A January 23rd full of courage in La Guaira, but overshadowed by the flagrant violation of human rights in Venezuela

 

This event marked and remembered the end of a dark era of repression and censorship in Venezuela, and the beginning of a new chapter in the country’s history.

By Ana C. Guaita / By Correspondent lapatilla.com

This is why millions of Venezuelans decided to take to the streets in 2024 to commemorate this historic date that marked the beginning of democracy in Venezuela.

History

The feat of January 23rd was promoted by a movement that had the massive support of the Venezuelan population. The union of civilians, military and political leaders allowed the fall of the dictatorship and the reestablishment of democracy in Venezuela.

This episode left a legacy of courage, determination and fight for freedom and justice among the Venezuelan people. However, over recent years, the country has experienced political, economic and social ups and downs, leading to an extremely complex and difficult crisis under a dictatorship.

In today’s Venezuela, the spirit of the deed of January 23rd remains alive in the collective memory, being a reminder of the importance of citizen participation in the construction of a democratic and just society.

And although unfortunately exercising the right to protest, free thought and the expression of an opinion contrary to the Government could be classified by the Government as a crime, Venezuelans took to the streets to demonstrate that by joining forces it is possible to overthrow dictatorial regimes.

The current Venezuela

The current situation in Venezuela presents great challenges: an unprecedented economic crisis, human rights violations and a deep decomposition of the ruling political class, which translates into gross corruption and an ironclad attachment to power.

In this context, the commemoration of January 23rd encouraged Venezuelans to demand the return to democracy in the country.

“Today, the women of Vargas are present at this protest on the occasion of the 66th anniversary of the historic feat that defeated the penultimate dictatorship in Venezuela, because we still need to defeat this last dictatorship that has filled us with misery and has been abusing us for quite some time, 23 years,” said Xiomara Barreto, coordinator of the Women for Vargas movement.

 

 

She pointed out that today the women and mothers of this region attend this demonstration to show the pain that overwhelms them after having suffered for so many years the destruction of the Venezuelan family by the Government headed by Nicolás Maduro.

“Today we are telling the Government that enough is enough, to set an electoral schedule, that we want to go to elections, that we want to defeat them democratically,” added Barreto.

 

 

These statements were joined by Sonia Sosa, union and social leader of Vargas State, who stated that they are demanding that the Government assume the responsibility and commitment to guarantee the right of citizens to a physically and emotionally healthy life, established in the Chapter 5 of the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela from article 75 to article 97.

The precariousness of public services, the humanitarian crisis, the fall in agricultural and oil production, the closure of companies, the low salaries, are some of the factors that have forced the migration of Venezuelans, one of the largest in modern world history. According to the records of several NGOs, there are 8 and a half million citizens who have left the country, causing the disintegration of Venezuelan families, leaving a desolate social environment, infected with frustration, anger and a lot of suffering.

 

 

Today, citizens mobilized throughout the country, suffering from the severe crisis of blackouts, lack of drinking water supply, low salaries, flagrant violation of human rights and other adversities caused by the terrible management of the Chavista government.

 

 

And speaking of human rights violations…

In the morning hours of this Tuesday, January 23rd, Nicolás Maduro’s regime detained the leader Juan Freites, according to the Human Rights Committee of the opposition party ‘Vente Venezuela’.

“Alert. The regime detains Juan Freites, state coordinator of ‘Vente Venezuela-Vargas’ and head of the Campaign Command,” HHRR Vente Venezuela indicated on its account on the social network X (formerly Twitter).

Witnesses indicated that the politician was apparently detained by members of the DGCIM (the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence).

Our Correspondent team in Vargas kept in touch with the opposition leaders of the state, who reported that they have been mobilizing through Government agencies to find out Freites’ whereabouts.

“We have no knowledge of Juan’s place of confinement. Two 4Runner SUVs arrived, the officers got out, beat him and took him away. Until now we don’t know about him,” commented a source linked to the politician, who preferred to remain anonymous.

Vargas said present

Professor Raúl Yemiñame, President of the Vargas Teaching Workers Union (Sitravargas), offered his statements to our Correspondent team stating that the workers from the different sectors of the state and the Vargas municipality joined this activity “because we do not agree with the miserable salary that we are earning and with the pension that our pensioners receive.”

In the midst of the commemoration of the 66 years of the overthrow of the Pérez Jiménez dictatorship, civil society and political parties gathered at Block 1 of the ’10 de Marzo’ urbanization and marched to ‘Plaza El Cónsul’ in Maiquetía.

“We, the workers of the Ministry of Education, of all the ministries, the government and the mayor’s office, demand the signing of the collective contracts and the repeal of the Onapre instructions, which is the one that has eliminated the salary and the one that gives rise to the bonus that the Government pays to all workers,” stated Yemiñame.

Arrest of Juan Freites

Furthermore, the professor denounced and demanded the freedom of Professor Víctor Venegas in Barinas, who is accused by the Chavista Prosecutor’s Office for alleged activities “against the peace of the country”, and of Juan Freites in Vargas State.

For his part, Antonio Márquez, a businessman from the Chamber of Heavy Transport (Truckers) and part of the political team of ‘Vente Vargas’, pointed out that they are still waiting for information about the whereabouts of the regional leader Juan Freites, who was arrested in the morning hours by state security officials.

“We do not know which organization has him, just as we do not know his whereabouts. We are waiting for a response from the authorities,” he said.

Political leaders and civil society remain in the different headquarters of State agencies waiting for a statement that will allow them to know the current state and whereabouts of Freites.

The current fight for freedom in Venezuela is very similar to that of 1958. Venezuelans long for a free, democratic, prosperous country without a dictatorship.