Nora Castañeda Speaks in San Francisco

Nora Castañeda was appointed by President Hugo Chavez to head the Women's Development Bank of Venezuela when he agreed to women's demand for a bank as a way of funding reforms to benefit the poorest families and communities. She says: "The economy must be at the service of human beings, not human beings at the service of the economy. We want to create an economy based on cooperation and mutual support, a caring economy."

Like the great majority of Venezuelans including their president, Ms. Castañeda is of African and Indigenous descent. She is a remarkable woman in a remarkable time, one of great economic and social change. Ms. Castañeda was instrumental in drafting the new Venezuelan constitution, which stands against discrimination of all kinds and recognizes that housewives create added value and must be compensated with social security.

Ms. Castañeda speaks about the popular movement that passed one of the most advanced constitutions in the world, and reversed a coup returning their kidnapped president to power.

Venezuela is the world's 5th largest oil exporter; yet 80% of the people live in poverty. They elected President Chavez to reclaim the oil revenue so they could tackle poverty and corruption. Literacy, healthcare, housing, land rights, etc., have all leapt ahead.

At the recent Summit of the Americas, Venezuela has played a key role in bringing together opposition to the proposed Free Trade Agreement of the Americas, and to US interference in Latin America.