The fourth Hands Off Venezuela podcast is available now to download in time for the Christmas holidays.

Including a traditional Venezuelan Christmas song to keep it seasonal, the latest show has an extended feature on the Venezuelan and the Environment with eco-socialist and former grassroots activist, now member of Ministry of Environment in Caracas, Cesar Aponte. What are the Bolivarian Revolutions environmental credentials? How is Venezuela using oil to make notable contributions to sustainable development? What has been achieved environmentally since the neo-liberal economic plans were halted in 1999? Cesar answers all these questions and many more in an enlightening speech in the second half of the show.

We also look into the recent Constitutional Reform referendum and talk with Ambassador to Britain, Samuel Moncada about some of the lessons to be learned and mistakes made by the movement. There is much to analyse in the aftermath of the defeat and the Bolivarian Movement has started this process of self-criticism in earnest. Be sure to tune in to this show to share in this process of learning from mistakes in order to progress forwards.

News this month includes details of tphe latest shipment of Venezuelan oil to reach needy residents in poor US communities, details of President Uribe of Colombia controversially halting Chavez’s role in negotiations with the FARC. We also give details on the launch of new regional development bank Banco Del Sur, Bolivia and Evo Morales facing crisis point, recent support for Venezuela in the British parliament, and also HOV activities in Sweden, Toronto and London.

Music on the show this month includes legendary Chilean singer-songwriter and activist Victor Jara, a famous band in Venezuela who’ve been recording traditional songs of the region for 30 years, Serenata Guyanesa, who perform a Christmas song at the end, and also a great tune with a different message for Chavez to that of King Juan Carlos of Spain. The song translates as ‘Don’t ever shut up!’ Listen out for that.

Why not download the show and listen via your computer or MP3 player at your leisure? You can pause, stop and rewind the show easily once it’s downloaded, you don’t even have to listen to the whole thing in one go which is the beauty of on-demand radio. It’s perfect for listening to while travelling or even doing the washing up. So download, get involved and get in to it!  We've also been working on a new feature that will allow people to subscribe to the podcast, so check it out here.  You can subcribe via RSS, m3u, xspf, and even in itunes!