Venezuela to Hold Indigenous Movement Congress: Pres. Maduro

On Wednesday, Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro announced that his country will host "the Congress of the Indigenous Movement's New Era" in Nov. 12.

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During a ceremony held at the Miraflores palace, the Bolivarian leader reported that said congress will formulate a "work plan" to promote actions in favor of the indigenous peoples.

"We have to hand over Indigenous lands to continue supporting food production, the dissemination of native culture, the in-depth education of our Indigenous children and youth, technological development, and ancestral knowledge," Maduro said.

Proposed by the United Indigenous Movement of Venezuela (MIUVEN), the Indigenous Congress will invite delegations from Central American countries, Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

Maduro ordered his ministerial cabinet to prepare a "government plan" that includes special actions in the areas of housing, health, food, and education for Indigenous peoples.

During the ceremony, in which there were nearly a thousand citizens belonging to Indigenous communities, the Bolivarian leader decreed that October 12 will be the "Day of Indigenous Resistance and Decolonization of all America."

"We must go beyond resistance. We must go to a process of decolonialization of our societies, countries, culture, and education," he said.

Previously, Venezuelan Indigenous peoples went to the United Nations headquarters in Caracas to deliver a document to multilateral officials denouncing the sanctions implemented by the United States and the European Union against this South American nation.