Venezuela is a wonderful country with beautiful and caring people. Nature has bestowed us with an exuberant landscape rich in minerals from oil to iron, to gold.
During the last 18 years, Venezuelans have fallen and stood up several times over, and today, July 16th, 2017, we stood up for democracy, stronger than ever, united as one, to say SI to reject Maduro’s illegal proposal of a fraudulent new congress.
Venezuela’s voice can be heard around the globe today.
Wherever we were, each of us became ambassador of our home country by helping disseminate information to our friends, colleagues and neighbors in the places we now call home.
In Los Angeles, on Wilshire in the park adjacent to the Federal Building, we gathered to cast our votes. After taking pictures, I lined up with several hundreds other people waiting for our turn, while looking to the protests signs lining the park’s fence. When it was my turn at the head of the line, a knot grew in my throat as tears welled in my eyes. I breathed deeply and stepped to table two. In less than three minutes, I participated in the most significant political event in the contemporary history of my beloved Venezuela.
Chavez once said that the people needed to participate in the country’s most important decisions, and that leaders needed to listen to the voice of the people. Despite the regime’s attempt to misinform and intimidate the masses, the plebiscite took place today. Over seven million Venezuelans answered SI to the three questions. With those ballots, we raise our voices and sent a strong and loud message to Maduro: the people have united to regain control of the government and the country’s economy.
While the world watched, we gave proof of our peaceful spirit with a firm and clear message:
Venezuela will no longer tolerate a regime that keeps its people starving and submissive, constantly violating human rights by repressing dissent with brutal force. FUERA #MaduroAsesino
