Whether you’re reading this article with prior knowledge of the ongoing crisis in Venezuela or you have no idea of what’s occurring, the most important thing you need to know is that the unprincipled events and decisions that are currently taking place in Venezuela, and have been a source of tension for many years, must come to an end. I will forewarn you that this article will contain strong bias and that is solely due to the fact that what is happening in Venezuela is immoral and much of this conflict is due to the unwarranted presidency of Nicolás Maduro.
Source//Venezuela Analysis; Maduro honoring Chavez
To preface, Maduro and his party have had a tyrannical rule over the country of Venezuela for decades and between their severing of diplomatic ties, the execution of fraudulent elections, and their apathy towards the people of Venezuela, the nation is declining and conditions are becoming unlivable for its citizens.
Growing up overseas I was exposed to a multitude of current events and it is through my experiences that I have come to know individuals being personally affected by many of these appalling events occurring around the globe. In order to gain further insight into this travesty, I reached out to a friend I had attended much of Middle and High School with. Vanessa Vivas, a Venezuelan who lived the majority of her life outside of her home country, writes that
“Children are wounded, jailed and tortured for protesting the dictatorship that never let them see a Venezuela without misery. The Chavez-Maduro partnership has collectively altered the national flag, the flag shield, the Constitution and the once-bright future of Venezuela.”
Nicolas Maduro and his predecessor and mentor, Hugo Chavez, are a notorious duo known for their involvement and corruption of Venezuelan politics. Vivas details her and her family’s experience under Chavez’ reign and mentions that with Venezuela’s Misery Index and Inflation Index topping the charts has virtually had only increased the nation’s suffering and writes that
“Two months after I saw life, Chavez was elected into office. For the past 19 years, every single election has been fraudulent. Through my own family members’ statements as well as official corruption reports, it is evident that Chavez had nothing but malicious intent when it came to Venezuela. Through bribery and threats, Chavez bought out every single media company and silenced any opposition networks that showed dissent towards his government. In other words, while he checked off every box in the book of dictatorships, the rest of the world watched on without much thought.”
Much of Vivas’ family still resides in Venezuela and she explains that the level of corruption Venezuela is approaching has led to what is considered to be the largest refugee crisis in the Americas and as this catastrophe continues, the Venezuelan refugee crisis reaches the urgency of the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East.
“In a country where the apartment my parents sold in 2008 is now not enough money to buy a bottle of water, breathing has become unaffordable.”
Now with Venezuela’s corruption index exceeding those of China, Russia, and North Korea, the time for action is now. For years Maduro and his corrupted party have not only manipulated Venezuelan politics to circumvent any international intervention but their ongoing fraudulent elections have made it virtually impossible for any opposing parties or ideas to be represented at a political level. It is stated under article 233 in the Venezuelan constitution that should the National Assembly recognize the president as unfit to serve, free and fair elections are to be called within the next 30 days and the leader of the majority party of the National Assembly, in this case, Juan Guaidó, will serve as interim president up until the point that elections can be held.
Source// CNN; Juan Guaidó
With Juan Guaidó being sworn into office January 23rd of 2019, there is finally hope for the people of Venezuela. And with Donald Trump’s recent recognition of Guaidó’s presidency serving as a symbol of faith for the people of Venezuela, this is a pivotal moment in Venezuela’s fight to regain a true and just democracy. What’s happening in Venezuela is not merely a problem that should be dealt with internally but anyone, regardless of their background or citizenship, should realize the urgency of their situation and recognize that this crisis requires consistently working towards action to put a finite end to the issue of human rights. Vivas closes her statement by stressing the importance of both Trump’s gesture and foreigners’ recognition of Guaidó’s power in writing that
“It is a symbolic joining of the hands; the moment that the Venezuelan people now know they are supported across cultural borders. It is a moment to celebrate the fall of a tyrannical dictatorship and the rise of the Constitution. It is a moment to convince the spirits of the murdered that their deaths were not in vain. It is a moment that the rest of the world understands why Venezuelan children play in their backyards as rebels instead of cops. It is a moment where we collectively understand that as a human race, we will not stand for oppression.”
If you would like to help efforts towards crisis relief in Venezuela, click on any of the links below to donate:
Share for a Life // Specifically geared towards children
Animal Shelter Crisis Aid // Proceeds go to various animal shelters in Venezuela to care for hundreds of dogs and cats