 JCP Ichida receives Venezuelan ambassador Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi on June 1 met with Venezuelan charge d'affaires Maria Elena Hern?dez at the JCP headquarters in Tokyo. The ambassador handed to Ichida the Venezuelan government's statement expressing concerns over the Advance Democracy Act which is currently discussed in the U.S. Congress. Stressing that the Act is intended to interfere with developing countries' independent nation-building efforts, she requested the JCP's support and cooperation in opposing the legislative measure. Ichida said that the Venezuelan government is winning voters' confidence and promoting activities for social change and that the U.S. government has no right to interfere with such democratic efforts. Hern?dez said that the recent visit to Venezuela by JCP representatives shows that friendship between the JCP and Venezuela is developing. She expressed hopes that their relationship will be further strengthened. Ichida agreed with the ambassador and said that the JCP is paying close attention to progressive movements not only in Venezuela but in other Latin American countries. - Akahata, June 2, 2005 |