#VigiliaMundial #WorldVigil united for the victims of repression in Bolivia, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Cuba

"When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle." - Edmund Burke

On Sunday, August 26, 2018 at 6:00pm at St. Michael Archangel Catholic Church in Miami, Florida people of goodwill gathered together for victims of repression in Bolivia, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Cuba as part of a world vigil united for the victims of repression. Hopefully this will be the beginning of new tradition to be observed annually where friends of freedom gather and network in order to collaborate in the struggle for liberty in the hemisphere.

Miami, USA

Esta noche en la vigilia por las víctimas de las dictaduras en #Nicaragua #Venezuela #Bolivia y #Cuba
Gracias todos los alrededor del mundo se unieron hoy para honrar a nuestros héroes. Es hora de tomar acción.#NoMasDictadura #NoMasImpunidad pic.twitter.com/eHM0RvpSdp

— Rosa María Payá A. (@RosaMariaPaya) August 27, 2018

The enemies of liberty have been gathering regularly for decades at the São Paulo Forum, and its most recent addition was held in Havana back in mid July 2018. The members of the Forum backed Daniel Ortega and his Sandinista Party despite their mass slaughter of civilians.  

For far too long democrats in this hemisphere have failed to join together in solidarity against those suffering under tyranny and others have fallen, one by one, failing to arouse sympathy or solidarity in far too many remaining in freedom. This is a recipe for disaster.

Berlin, Germany

Desde Berlín, Alemania 🇩🇪 @nazlyescalona venezolana y miembro fundadora de nuestra Red, junto con familiares, amigos y colegas realizaron la #VigiliaMundial Unidos por las Víctimas de la represión para conmemorases. pic.twitter.com/u9AAcake0h

— Juventud LAC (@JuventudLAC) August 26, 2018

However this past Sunday across the world people of goodwill gathered around the world for victims of repression in Bolivia, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Cuba. This was a good start.Let us pray that it is repeated in years to come.


Geneva, Switzerland and Oslo, Norway

Desde Ginebra y Oslo, unidos por todas las victimas de la dictadura en la #VigiliaMundial. ¡Gracias a todos! pic.twitter.com/g5NnIm79Rl

— Oscar Patiño (@OscarPatinoH) August 26, 2018

If we do not join together to resist tyranny, support the rule of law, liberty, and the freedom of all prisoners of conscience then the list of countries succumbing to tyranny will continue to grow until freedom is extinguished in this hemisphere.

Maracay, Venezuela

#27Ago @MUVaragua como ONG en defensa de los #DDHH acompañó a @Sinmordaza en #VigiliaMundial contra la Represión en Venezuela, Nicaragua, Bolivia y Cuba, oración, fe, esperanza, unidad, acompañados de @CreemosAlianzaC y miembros de la Sociedad Civil, Base Aragua #Maracay pic.twitter.com/efUy1fyZwQ

— Medicos Unidos Aragua (@MUVaragua) August 27, 2018

Therefore it is imperative for people of goodwill to join together in networks of freedom to counter totalitarian networks that seek to enslave free peoples. Free peoples must remain vigilant and not succumb to the complacency of living in freedom, only to lose it. 

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Buenos Aires, Argentina 🇦🇷 contó con la participación de testimonios de miembros de la Red que han padecido las dictaduras. Unidos hoy en la #VigiliaMundial #UnidosPorLasVictimas y por la causa de la libertad y la democracia. pic.twitter.com/pGGiA5SNJA

— Juventud LAC (@JuventudLAC) August 27, 2018

Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas on December 17, 2002 addressing the European Parliament observed that  “the cause of human rights is a single cause, just as the people of the world are a single people. The talk today is of globalization, but we must state that unless there is global solidarity, not only human rights but also the right to remain human will be jeopardized.” The world is witnessing his prophetic vision in Venezuela, Nicaragua, Bolivia, and Cuba. The distancing away from human rights has had dire consequences in these countries.

Santa Cruz, Bolivia

Desde Bolivia nos unimos a la #VigiliaMundial en honor a los caídos bajo los Gobiernos de Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua y Cuba. pic.twitter.com/s4cGHEfehw

— Laurita Villa (@LauritaViLLa) August 26, 2018

Witnessing these democrats and human rights defenders gathering together all over the world does give one hope for the future, but it must go beyond a symbolic act, to sustained concrete coordination and action.

Santiago, Chile

Hoy nos reunimos con las comunidades boliviana, cubana, venezolana y nicaragüense frente al Palacio de La Moneda en Santiago de Chile 🇨🇱 para recordar a las victimas de las dictaduras #UnidosPorLasVictimas #VigiliaMundial pic.twitter.com/XtC4Pr7KFG

— Juan Carlos Vargas (@juanvargasv) August 26, 2018

These vigils took place in many other places around the world, but there is not sufficient space to cover all of them.