Happy Birthday, Comandante!

Happy Birthday, Comandante!

8 / agosto / 2024

In 1989, excluded Venezuelans took to the streets to condemn a political class that was leaving them behind. It was a bloody encounter between the people and the repressive state that marked a deep fracture with representative democracy in Venezuela. This moment highlighted the consequences of social exclusion and marginalization, revealing a political class deaf to the people's clamor.

A few years later, Hugo Chávez Frías orchestrated a coup against the same political class that had stained the streets with Venezuelan blood during the Caracazo. From then on, Chávez represented hope for marginalized Venezuela. A man of humble origins, a soldier, and a golpista, he was seen by many in the international left as a fair leader who came to distribute wealth and fight injustice both in the country and beyond. The bond between Chávez and his people seemed unbreakable, and he remained highly popular until the end of his days. Every Sunday, we saw him reciting poetry, singing, and joking while piece by piece he devoured the cake of liberal democracy in Venezuela. Goodbye power balance, goodbye press freedom, goodbye freedom of association—little by little, all restrictions on the executive were lifted by the Venezuelans who decided to sign a blank check to the comandante.

Meanwhile, those who thought differently were imprisoned, as in the terrible case of Judge María Lourdes Afiuni. People were leaving the country, self-censorship became rampant, and despite various warnings, people—especially from marginalized groups vindicated by chavismo—stood firmly with their commander. Even after his death, people remained loyal to the comandante eterno. While the middle class protested against Chávez, the rural and low-income sectors remained loyal to the so-called revolution.

A few nights ago, we saw what the Comandante’s handpicked successor was doing to those popular classes in Caracas and across the country. The resemblance to the brutality seen in the Caracazo was unavoidable: El Valle, Petare, and Catia, firm in their desire for change and hungry for new leadership, were met with violence. Over a thousand people have been detained, including young individuals from low-income areas whose parents probably voted for Chávez a decade ago, now risking their lives for change, for freedom, and for democracy. Kids who have never lived in a real democracy are eager to taste it, bathing the streets in sweat and blood. The so-called Chávez legacy is being exterminated by the brutality of a regime that, lacking charisma, is resorting to its only remaining resource: brute violence. 

The hope of millions of Venezuelans who voted for a popular change in 1998, and who allowed the comandante to dismantle liberal democratic institutions piece by piece, was fatally shot this week in my country. The only hope that remains is embraced by the people in the streets who, hungry for justice, have broken the veil of fear, as they did in 1989. Chávez was very fond of Alí Primera, a leftist popular singer who chanted, “Los que mueren por la vida no pueden llamarse muertos / Those who die for life cannot be called dead.” That song resonates today more than ever, as the Chavista hope has turned into darkness, revealing the true nature of the Chavista left as a violent and despotic force. The last elections, purposely coinciding with the comandante’s birthday, resulted in hundreds of political prisoners and dozens of poor young people dead. The comandante eterno continues to consume his people beyond his grave, while a very corrupt political class isolated from the people moves forward with their bloodbath.

Happy Birthday, Comandante.

toque-promo

If you believe that our journalism is important for Cuba and its people, we want you to know that this is a critical moment.

Behind each publication there is a team that strives to ensure that our products meet high quality standards and adhere to professional and ethical values.

However, to keep a close watch over government, demand transparency, investigate, analyze the problems of our society and make visible the hidden issues on the public agenda is an effort that requires resources.

You can contribute to our mission and that is why today we ask for your help. Select the way you prefer to send us a donation.

Rate this news

loading ...

comments

We moderate comments on this site. If you want to know more details, read our Privacy Policy

Your email address will not be published. Mandatory fields are marked with *

INFORMAL FOREIGN EXCHANGE
MARKET IN CUBA (REAL TIME)

toque_logo_white
1 EUR335.00 CUP
1 USD323.00 CUP
+1
1 MLC270.00 CUP
Calendar iconCUBA
test
bell-notification

Don't miss our news

Subscribe to notifications and find out instantly about everything we have for you: breaking news, market alerts, live broadcasts and more!

Don't miss
our news

Subscribe to notifications and find out instantly about everything we have for you: breaking news, market alerts, live broadcasts and more!

bell-notification