Hugo Chávez's rejection of the neoliberal policies dragging Europe down sets a hopeful example to Greece and beyond. By Richard Gott from guardian.co.uk

Some years ago, travelling on the presidential plane of Hugo Chávez of Venezuela with a French friend from Le Monde Diplomatique, we were asked what we thought was happening in Europe. Was there any chance of a move to the left? We replied in the depressed and pessimistic tones typical of the early years of the 21st century. Neither in Britain nor France, nor anywhere in the eurozone, did we see much chance of a political breakthrough.

Then maybe, said Chávez with a twinkle, we could come to your assistance, and he recalled the time in 1830 when revolutionary crowds in the streets of Paris had come out waving the cap of Simón Bolívar, the South American liberator from Venezuela who was to die at the end of that year. Fighting for liberty, Latin American style, was held up as the path for Europe to follow.

At the time, I was encouraged but not persuaded by Chávez's optimism. Yet now I think that he was right; it was good to be reminded that Alexis Tsipras, the leader of Greece's radical left party, Syriza, had visited Caracas in 2007 and inquired about the future possibility of receiving cheap Venezuelan oil, much as Cuba and other Caribbean and Central America countries do. There was a brief moment when Ken Livingstone and Chávez conjured up an oil deal between London and Caracas which looked promising until it was rejected by Boris Johnson.

By Ewan Robertson for Venezuelanalysis.com

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez returned to Venezuela on Friday night, announcing a successful conclusion to his radiotherapy treatment in Cuba and his intention to return to the frontline of Venezuelan politics. Meanwhile, polls show him extending his advantage over rival Henrique Capriles Radonski ahead of the 7 October presidential election.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez last week signed into law the country’s new labour legislation after a consultation process with the Venezuelan public which lasted five months.

The new labour law will see the working week reduced to 40 hours and maternity leave increased to 6.5 months. The law also seeks to eliminate outsourcing, private sub-contracted labour in Venezuela, which the government has previously described as an exploitative practice produced by the neo-liberal politics of the 1990s. Following the passing of the new labour law, Venezuelans celebrated May Day en masse, many catching buses to Caracas for the main march, others joining the smaller marches in cities and towns around the country. Many people held up placards saying, “The new labour law = respect for the worker” and “The labour law is social justice”.