Reasons for the skepticism in the dialog in Venezuela

Historically, students have represented a natural leadership in Venezuela. Their contagious determination, bullet-proof conviction, just demands and the nonexistence of hide interests on their part, make their movement a hurricane. Any reasonable government would take them seriously. But every now and then we have a scenario where, thanks to some tricks disguised as a democratic system, the Government is not reasonable... and we find ourselves in a dead-end. 

On one hand, there is the administration that counts on a long and barely legitimate advantage on all the branches of government, weapons, mass media, a constant source of money and the willingness to continue enjoying their current position. On the other hand, there are the students, armed with their ideals, trying to get ahead and knowing that a decent future is not possible under these circumstances. There is no surprise in the fact that they inspire affection in the majority of Venezuelans.

But those are not the only arms of the students. A very important one was omitted by a Government that underestimated them: their ability to summon.

Not only they came to an agreement, but they are communicated and scattered all over the Country. They know how to organize themselves and use social networks to publish their denunciations to the world. As a result, what the administration saw as a childish tantrum, has become a two-months-and-counting riot. 

Maduro failed calculating the dimension of the protests, not only about their extension, but about the depth of the popular discontent. The violence of civilians armed by the Government, the illegal persecution of dissidents, the siege to mass media and journalists, the food scarcity due to the economic failure and the lack of attention to the interests of Venezuelans, are claims made by the whole society.

That is how we came to this point, where the Government understands that, in order to maintain its international image, it must call for a "dialog". But, when protests come from wide sectors of the society, who do you choose as an interlocutor?

The coalition of opposition political parties, Mesa de la Unidad Democrática (MUD), has made a great work saving the few democratic chinks that are left in the Country, but, as they said in the first debate with the administration´s spokesmen, they do not represent the students. 

The MUD did not call for the protests, not always supported them and has no power to cease them. If the Government wants to restore the normality in Venezuela, it is only logic to involve the student´s movement to the dialog. But we already said that, every now and then, Governments are not reasonable.

The situation is really complicated and you have to add radicals from both sides. Ones want to collapse the country forcing a national strike, and the others intimidate protesters and their families shooting here and there over the media class residential areas. None of them have the support of the majority of the civil population, but they play an important role on the development of the events.

In conclusion, saying that there is a "dialog" in Venezuela is being gullible. From its palace, a Government talks to a group of people who bring complaints, and receive the same answers with disdain: you want to overthrow us because you are fascists and stateless. Meanwhile, on the streets, the students go on with their fight, unconnected to the Government´s show business and the international supervisors, whose work leave a lot to be desired if they are not able to ask why the stars of this story are not invited to the debate.

Published on Zhandra Zuleta´s original blog on April 15th, 2014.


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The value of a smartphone in Venezuela

Facing the shameful attitude of traditional mass media, silent witnesses of the repeated violation of Human Rights of thousands of Venezuelans, rise the leader role of little gadgets that, in the hands of citizens, become the main place to gather proofs and testimonies of a country´s drama. But it is still a mystery whether their reports will be useful, or the International Community will keep ignoring this tragedy.

While protests in Venezuela continue rising against the government´s repression, mass media in the Caribbean country keep quiet. It is not a surprise, giving the fact that the "Venezuelan revolution" counts on a large record of threats, persecutions, sieges and closures of radio and TV stations, besides physic and verbal attacks, and even illegal imprisonment of journalists and mass media workers.

Giving this scenario, nobody is in shock knowing that there is not one opposition TV station left in Bolivar´s country, and newspapers survive thanks to the generous paper donation of Colombians´ mass media. It is hard to imagine a real Democracy under these conditions.

But the truth is that there has been a while since Venezuelans don´t go for traditional mass media for information. In the end, only a few trust what they publish, and information silence has started a new cycle in the history of mass communication in the country. Facing the shameful attitude of traditional mass media, silent witnesses of the repeated violation of Human Rights of thousands of Venezuelans, rise the leader role of little gadgets that, in the hands of citizens, become the main place to gather proofs and testimonies of a country´s drama.

Smartphones, tablets and all the electronic devices designed to capture images and videos and sharing them on social networks, have become the main ally for Venezuelans´Freedom of Speech, Information and Opinion. Thank to them, those who are abroad have been able to verify the seriousness of the situation on the streets, and also the fact that is a nationwide protest lead by students, but spread to other sector of the population like medical, educational and journalistic. Nevertheless, the principal role taken by these technological instruments have been keeping Venezuelans informed of what is going on at their own country.

The right for a truthful and opportune information is not a mere desire. In it relies part of the structure of a Democracy, and in the middle of a conflict situation, it can even save lives. New mass media have made use of new reporters on the field, so that Venezuelans can be aware of the magnitude of the repression, and thank to the immediacy, the range and the possibilities of smartphones, now they acknowledge the consequences of the regime´s coercion.

So proofs are there. Run through the social networks faster and with more audience than they could have at a traditional mass media. Smartphones and tablets have given leadership to the common citizen, proving that he is a key factor in gathering Human Rights violations´testimonies. But it is still a mystery whether their reports will be useful, or the International Community will keep ignoring this tragedy.

*This post was published in Zhandra Zuleta´s original blog on Apr 7th, 2014.

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What´s the plan?

"When the tiranny becomes Law, rebellion is a Right"

Simon Bolivar

It´s been days since my Spaniard friends look at me with that uncomfortable and curious look of a person who is attending the funeral of a friend´s parent. They want to know how I am, but they don´t know if bringing that up at the beginning, at the end or never at all. When they asked me what would happen if Venezuelan students "win", I went blank...

Of course, the best scenario would be that Maduro resigns and calls for elections, but nobody would go with this CNE (National Electoral Council). Nobody will accept another trial with this TSJ (Supreme Court). Nobody will accept being represented by this "public advocate", this "district attorney" or any of the other "public organisms" (note the inverted commas and the lack of capital letters) that have openly taken a side with the Venezuelan regime.

Amid all this student fight, that I consider more than necessary, I wonder: how do we plan to get where we want to be? 

From here, I am sorry that I can´t do more to support the fight of these young Venezuelans, who are brave defenders of Freedom and Democracy. I know getting together here and sending them pictures telling them they are not alone is not that much. A sense of impotence takes over you when you watch videos of terrified people recording motorcyclists who break into their residential areas, right in the faces of the "State security bodies". In that moment you realize that there is nothing you could do, here or there, to stop the violence.

I just wanted to take a few minutes amid all the tweets, to thank my friends for being interested in what is going on in Venezuela. As they know, what happens there affects me and I appreciate the interest and concern.

For my country-folks, one last reflection:

I know it´s easy to ask you to resist from here, but more than just a comfortable and empty petition of "fight for me so that I can enjoy the results of your sacrifices", is a "you got so far, in spite of the life and integrity of so many brave fellows, that you made the World listen to you and pray for you. The goal is nearer! Don´t give up now!" kind of plea.

But I also want to ask you to start thinking about the future. Once we achieve our goals (disarmament of the "colectivos", freedom for political prisoners, freedom of speech and opinion in the mass media...), what´s the plan?

Before ending, I would like to tell the leaders of this awake, the young students from Tachira, Carabobo, Zulia and all of those who have peacefully faced on the streets a regime with arms and tanks: THANK YOU! Venezuela is very proud of you, and you deserve to live her great, thriving and in peace... just the way I knew her.

*This post was published in Zhandra Zuleta´s original blog on Feb 22nd, 2014.

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