreign powers.

On the first day, our comrades accompanied us to La Guaira, the epicenter of the disaster, where the landscape resembles that of a bombed-out area, with a military deployment designed to control and pressure the population in order to crush any mobilization. The survivors, with no other option but to remain in La Guaira, were housed in hundreds of tents and various marquees bearing the logos of Caritas, Republic of China, Samaritan’s Purse, or World Central Kitchen. It took the government 72 hours to intervene! That is why the rescue and care of the survivors were carried out exclusively through popular mobilization and solidarity. Unions have played—and continue to play—a crucial role in collecting medicine, clothing, and food for the victims. Among these union organizations, the nursing school union—a member of the CNC-TL—which we met with, is the cornerstone of this vital solidarity and self-organization among the population.

The rubble is being dumped directly into the sea, with all the environmental consequences one can imagine. 

The following day, the CNC-TL organized an official meeting with the RSISL coordination delegation at the headquarters of the Confederación de Trabajadores de Venezuela (Confederation of Venezuelan Workers—CTV). Twenty-six labor organizations were represented there by 58 comrades. First, we briefly presented the RSISL, the history of its formation, how it operates, and the concrete actions it has carried out. Then, the statements from each organization allowed us to understand the CNC-TL’s consensus-based decision-making process, to observe its strong roots in social struggles and its pluralistic nature, and to gain a political analysis of the situation through the lens of our social class.

The following day, still at the CTV headquarters, the CNC-TL held a press conference featuring our delegation, attended by five Venezuelan media outlets and the NGO Provea.[2]

After the press conference, three former political prisoners spoke on behalf of the Comité por la Libertad de los Presos Políticos de Venezuela (Committee for the Liberation of Political Prisoners—CLIPPVE), sharing their testimonies and analyses of the repression in Venezuela. They described it, citing specific examples, as “state terrorism.” The Committee for the Liberation of Political Prisoners still counts at least 500 such prisoners.

Then, at the end of the day, we spoke with several trade union organizations that are members of the Comité Nacional de Conflictos, including the Central Unitaria de los Trabajadores de Venezuela (Unitary Confederation of Workers of Venezuela—CUTV), affiliated with the World Federation of Trade Unions.

On the final day, the Coordinadora de Lucha de l@s trajador@s del estado de Anzoategui (Coordination for the Struggle of Workers in Anzoategui State), a member of the Comité Nacional de Conflictos, organized a meeting in the city of Barcelona, northwest of Caracas, attended by 12 labor organizations represented by 36 comrades. Once again, this meeting provided an opportunity to present the RSISL but, above all, to learn even more—through the comrades’ presentations—about the social and political situation in the country’s main industrial and oil-producing state.

Comrades David and Bodas, coordinators of the Comité Nacional de Conflictos in Anzoátegui State and organizers of the meeting, had participated alongside Dick in the 6th meeting of the International Trade Union Network for Solidarity and Struggles, held in Italy in November 2025.

The comrades’ presentations shed light on several key aspects of the social situation in Venezuela: concrete examples and individual and collective experiences that help illustrate just how difficult the situation is for the Venezuelan working class.

The Erosion of Labor Rights. Strikes are banned. The workday has been extended from 8 hours to 12 hours without any compensation; the same applies to Sunday work: no more compensation. Overtime is not paid at a premium. The government has yielded to all the demands of FEDECAMARA, the country’s employers’ organization. Our comrades assert that working conditions today amount to the legalization of slavery. 

Workers’ Incomes. All public and private sector employees receive a monthly salary ranging from $0.20 to $3, depending on their sector, with inflation since January standing at 544.1%. In addition to this meager salary, each employee receives a monthly “bonus” in U$, ranging from 120 to 300 depending on the sector. The government also distributes food packages to the most disadvantaged. A very large portion of the population depends on remittances from family members abroad. In Venezuela, the cost of the basic basket of goods for a family of four is around 745 U$. 

The military’s control over industrial enterprises. High-ranking military officials control the entire industrial sector, including oil production, mining, and metallurgy. They hold a monopoly over the country’s financial resources and, through the presence of soldiers in factories, exert constant pressure on workers.

Repression. There is a massive military and police presence in the streets of Caracas and on roads across the country. All the activists with whom we spoke have been targets of direct or indirect repression. Today, the Comité de Familiares y Amigos por la Libertad de los Presos Políticos (Committee of Families and Friends for the Freedom of Political Prisoners) still counts more than 500 political prisoners, including 76 women, 20 elderly people, and 49 who are seriously ill[3]. After January 3, the Venezuelan government announced to the world an amnesty for political prisoners, but in reality, this is a highly restrictive and discriminatory form of conditional release, since those “released” have neither the right to work nor the right to travel.

All videos and photos from the delegation can be viewed HERE.

[1] Boli-burguesia: The Bolivarian bourgeoisie is the name given to the currently dominant class that emerged from the bureaucracy of the so-called “Bolivarian” government of Chávez and later Maduro.

[2] See, for example, https://x.com/_Provea/status/2083203079273369966 and https://m.x.com/contrapuntovzla/status/2083240640968581235/photo/1?launch_app_store=true&ct=engagement_view_media

[3] Clippve.