8-15-05,9:07am

Caracas, August 15 (Prensa Latina) The President of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, called for world youth to initiate a socialist offensive, due to the urgency to save life on the planet.

Chávez assured that there is nobody better than young people to achieve the resurgence of socialist ideas, in a speech before delegates of the XVI World Festival of Youth and the Students that closes this Monday.

The Venezuelan head of state recalled that after the fall of the Soviet Union many thought that was the end, but 14 years later socialism has revived.

The ghost has returned to travel through the world and now, with new ideas, young faces being fed with the ideas of Indians, black people and the grass roots, in a deep offensive, he noted.

In his opinion, the first five decades of this century are when the decision must be made between the socialist alternative or barbarism, and called on them to realise that life on the planet might end. 'There is no time to lose. In this and the next five decades the future will be decided,' expressed Chávez before thousands of delegates of a hundred countries that participated in the youth meeting here between 8-15 August.

He called for open debate, without prejudice about socialism, and to abandon the defensive attitude of revolutionary movements in recent years.

Chávez announced likewise the initiation in his country of meetings of local community governments to make their own proposals, to establish genuine popular power.