Hope, prayers, and solidarity for pro-democracy activists taking part in today's elections in Venezuela

In remembrance of Génesis, Geraldine, Anthony, Robert, Bassil, and the many others.

 Civil society and the democratic opposition face a great challenge: Ensure all votes of Venezuelans are counted, and the results respected. This election in Venezuela is being held under a dictator who has said he will not hand over power, and is doing all he can to steal it.

Nicolas Maduro has warned that if he loses the election there will be a bloodbath in Venezuela.

Maduro is a dictator, the Venezuelan government is a narco-tyranny with some extremely nasty actors that have demonstrated over the past 25 years the willingness to kill large numbers of Venezuelans to hang on to power.

The Venezuelan dictatorship has been trained by the worse thugs in Havana, Tehran, Moscow, and Beijing. They are experts in the use of violence and terror to hang on to power.

The best chance to defeat them is neither through appeasement or violence, but through strategic nonviolent resistance. I have been witnessing it over the past weeks, and hope to see it continued today, and in the days to come, when Maduro attempts to hang on to power.

My hope is informed by the late Czech dissident Vaclav Havel's definition of the word that is not equated with success but rather the certainty that what one is doing is both good and coherent. In 1990 in the book, Disturbing the Peace, Havel explained how he viewed hope.

“Hope, in this deep and powerful sense, is not the same as joy that things are going well, or willingness to invest in enterprises that are obviously headed for early success, but rather an ability to work for something because it is good, not just because it stands a chance to succeed. The more unpromising the situation in which we demonstrate hope, the deeper that hope is. Hope is not the same thing as optimism. It is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out.

My prayers, hope and solidarity with Venezuelans in the pro-democracy movement in their ongoing struggle for restoring democracy in Venezuela.

Gloria al Bravo Pueblo!

  

Venezuela's National Youth Day on February 12, 2014 was a defining moment: Students rose up and Maduro murdered them.

"Gentlemen, he who is here will go out tomorrow to find a better future." - Bassil Alejandro Dacosta, age 24 , over Facebook on February 11, 2014. He was murdered the next day by the Maduro regime.

Robert Redman and Bassil Alejandro Dacosta murdered six years ago today

Six years ago today nonviolent student protesters Bassil Da Costa and Robert Redman were gunned down on February 12, 2014 in Venezuela, while engaged in nonviolent street protests against the government of Nicolas Maduro. Robert Redman was shot and killed hours after he had carried Bassil, who had also been shot and died earlier that same day, and tweeted about it.

"Today I was hit with a rock in the back, a helmet in my nose. I swallowed tear-gas, carried the kid who died, and what did you do?" - Robert Redman, age 28 over twitter on February 12, 2014 

On February 12, 2014 Venezuela's National Youth Day millions of young students took to the streets to nonviolently protest "the social and economic crisis caused by the illegitimate government that Venezuela has today."  

Robert Redman with other youths carrying Bassil Dacosta on February 12, 2014.

Young Venezuelans inside and outside of the country mobilized in a coherent and sustained effort to expose the anti-democratic nature of the Maduro regime. A full and brief explanation was offered by Andreina Nash at the time in the video titled: What's going on in Venezuela in a nutshell.

The violence had escalated in the days prior to February 12th. On February 11, 2014 in an update via twitter from Roderick Navarro and Guido Mercado they reported: wounded by bullets today: Jorge Monsalve 20 years old, Franco Perez 15 years old (Thorax), Pedro Alison 24 years old (Left arm), Anny Paredes 36 years old (Abdomen). 

These students continue to face a government that over the past eighteen years has been stripping Venezuela's democracy of all its constitutional and institutional democratic safeguards in order to consolidate power into the United Socialist Party of Venezuela and in the presidency. At the same time the presence of both Cuban state security and military officials in the country who have presided over the building of a totalitarian apparatus is cause for great concern. They have used technological tools to censor images over twitter. Over the past 20 years independent television press outlets have been taken over or shutdown by the government.

Bassil da Costa, Geraldine Moreno, Génesis Carmona, Ender Peña, Kluivert Roa, Paola Ramírez, Daniela Salomón, Lisbeth Ramírez y muchos otros son los nombres de los caídos, a quienes se les rinde honor cada 12 de febrerohttps://t.co/MacPlsuRo3

— Diario La Nación (@lanacionweb) February 12, 2020

Six years later and across Venezuela the youth still remember the fallen and the Maduro regime's repressive forces who murdered them. They have not forgotten and it marked a before and after in the history of the South American country. Ana Karina Garcia over twitter stated in Spanish that, " February 12, 2014 marked us as a generation. Bassil Da Costa, Juancho Montoya and Robert Redman were murdered by the tyranny while they were in the streets demanding a country of opportunities. #AHeroIsNotForgotten"    

Two years after #12F and no progress on murders of protesting Venezuelan students

"Today I was hit with a rock in the back, a helmet in my nose. I swallowed tear-gas, Carried the kid who died, and what did you do?" - Robert Redman, age 28 over twitter on February 12, 2014 shortly before he was shot and killed.

"Gentlemen, he who is here will go out tomorrow to find a better future." - Bassil Alejandro Da Costa, age 24 , over Facebook on February 11, 2014. Killed the following day.

Two years ago today nonviolent student protesters Bassil Da Costa and Robert Redman were gunned down on February 12, 2014, the Day of the Youth in Venezuela, while engaged in nonviolent street protests against the government of Nicolas Maduro. Robert Redman was shot and killed hours after he had carried Bassil who had also been shot and killed earlier that same day and tweeted about it.

Today the Venezuelan human rights organization Foro Penal published and distributed the above image with the names and images of young Venezuelans murdered during the 2014 anti-government protests along with their first names which states: "It is ironic to celebrate the Day of the Youth in Venezuela when her youth are in prison, exiled or in a tomb." 

Also toda, Robert Redman's dad visited his son's grave site and tweeted the following image recreating picture of his son holding up the Venezuelan flag with the following text:"Here with my son on the 2nd anniversary of his murder by hired assassins of the regime. God bless you son."

Two years later and a second Venezuelan human rights organization PROVEA reports that: "In 2015 there was no progress into the investigations of the cases of Bassil Da Costa, Juan Montoya and Robert Redman.

They and the others killed, tortured and arbitrarily detained by the Maduro regime are not forgotten and the call for freedom and justice continues. My prayers go out to them and their families.

March of the Youth Against Impunity on #12M at 10:00am in Caracas

"Today I was hit with a rock in the back, a helmet in my nose. I swallowed tear-gas, Carried the kid who died, and what did you do?" - Robert Redman, age 31 over twitter on February 12, 2014 shortly before he was shot and killed.

Eight of the 21 victims of Maduro over the past month

 March 12, 2014 marks one month since the Maduro regime began shooting students in the head who dared to nonviolently protest the lack of security, food shortages, and long lines for basic necessities in Venezuela. Over the past month 23 have been killed in the protests, hundreds injured and more than a thousand detained.  Many youths have also been tortured and there is one documented case of a young detainee anally raped with an assault rifle.

Students marching in Tachir on March 12, 2014

 The students are calling for the Maduro regime to free all the detained students, end the criminalization of nonviolent protest, stop the torture and human rights violations, disarm the paramilitary groups, end the censorship of mass media and re-legitimize and renovate public powers.

The student movement has called for a March of the Youth Against Impunity at 10:00am on March 12, 2014 and the gathering point is Ciudad Banesco (Colinas de Bello Monte) from there the students will march to the office of the Government's Ombudsman otherwise known as "The People's Defender" who on March 8, 2014 tried to downplay the torture of students.

Leopoldo López Mendoza after 21 days in prison sent the following messages over twitter beginning at 9pm Caracas time on March 11, 2014 backing the march and calling for the resignation of the Ombudsman:

Tomorrow the 12th marks one month since the awakening of a people. That Youth day we marched in cities across the country in peace.

One month ago Nicolas Maduro and his regime finished taking off their mask and sent functionaries to assassinate Venezuelans.

Tomorrow, that people that calls for change will continue in the streets, rejecting a dictatorship oppressing each day more Venezuelans.

Tomorrow, lets all demand the resignation of the dictatorship's Ombudsman. The government murders, represses, tortures and she justifies it.

Her utter dependence and servility to the dictatorship keep her more focused on defending her post than the rights of Venezuelans.

All to march in peace, wearing white to the Ombudsman. Let us remain in the streets for our rights. #HeWhoTiresLoses 

Strength, Strength Venezuela. Strength and Faith Let us not surrender. I will not. #WhoTiresLoses God bless you all!

 Need some background information on whats been happening in Venezuela over the past month? Then visit here. Below images from the march today.

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Silent Vigil for Justice on Brothers to the Rescue Shootdown Anniversary for victims in Cuba and Venezuela

"Nonviolence is not an instrument of convenience, but a way of living in which one has to believe." - Mario Manuel de la Peña , murdered on February 24, 1996
 
"God's time is perfect but if we don't go out into the streets, the time of Maduro will be ETERNAL" - Génesis Carmona ( written on the poster she carried the day she was shot in the head by a Maduro government agent.), murdered on February 18, 2014
 

Silent Vigil at FIU on February 24, 2014

 Today the families and friends of Armando, Carlos, Mario and Pablo, the four men blown out of the sky while engaged in a search and rescue for rafters in the Florida Straits by air-to-air missile launched by a Cuban MiG, gathered as they have for the past 18 years in a silent vigil to mark the time when each plane was shot down: 3:21pm and 3:27pm on February 24, 1996.

As the years have passed the vigil has come to have added meaning, in 2010 on February 23 after years of torture and humiliation, prisoner of conscience Orlando Zapata Tamayo, denied water on and off for 18 days died while on a hunger strike. The next day when the vigil was held prayers were included for this brave human rights defenders.

Venezuelan woman: "I'm tired of being 'at least alive'"

Now, after two weeks of Venezuelan students shot in the head, run over, and tortured for nonviolently standing up and protesting for democracy in Venezuela they were also in our thoughts today. Génesis, Bassil, Roberto, José Ernesto and the other eight victims we know about and the many more that we don't know about are in our thoughts and prayers. Large numbers of Venezuelan youths have been disappeared since February 12, 2014.

Free Cubans and Venezuelans are joined together in resistance to the Castro and Maduro monstrosity that is emerging rapidly into existence and is known as Cubazuela. Venezuela is being merged into the Cuban totalitarian state where freedom is non-existent and all is fear, humiliation, shame, and terror.

Jorge Planas over Facebook has described the situation with chilling candor:

In Venezuela, the murderous regime, attacks churches and priests, murders women, students and men, more than 500 tortured, there are disappeared, and who appear, do so without life. This is not a myth as Dalmacio del Negro would say, this is the struggle of good against evil. I appreciate all your support and sharing this with others. 

It is is this reality that has led Venezuelan youths into the streets and 22 year old beauty queen Génesis Carmona to hold up a poster that said "God's time is perfect but if we don't go out into the streets, the time of Maduro will be ETERNAL" and for her sister at her funeral to say that she will continue. 

Last photo of Génesis Carmona (On the right)

 This is not a suicidal impulse born of grief but the lesser of two evils. As the wife of a Cuban pastor, Yoaxis Marcheco, in the island put it:"Better to risk your life then to live dying everyday as Cubans living inside Cuba do. Please show your solidarity with the peoples of Venezuela and Cuba in their struggle for freedom.

Flier distributed at FIU today for the Vigil

#SOSVenezuela: Non-violent National Student Movement versus Maduro, the Castros and their security apparatus

Students in Venezuela practicing the power of nonviolence defending truth and love of country confront a government that uses brute violence, lies and instigation to hatred to preserve their power.

Student nonviolently faces off with a security vehicle holding up a flag

On February 12, 2014 Venezuela's National Youth Day millions of young students took to the streets to nonviolently protest "the social and economic crisis caused by the illegitimate government that Venezuela has today."  Young Venezuelans inside and outside of the country have mobilized in a coherent and sustained effort to expose the anti-democratic nature of the government. A full and brief explanation is offered by Andreina Nash in the video titled: What's going on in Venezuela in a nutshell.


These students are facing a government that over the past fourteen years has been stripping Venezuela's democracy of all its constitutional and institutional democratic safeguards in order to consolidate power into the United Socialist Party of Venezuela and in the presidency. At the same time the presence of both Cuban state security and military officials in the country who have presided over the building of a totalitarian apparatus is cause for great concern. They have used technological tools to censor images over twitter. Over the past 14 years independent television press outlets have been taken over or shutdown by the government. Only the social media remain and outside media sources. Both have been blocked by the Maduro government during these demonstrations.

Students marching in Venezuela for their freedom

In Venezuela nonviolent public protests are being criminalized and government agents directing armed pro-government groups known as "colectivos", or what are known in Cuba as "rapid response brigades", have been set up to terrorize public demonstrators critical of the government. On February 11, 2014 Roderick Navarro and Guido Mercado reported over twitter the names of a few of the students wounded by gunshots that same day who had been identified: Jorge Monsalve 20 years old, Franco Perez 15 years old (Thorax), Pedro Alison 24 years old (Left arm), Anny Paredes 36 years old (Abdomen).  A day later on February 12, 2014, National Youth Day in Venezuela, the repression escalated and Robert Redman, Neyder Arellano Sierra y Bassil Alejandro Da Costa were all shot in the head and killed. All extra-judicially executed by collectives and officials of the Bolivarian Intelligence Service (Sebin) against the nonviolent student marches. Sebin agents are trained by the Cubans.Their is an effort underway by the Maduro government to criminalize nonviolent dissent in Venezuela.

Brutal repression against students in Venezuela

Cuban state security thrives on the creative use of lies and violence to sow division in opposition movements and discredit them with the use of infiltrators into the movement. This can be seen now by provocateurs engaging in violent acts that are seized on by the Maduro government to portray the student movement as violent. Wisely, the student movement in Venezuela is nonviolent and condemns violence and has called on its members to record and document any acts of violence and for members of the movement to expel anyone engaged in violence. This is an example of what is known as nonviolent discipline and is a demonstration of maturity and strategic vision by the student movement.

Their best chance of success in achieving their goals is maintaining the nonviolent character of their movement along with coherent tactics and an overall strategy that will take them to where they want to go. Gene Sharp, a scholar of nonviolent resistance asserts that nonviolence is not an unarmed struggle but one that relies on different tools than those used in violence:

"I say nonviolent struggle is armed struggle. And we have to take back that term from those advocates of violence who seek to justify with pretty words that kind of combat. Only with this type of struggle one fights with psychological weapons, social weapons, economic weapons and political weapons. And that this is ultimately more powerful against oppression, injustice and tyranny then violence."

Sharp also observes that "using violence is a stupid decision." This is because paradoxically the more brutal the regime the more successful nonviolent movements are in confronting them when compared to violent movements. Furthermore nonviolent movements can succeed without the aide of outside powers, states or interests but violent movements depend on outside support to succeed. When comparing rates of success over the past century nonviolence comes out on top.

My prayers, solidarity, thoughts and best wishes are with the student movement in Venezuela.