[evoz] Violence in Venezuela

Details: Published on Thursday, 17 April 2014 06:20; Written by editor

Hi friends,

On March 12 we held a public event in Victoria. Our guests were Merli Vanegas, the Venezuelan Consul General from Vancouver and her assistant Maria Stella Paredes. Our organization was trying to bring some balance to this community regarding the present political situation in Venezuela which has been negatively portrayed in very biased, anti-government media coverage. Merli and Maria Stella spoke eloquently about recent violent demonstrations and blockades that have been taking place in only 13 of the wealthiest areas in a huge country that has several hundred districts. They explained that the violence has been perpetrated by affluent Venezuelans supported by extreme right wing elements backed by US and other Western agents attempting to bring the government down. Most of Venezuelans are poor, but actually support the government which they have shown by repeatedly electing Chavistas and their programs over... many years. Many of this majority have been casualties of the street violence and sabotage of government programs.

We have just received the following grave news that Merli and some family members have now become victims of this same violence they were discussing here. On Monday, April 14, Merli who is in Caracas for working purposes, her young niece, and her brother were savagely attacked by a mob after they were identified as government supporters while trying to reestablish free transit at a street near their family home in Chacao (district of Caracas). This is one of the few areas where unrest persists and is under the opposition control of Mayor Ramón Muchacho.

Merli was badly beaten and required hospital treatment, but her brother was stabbed and underwent delicate surgery to repair his damaged lung. He is now on his way to recovery.

This shows what the Venezuelan opposition is made of and whom it represents. In the sixties, seventies and eighties tactics of violence and hatred were used all over Latin America against everyone who worked for justice. These tactics were supported and financed by the U.S. with Canada and Western Europe either silently acquiescing or joining in with the U.S. This time the same right wing governments are blaming the Venezuelan government for atrocities committed by the opposition. What a travesty!

Events like the savage beating of the Venezuelan Consul General must be made public so we can show people what is actually happening in Venezuela and who the perpetrators are. Let us denounce them in all our circles. The democratically elected government needs our support and the support of all active progressive forces that truly stand for justice and real democracy!

Let’s all make phone calls, write letters and/or send faxes and emails to government officials, MPs and media outlets. Let’s make our voices heard. Let’s call on our government and all political parties in parliament to demand that they stop supporting the Venezuelan opposition who are committing acts of violence against their population and the destruction of private and common property. Our elected representatives should support the democratically elected government of Venezuela which has done more for human rights than any previous governments.

Victoria Friends of Cuba