Listening to Chesa Boudin

We had a great conversation with Chesa Boudin, co-author of The Venezuelan Revolution: 100 Questions--100 Answers.

Chesa Boudin interned on President Chávez's foreign policy team in 2005 while preparing his master's degree in Latin American public policy at Oxford University on a Rhodes Scholarship.

We asked him a few questions and below are some of his very informative answers. Issues discussed include the interplay between the grassroots and Chavez within the revolutionary process in Venezuela, the Bolivarian revolution's relation to capital, economic questions regarding industrial policies and nationalization, and the scope of political change.







Or download individual files from The Internet Archive.

What's in a name?

Heroes are the scaffolding of historical consciousness and action. The name of this blog, Misión Riley, pays homage to an American hero, John Riley.

Wikipedia: John Riley (Jon Riley/John O'Riley), 1805-1850, a United States Army lieutenant, was one of the estimated 800 immigrant Irishmen who deserted the US Army to fight for Mexico in the 1846-48 war.

Riley and Patrick Dalton formed the Batallón de San Patricio, (St. Patrick's Battalion) or the San Patricios. They fought at the Battle of Churubusco, on the outskirts of Mexico City, where they were captured.

Riley, native of Clifden, Ireland, is buried in the cemetery of Vera Cruz as Juan Reley.

More on the St. Patrick Battalion, and even more.

Radical folk singer David Rovics wrote and recorded a beautiful song about the St. Patrick battalion:

Welcome to Misión Riley!

Misión Riley is a blog created to allow the sequential publication, (and rss notification,) of audio/video files related to the William Patterson University learning tour of Venezuela in March 2007. It is a small contribution to the fight against illiteracy about Venezuela.

Eventually, it could develop and morph into fulfilling a larger or better defined mission, depending on the wishes and commitments of participants.

Comments are welcome and so is additional material relating to Venezuela.

Offensive, gratuitous and commercial comments will be removed. Comments of value will be integrated as entries.