I can?t think of a better way for Dane County to substantively establish solidarity with Venezuela?s Bolivarian Revolution than the current proposal recently introduced by Dane County Supervisor Ashok Kumar, District 5, and two other supervisors, to create a ?sister city? relationship with the municipality of Andr?s Eloy Blanco. The resolution has the power to not only affirm Dane County?s own progressive tradition but to offer support to a unique and promising brand of revolution in Latin America.

There are few figures more vilified in the United States than Hugo Ch?vez. Absurdly tagged as a thug and dictator by the Bush administration and its patrons in the mainstream media, his image in the consciousness of many Americans bears little resemblance to reality.

Such vitriol stems from the populist nature of political developments in Venezuela. As the head of a social movement that democratically ushered him into office in 1998, Mr. Ch?vez has presided over the redistribution of Venezuela?s oil and other natural wealth to the country?s dispossessed majority. In its attempt to create ?socialism for the 21st century,? the country has given birth to widespread workers? mobilization and other outpourings of popular participation. This fervor has, unsurprisingly, been met with a viscous backlash from both the country?s elite and U.S. imperialism ? the culmination of which almost ousted Mr. Ch?vez from power in a U.S.-backed coup attempt in 2002.

?Part of the resolution?s focus,? said Mr. Kumar, ?is to combat the campaign of misinformation coming out of Washington.? This is no casual endeavor, to be sure, nor is it futile. The Dane County resolution is merely an echo of similar agreements established with cities across the U.S., including communities in Harlem, the Bronx, Philadelphia and several Indian reservations.

But the bulk of Mr. Kumar?s enthusiasm for the proposal comes less from a desire to establish symbolic ties between two distinctly progressive groups of people ? though this element is by no means marginal ? than the more ?concrete benefits? that such an agreement will bring. ?There is definitely a level of politics, here,? said Mr.

Kumar, himself an unrepentant leftist, ?but, for the most part, it?s about trade.?

This exchange of goods and ideas will bring tangible benefits to Dane County. Venezuela?s vast oil wealth, for example, could be sold to low-income residents at discount prices, as has been the case with other cities. In London, the Ch?vez government has provided discounted oil to subsidize the bus fares of 250,000 poor workers. In several U.S. cities, millions of gallons of heating oil sold at a 40 percent discount have allowed the impoverished to keep their homes warm during the winter.

In return, Dane County has much to offer Andr?s Eloy Blanco, including our environmental programs, which are ranked among the best in the country. Dane?s successful commitment to preserving its clean air and water has produced a body of knowledge and sophisticated technology from which Andr?s Eloy Blanco can benefit.

Contrary to the musings of my colleague Andrew Wagner in The Badger Herald last Friday (?Ashok, Ch?vez Make Bad Duo,? Feb. 15), the different attributes between the two communities can only enrich the relationship. ?It is also a matter of differences and how we can benefit or complement each other from [them],? said Omar Sierra of the Venezuelan consulate. In this vein, the ?sister city? proposal will foster intercultural understanding and create a win-win situation for both communities? residents.

But the similarities between Dane County and Andr?s Eloy Blanco ? namely the proud tradition of cooperatives ? can be incorporated into the agreement as well. Andr?s Eloy Blanco is considered a focal point for the peasant cooperative movement in Venezuela, where government incentives have encouraged the worker-controlled business model. Dane has a similar richness and diversity of cooperatives throughout the county.

Anne Reynolds, assistant director at the University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives, has given her enthusiastic endorsement to the resolution. ?A sister-county relationship with Andr?s Eloy Blanco,? said Ms. Reynolds, ?would help build connections between the cooperatives in both communities and support opportunities

for education and research.?

Of course, the proposal has few concrete stipulations attached to it ? for now, it is only designed to establish good will and solidarity. As Mr. Sierra said, ?It goes as far as we ? and the people from both communities ? want. It is like opening the door so that the civil society will build this up from zero.? The proposal, then, is only a ?framework? for future cooperation.

In his column, Mr. Wagner expressed concern that the resolution would amount to putting Dane County in the ?crossfire? of the bitter disagreements between the Bush administration and Hugo Ch?vez. At worst, it could be ?interpreted by some as siding? with Mr. Ch?vez and his country?s political system. Though not the main motivation behind the proposal, I sincerely hope this is the case.

Kyle Szarzynski ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in Spanish and history.