Show Me the Way Out
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Imagine waking up with no food to feed your family and no water to supply your necessity. Just conceptualized the need for change, the need for a revolution. It’s hard to understand someone struggle without steeping in their shoes and seen the urgency to survive, right now thousands of people mainly students are fighting and protesting for freedom and human right in Venezuela. A country full of beauty and prestige, a culture well admired and people who are willing to sacrifice their own lives for the government to listen to them and take actions. And all their asking is for people to help them fight for their freedom and equality, to pray for Venezuela who is now a devastating country who main priority isn't any longer “the people needs”.
On February 12, 2014, Dia de la Juventud (Youth Day,) students decided to take actions and demand more security from the government. It all started when an attempted raped of a young woman occur on a campus. Students started protesting non-violently, because officials were not taking further actions in this case. But everything started escalating day by day and a peaceful protest became more violent due to the excessive use of force by the police towards the students. Three students were killed and several were injured. In this movement people started seen the true reality of the government and the true face of Nicolas Maduro former president of Venezuela. When the common citizens ask for Paz (Peace), the military of Maduro points at them with guns. After just a month 21 lives were taken, 318 individuals were injured and more than 1,000 people were arrested. So where exactly is the freedom to protest embedded in the constitution (CNE-Consejo Nacional Electoral)? Moreover, a small situation that demanded rapid change is no longer small. Venezuelans all over the world now demands justice and peace for their families back home, a demand that Nicolas Maduro can't concede. To go outside, do some shopping and play around is no longer a choice. Officers have gone wild and streets have become battlefields. Although, people have said that this is Venezuela problem and that we shouldn't be implicating ourselves with them, there are totally wrong. You don’t have to be Venezuelan to understand the agony they are going through. As a Latina-Dominican I understand what it is to fight for what you believe in, to fight for an education without the fear that someone might stop you and cut the wings to your dreams. This issue has gone public widely, and Venezuelan freedom last basically in our hands. To just sit around and see a country torn apart is inhuman. People starving and dying when we have plenty food, students without an education and officers abusing their power and their rights is beyond something I could just let go. Venezuela hope is us, the people who are constantly posting videos, blogs, stories, pictures, and much more so the world will now what's happening and how to help them. Likewise, the revolution has extended through media, in search for support. People have created websites, twitters, videos, instagrams, and blogs, among others. One of these is a website created by an activist. This website is called sosvenezuela.org. The “sosvenezuela, pray for us” logo has gone widely; people started creating t-shirts, posters and pictures to support the cause. It is the best way for Venezuelans to ask for help without having the interference of the government. This website has become a news channel, thousands of pictures and stories are posted every day. For Venezuelans and activist around the world this is their only hope; us the people outside the country that keeps helping them and supporting them. Overall, it has been easier to use media; video tapes and pictures to show the reality of Venezuela right now and what is currently happening. Moreover, these activists haven’t had a good experience after all. Among these protest many people have been arrested, injured and killed. On January 6, 2014 a former Miss Venezuelan beauty queen and soap opera start of Telemundo, Monica Spear was killed in an attempt robbery. The grief of a country and the sorrow of a family wasn’t enough to stop the brutality occurring. The country violence increased and there was nothing the government did to dwindle this tremendous problem. Just a month later, the hostility continue striking Venezuela and on February 18, Leopoldo Lopez the opposite leader of government surrendered to authorities after delivering his speech to a crowd in Caracas the capital of Venezuela. He was accused by Nicolas Maduro of been responsible for the violent protest acts on February 12, that left three dead and dozens injured and arrested. Leopoldo says that he was nothing to hide and that if his imprisonment will be a way to show Venezuelans that they have to wake up and fight for their rights and freedom than he has nothing to lose “ Valdra la pena su sagrificio?” (Will be worth his sacrifice?). Similarly on February 19, just a day after Leopoldo surrender another beauty queen was killed, Genesis Carmona a 22 years old fashion model who was shot in the head during a protest in Valencia by police officers. This clearly shows how reckless officers are and how Venezuelans are losing their voice of choice, due to the lack of abuse been receive by the officers who are to protect “the people”.
Lastly, I must say that Venezuela needs a new president a new governor who is willing to understand people rights and needs. A governor who doesn’t blamed the opposite leaders for their violent acts, because at the end of the day they‘re indulging peoples demand, but someone who is there to stand by the people. Venezuela needs a government free of conspiracy. Unless the government takes actions and help the country and its people this outgoing protest will continue and people frustration and rage will increase to the extremes that a revolution among other issues might escalate. All citizens want is freedom and equality, but now their rights are been deductive and its becoming more difficult to obtain their human rights or just to get the governor to listen to a pueblo command. Despite the effort, Nicolas Maduro does not want to listen, and takes everything too personal and to the extremes. Due to media censorship, twitter and other large networks has become a dominant media outlet for Venezuela. Under the hashtags, #sosvenezuela, #prayforvenezuela, and #resistenciavzla among others, people have spread beyond Venezuela border there suffer and battle towards a free country. At one point Nicolas Maduro, will give up eventually and listen to its people, or the country will fall apart and that is something he or any Venezuelan don’t want to experience. Police brutality is to stop and human rights are to be respected as Simon Bolivar once said “Maldito el soldado que apunta su arma contra su pueblo.” Which means that any soldier aiming their weapons against their people should be cursed, a disgrace to his country. |
However, Nicolas Maduro has taken into personal account the need for deleting, blocking and erasing all type of pictures, videos, blogs or accounts that related or show the tremendous phenomenon that is occurring in Venezuela. Maduro has block news channels such as NTN24 and has threatens to pull the plug on CNN for false accusations on his behalf and for promoting war propaganda "about the protests against the chavez regime”, he demanded CNN to rectified what they had reported. Maduro believes that these particulars channels are addressing unlawful and untrue situations under his command that shows Venezuela in a civil war, but he says that’s totally wrong in “Venezuela el pueblo esta trabajando!” (In Venezuela the villagers are working). But how safe are villagers working, with the fear of going out and never coming back. Don’t get me wrong Venezuelans are very hardworking individuals, but when it comes to saving your families or defending your patriotism apparently it is hard to decide. Bottom line is that Nicolas Maduro does not want to report to the world the social and economic crisis that exists in Venezuela, he is depriving citizens from there lawful rights of protesting, and their freedom of speech and press, meaning that he is violating the constitution of Venezuela. This is all due to his understanding, that individuals are defying his power, but to me this is the beginning of communism or a long period of misery.
Another use of media in this case has been Instagram. Activist all around the world have created sosvenezuela pages. In which people hashtag (#) their pictures supporting Venezuela and fighting for human rights. These pages show the constant violence in the streets, police brutality and protest going on around the world. It is also use to get more people involve in the movement and help them take actions. One of the greatest activists in Instagram is a famous Venezuelan actress name Marjorie de Sousa; she has taken into consideration and as a personal duty to defend her compatriots from unjust treatment by the government. This loyalist has post many pictures supporting the movement. Her actions have inspired other artist and famous individuals to join the movement and help Venezuela gets its freedom. Likewise another use of media has been Vimeo and YouTube channel sosvenezuela. These two sites have been a great weapon for Venezuelans to post videos of the current situation and what keeps happening outside in the streets. It is said that citizens that have been detained over the course of the protest are brutally tortured with electric shocks, rape or beating and denied legal rights. These videos are post in hope that all detainees are cleared of all charges and release. These media among others have started to help Venezuela, but it has also made the situation more complicated then it was, due to Maduro regime. Camina por Venezuela from Fenix Venezuela on Vimeo. |
Top Pictures:
1. http://csofianunes.wordpress.com/
2. https://twitter.com/SOSVenezuelaBe
3. http://themoderatevoice.com/191885/venezuela-where-is-the-international-outrage/
4. http://www.bbc.co.uk/mundo/noticias/2014/02/140214_venezuela_twitter_apagon_cch.shtml
5. http://www.taringa.net/posts/offtopic/16620203/Que-esta-pasando-en-las-calles-de-Venezuela.html
In Text Pictures:
1. http://www.popularresistance.org/peaceful-marches-opposition-violence-mark-day-of-youth-in-venezuela/
2. http://www.maduradas.com/confirmado-funcionarios-se-llevaron-a-leopoldo-lopez-en-tanquetas-de-la-gnb-fotos/
3. http://www.change.org/petitions/united-nations-sos-venezuela
4. http://article.wn.com/view/2014/02/20/Maduro_amenaza_con_bloquear_senal_de_CNN_en_Venezuela/
5. http://diariodecaracas.com/politica/psicopatologia-la-vida-cotidiana-nicolas-maduro
6. https://twitter.com/MsIntervention/status/4366690039021076497.
7. http://www.aztecanoticias.com.mx/notas/internacional/179437/dictan-formal-prision-a-7-por-muerte-de-spear
1. http://csofianunes.wordpress.com/
2. https://twitter.com/SOSVenezuelaBe
3. http://themoderatevoice.com/191885/venezuela-where-is-the-international-outrage/
4. http://www.bbc.co.uk/mundo/noticias/2014/02/140214_venezuela_twitter_apagon_cch.shtml
5. http://www.taringa.net/posts/offtopic/16620203/Que-esta-pasando-en-las-calles-de-Venezuela.html
In Text Pictures:
1. http://www.popularresistance.org/peaceful-marches-opposition-violence-mark-day-of-youth-in-venezuela/
2. http://www.maduradas.com/confirmado-funcionarios-se-llevaron-a-leopoldo-lopez-en-tanquetas-de-la-gnb-fotos/
3. http://www.change.org/petitions/united-nations-sos-venezuela
4. http://article.wn.com/view/2014/02/20/Maduro_amenaza_con_bloquear_senal_de_CNN_en_Venezuela/
5. http://diariodecaracas.com/politica/psicopatologia-la-vida-cotidiana-nicolas-maduro
6. https://twitter.com/MsIntervention/status/4366690039021076497.
7. http://www.aztecanoticias.com.mx/notas/internacional/179437/dictan-formal-prision-a-7-por-muerte-de-spear