Manifesto for the Democratic Resistance by Leopoldo López

 "He who tires loses" -  Leopoldo López Mendoza

Leopoldo López

Carlos Vecchio from the underground reads the Manifesto for the  Democratic Resistance written by Leopoldo López in original Spanish (Original language transcript here)

Manifesto for the  Democratic Resistance

Today no one can say that what there is in Venezuela is a democracy. The authoritarian, repressive, and criminal reaction to the protests have been a blow to freedom that leaves no doubt that we live in a dictatorship. A dictatorship that has been incubating for years, that no one can fail to see and recognize.

The call that I made from the Plaza Brión de Chacaito in Caracas a few days ago to take to the streets peacefully from February 12 has been more than overwhelming, in its commitment , in its massiveness , and in its permanence. Today I am in prison in Ramo Verde for making a call to raise our voice of commitment and of democratic struggle. Today before you I want to affirm that I do not regret the price I am paying with my freedom for having made the call to build together the change we require in Venezuela. It has been worthwhile.

If they applied to all citizens the same punishment they aim to impose on me with my physical imprisonment they would have to build prisons for millions of Venezuelans who are willing to make that sacrifice.

Within the constraints imposed by prison I have followed carefully the call for dialogue by those who are now in power and the opinions expressed by my colleagues in the Unity , and therefor, in that context, I propose the following path of action:

 1) Standing firm with the nonviolent protests, there is no reason to give up our struggle. We can not give up, we must go on for the fallen, for the tortured, for the prisoners,  for the entire Venezuelan people that today suffers the attacks of a completely autocratic system. We must remain steadfast. 

 2) We propose an agenda with specific acts framed in the constitution and justice. There can be no true peace without justice and freedom, these demands are:

a ) The release of all political prisoners and the return of the exiles.

b ) Justice for those killed by repression and abuse, both for the material authors and for those who gave the orders. 

c ) Reassemble the public authorities whose mandates expired according to the constitution , a new controller, new directors of the CNE , new judges of the supreme court.

It is justice, it is constitutional and should be undertaken as an immediate step for the call to dialogue to be credible with actions and not just with words.

d ) We demand the resignation of those responsible by action and by omission for the repression, the torture and the deaths. There is no way to lower the intensity of our protests the following do not resign: Miguel Rodríguez Torres, primarily responsible for the repression, and Luisa Ortega Diaz , primarily responsible for unjust imprisonments and impunity.

 e ) We demand justice for the fraud of 30 billion dollars stolen in CADIVI. That elite is to blame for  the terrible economic model that today has Venezuelans in lines for shortages, inflation and unemployment.

They stole the equivalent of the international reserves and nothing has happened . Identified as principles responsible for the theft to the nation are Rafael Ramirez , Nelson Merentes and Manuel Barroso. They are the ones who signed and turned in the liquidation of those dollars that stayed in their pockets and those of their friends. We demand jail for those corruptors who stole from the nation.

With this agenda, which includes the street protests of the democratic unity, we propose to send a clear message of what are our conditions for dialogue and bring these proposals to street assemblies to legitimize them and  to expand the petitions of the Venezuelan democratic people against the dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro.

We call on all social, political movements and the Venezuelan people to together articulate a movement of popular strength to make our demands reality.To the regime and in particular to Maduro we say that not having a timely response to these democratic, just and constitutional demands we will have no choice but to assume the commitment to continue on the street, intensify the peaceful, but irreverent, and forceful protests until we see the birth of the country that we all deserve.

Tomorrow I invite you to support at ten in the morning concentration convened by Antonio Ledezma in the Alfredo Sadel de las Mercedes Plaza which then will head to the OAS to demand that the Venezuelan situation be discussed. Pay close attention because every day strong actions will be announced that will go from less to more. It will be the alternative leaders who will make that announcement.

A new stage of the struggle is coming. This is just beginning. I assure you that this awakening of the people of Venezuela will make our energies continue to grow.Finally to our committed youth, a message of admiration and respect, you are on the right side of history, a deeply patriotic history. It has been the cycle of history which again has called them to be at the forefront of this difficult and painful birth, but just the country we deserve, that better Venezuela.

They will not be able to defeat he who does not give up. Strength and faith brothers, strength and faith brothers, he who tires loses. 

God be with you in this fight, Venezuela deserves more from us.

 Thank you very much and good night.

Leopoldo López

Ramo Verde Military Prison . March 3, 2014. 

Manifiesto por la Resistencia Democrática por Leopoldo López

Carlos Vecchio desde la clandestinidad lee el Manifiesto por la Resistencia Democrática escrito por Leopoldo López 

 

Manifiesto por la Resistencia Democrática

Hoy nadie puede afirmar que lo que hay en Venezuela es una democracia. La reacción autoritaria, represiva, criminal contra las protestas han sido un zarpazo a las libertades que no deja duda alguna, vivimos en dictadura. Una dictadura que se viene incubando desde hace años, que ya nadie puede dejar de ver y reconocer.

El llamado que hicimos desde la Plaza Brión de Chacaito en Caracas hace ya unos días para tomar las calles pacíficamente a partir del 12 de febrero ha sido más que contundente, en compromiso, en lo masivo , y en lo permanente. Hoy estoy preso en Ramo Verde por haber hecho un llamado a alzar nuestra voz de compromiso y de lucha democrática, hoy ante ustedes quiero ratificarles que no me arrepiento, que el precio que estoy pagando con mi libertad por haber llamado a que construyamos juntos el cambio que requerimos en Venezuela ha valido la pena.
 
Si le aplicaran a todos los ciudadanos el mismo castigo que me pretenden imponer con
mi encarcelamiento físico tendrían que construir cárceles para millones de Venezolanos que estamos dispuestos a asumir ese sacrificio.

Dentro de las limitaciones que impone la prisión he seguido con detenimiento el llamado a dialogo por parte de quienes hoy están en el poder y también las opiniones emitidas por mis compañeros de la unidad, y por eso, en ese contexto, quiero proponer la siguiente ruta de acción:

1) Mantenernos firmes con la protesta pacífica, no hay ninguna razón para claudicar nuestra lucha. No podemos rendirnos, debemos avanzar por los caídos, por los torturados por los presos y por todo el pueblo de Venezuela que hoy padece los ataques de un sistema completamente autocrático. Debemos seguir firmes.

2) Proponemos una agenda con hechos concretos enmarcada en la constitución y la justicia, no puede haber paz si no hay justicia verdadera y libertad, estas exigencias son:
 
a) La liberación de todos los presos políticos y el retorno de los exiliados.
 
b) Justicia para los fallecidos por la represión y el abuso, tanto para los autores materiales como para quienes impartieron las ordenes.
 
c) Recomponer los Poderes Públicos cuyos mandatos están vencidos según la constitución, un nuevo contralor, nuevos rectores del CNE, nuevos magistrados del tribunal supremo de justicia.

Es justicia, es constitucional y debe asumirse como un paso inmediato para que el llamado a dialogo sea creíble con hechos y no sólo con las palabras.

d) Exigimos la renuncia de los responsables por acción y por omisión de la represión, la tortura y los fallecidos, no hay manera de que baje la intensidad de nuestras protestas si no renuncian: Miguel Rodríguez Torres, primer responsable de la represión, y Luisa Ortega Diaz, primer responsable del encarcelamiento injusto y de la impunidad.
 
e) Exigimos justicia por la estafa de los 30 mil millones de dolares robados en CADIVI, es por la culpa de esa élite y por el terrible modelo económico que hoy los venezolanos están en cola por la escasez, la inflación y el desempleo.
 
Se robaron el equivalente a las reservas internacionales y no ha pasado nada. Identificados como los principales responsables de ese robo a la nación a Rafael Ramirez, Nelson Merentes y Manuel Barroso, son ellos quienes entregaron y firmaron la liquidación de esos dolares para que quedaran en sus bolsillos y los de sus amigos. Exigimos cárcel para esos corruptos que robaron a la nación.
 
Con esta agenda que recoge las protestas de la calle de la unidad democrática, proponemos enviar un mensaje claro de cuales son nuestras condiciones para el dialogo y llevar estas propuestas a asambleas de calle para legitimarlas y para ampliar las peticiones del pueblo democrático venezolano ante la dictadura de Nicolás Maduro.
Convocamos a todos los movimientos sociales,políticos y a todo el pueblo venezolano a que juntos articulemos un movimiento de fuerza popular para hacer realidad nuestras exigencias.

Al régimen y en particular a Maduro le decimos que de no tener respuesta oportuna a estas exigencias democráticas, justas y constitucionales no quedará otra opción que la de asumir el compromiso de seguir en la calle, intensificar la protesta pacífica pero irreverente y contundente hasta ver nacer la patria que todos merecemos.

Mañana los invito a apoyar a las 10 am la concentración convocada por Antonio Ledezma en la plaza Alfredo Sadel de las Mercedes que luego se dirigirá a la OEA para exigir que se discuta la situación Venezolana, estén muy atentos porque todos los días anunciarán acciones contundentes que irán de menos a más, serán los líderes de la alternativa quienes harán esa convocatoria.
 
Viene una nueva etapa de esta lucha, esto apenas comienza, les aseguro que este despertar del pueblo de Venezuela harán que nuestras energías no paren de crecer.

Finalmente a nuestros jóvenes comprometidos, un mensaje de admiración y respeto, ustedes están del lado correcto de la historia, una historia profundamente patriótica, ha sido el ciclo de la historia el que nuevamente los ha llamado a estar en la vanguardia de este parto difícil y doloroso , pero justo del país que merecemos, esa mejor Venezuela, no podrán vencer a quien no se rinde, fuerza y fe hermanos, fuerza y fe hermanos, el que se cansa pierde, 

Dios nos acompañe en esta lucha, Venezuela merece mucho más de nosotros. 

Muchas gracias y muy buenas noches.
Leopoldo López. 

Prisión Militar de Ramo Verde. 03 de Marzo de 2014.

Music Freedom Day in Cuba

"During 2013, the human rights organization Freemuse registered 19 musicians killed, 7 abducted, and 18 music creators imprisoned. There are many reasons for organizing the annual ‘Music Freedom Day’ 3rd of March, which puts focus on musicians’ rights to freedom of expression."At least one of the 18 is a Cuban. His name is Angel Yunier Remon Arzuaga.

Rodolfo Ramirez, rapping name El Primario

Freemuse has documented the plight of punk rocker Gorki Águila imprisoned for two years and threatened with new trials for his anti-government lyrics and Cuban rappers Rodolfo Ramirez, known by his rapping name as El Primario brutally beaten by regime agents and Angel Yunier Remon Arzuaga, known best as “El Critico” imprisoned and brutalized since March 2013.

Rapper imprisoned since March 2013

This is just the tip of the iceberg. In addition to imprisoned and brutalized musicians in Cuba under the Castro's music has been systematically censored in what amounts to a Cuban cultural genocide that is depriving generations of Cubans of their heritage.

Below is a mash-up of musical styles with Gorki Águila and El Primario collaborating on the song ESTE AÑO SI SE CAE (This year it will fall).

A Resistance Manifesto for Venezuela by the Patriotic Student and Peoples Council

#Resistance 

 March 3, 2014

Manifesto of Mérida 

Students have unified the nation around the conquest of the Freedom of Venezuela. For that reason the Castro-communist regime with paramilitary groups and the National Guard have killed, tortured and imprisoned colleagues throughout the national territory. The people have joined us: its libertarian spirit has awakened before the oppression of 15 years of this political system. In virtue of this historic moment, we hold before the country the following position in a manner that is convincing, honorable and indispensable, against those who want to dominate us and their collaborators:

1) Every political system is effective to the extent that their leaders are representative: the people in the street have shown that today that has ceased to be. In this sense, they are asking us to dialogue after 15 years of oppression. We do not want the peace of slaves: we are free Venezuelans. No dialogue is possible with a crony and totalitarian regime, which seeks to make us dependent. Freedom is not for sale . We will not legitimize a regime that has impoverished the majority of Venezuelans. The dialogue roundtables of 2004, in which Jimmy Carter and Cesar Gaviria were, demonstrated that there are not good intentions. Such regimes are inefficient: they purposely destroy Nations to control them better. We will not dialogue to perpetuate in power the worse Venezuelans. Any possibility of dialogue for us is imperatively conditioned, for a root change of the system.

2) We demand as patriots the withdrawal of the entire Cuban military occupation force . We want them to leave our territory, all the functionaries in our institutions because they represent, with their interference in our internal affairs, a threat to the security of the Nation . We want a sovereign Nation.

3) We will conquer our freedom. Individual freedom. Economic freedom to be able to live by the product of our own efforts. Freedom of speech to inform and express ourselves without any controls by any regime. Political freedom to protest, assemble and organize without it being a crime. Freedom to choose without it signifying a farce. We do not tolerate the controls of this Castro-communist regime nor any other that undermines the values ​​and principles of Venezuelans.

4) We demand the disbanding and disarmament of the paramilitary groups that protect and arm the regime to instill fear among Venezuelans. In this sense, as long as the terrorist attack by these groups continue with impunity, we call on the people to defend itself. We protect ourselves with the "Trenches of Freedom" in our cities and towns, because we will not allow attacks on what is most sacred to us: the family and heritage.

5) We demand the immediate release of all political prisoners , full freedom for those who were detained and the return of all exiles.

Venezuelans, 
This is the moment to define our destiny. Our national identity is being tested and we have sensitized the world to our courage. There is no possibility of real change if we do not arrive to the end: therefore, it is prohibited to lose. We will win, and with the people reestablish the nation as the freest on the continent. In memory of our fallen we will not give up. It's time to rewrite the history of Venezuela and sign it with the sweat of our efforts.

Therefore , that from today March 2, 2014 from the trenches of the Freedom of the City of Mérida, we declare constituted the PATRIOTIC STUDENT AND PEOPLES COUNCIL ( JPEP ) in order to restore Freedom and Sovereignty to Venezuela, at a meeting of student leaders, youth and popular fighters of the country, subscribe the undersigned,

 Freedom or nothing.

Official account of the Patriotic Council: @jpep2014

Anzoátegui: Eduardo Bittar, Marialvic Olivares, José Petete, Johan Infante, Juan Ibor.

Apure: Alberto Mogollón.

Barinas: Luis Octavio Rivas.

Bolívar: Samuel Petit, Ligia Bolívar, Rafael Tirado, Jonás Díaz.

Carabobo: Julio Cesar Rivas, Gustavo Galea, Lorent Saleh, Carlos Graffe, Ivan Uzcátegui, Rita Roa, Sabrina Cruces, Alfredo Stelling, Dimitry Belov, Marco Bozo, Francisco Abreu, Ángel Morales, Hermogenes López, Patricia Salamanca, Betania Bermejo, Angel Morales, Gabriela Suniaga, Freymar Torres, Luis Rodríguez, Daniel Coronel, Rina Rivas.

Caracas: Roderick Navarro, Francisco Márquez, Juan Flores,  Juan Requesens,  Josmir Gutiérrez, Ana Karina García, Javier González, Juan Carlos Apitz, José Javier Martínez, Guillermo Prieto, Pavel Quintero.

Lara: Jorge López, Luis Soteldo, Álvaro Avendaño, Iraiby Rodríguez, Raúl Rodríguez, Gabriel Lugo, Guillermo Osorno, Xavier Aldana, Tobias Alvarado.

Mérida: Gaby Arellano Villca Fernández, Liliana Guerrero, Aimara Rivas, Guido Mercado, Diego Rimer, Eloi Araujo, José Pozo, Rafael Chinchilla, Jackson Durán, Alirio Arroyo, Fabiana Santamaría, Rómulo Canelón, Nilver Torres, Miguel Gómez, Gina Rodríguez, Carlos Velasco, Antonio Intriago, Charly Aponte, Carlos Ramírez, Augusto García,  Edgar Osuna, Jorge Arellano, Jean Paul Méndez, Carlos Velázquez, Antonio Indriago, Alfredo Ocanto.

Monagas: Miguel Meneses

Portuguesa: Víctor Uribe.

Sucre: Eduardo Roque.

Táchira: José Vicente García, Wilmer Zabaleta, Leonardo Montilla, Reinaldo Manrique, Miguel Ochoa, José Aguilar, Carlos Maldonado

Trujillo: Gabriel Boscán, Elsi Guillén, Jairo Villa, Luis Borrero, Ronald Flores, Gabriel Pérez, Andrea Bracamonte, Jesús Rubio.

Zulia: Yorman Barilla, Eduardo Fernandez, Juan Urdaneta, Victor Ruz, Luis Diaz.


Original Spanish text

Venezuela and the Solidarity of the Shaken

“The solidarity of the shaken can say ‘no’ to the measures of mobilization that make the state of war permanent. … The solidarity of the shaken is built up in persecution and uncertainty: that is its front line, quiet, without fanfare or sensation even there where this aspect of the ruling Force seeks to seize it.” - Jan Patočka

Cuban exile and Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado in solidarity

 Witnessing the events unfolding in Cuba and Venezuela over the past two months is a reminder that human rights also involve responsibilities and duties. Unfortunately, when those responsibilities and duties are shirked the impact on human rights and the prospects for peace are both imperiled.

For example, when the Secretary Generals of the Organization of American States and the United Nations travel to Cuba to attend a Summit in the midst of a human rights crackdown and remain silent. Or worse yet, in the case of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, celebrate how the dictatorship treats women, ignoring the regime organized physical assaults against the Ladies in White and members of the Rosa Parks Women's Movement. Both of these are instances when responsibilities and duties have been shirked and the impact in Cuba has been an increase in violence and was also read as a green light for the Castro's puppet regime in Caracas to begin shooting students in the head and complete imposing a totalitarian regime in Venezuela.

Young Cuban exiles demonstrating solidarity with Venezuelan students

The failure of the international organizations to respond in a timely fashion to the systematic human rights violations taking place now with graphic violence against nonviolent demonstrators in Venezuela has led to a virtual community of the shaken to take to the streets and to the internet to demonstrate solidarity with students demonstrators in Venezuela.

Cuban singers Gloria Estefan and Willy Chirino have demonstrated their solidarity over their twitter accounts.

 Over the past two weeks Cubans both inside and outside of the island have demonstrated their support and solidarity. Yesterday, Tomás Regalado the mayor of the City of Miami, a Cuban exile, spoke out in solidarity with Venezuelans seeking freedom in their country. On February 28, 2014, family and friends of the Payá family gathered in a teach-in with an exiled Venezuelan magistrate to get an update on the situation there and to give their solidarity. On February 24, 1996 Cuban exiles held a silent vigil at Florida International University for victims of the 1996 Brothers to the Rescue shoot down and the Venezuelan youths murdered since February 12th. Members of the Cuban and Venezuelan resistance announced a common campaign of demonstrations on February 21, 2014 in Cuba and Venezuela.

"Not all Cubans are Chavez Supporters. Long Live Cuba & Venezuela in Freedom" 

 There is a possibility that what is being witnessed is the emergence of another example of the solidarity of the shaken. Erazim V. Kohák in his book Jan Patočka: philosophy and selected writings refers to Patočka’s “solidarity of the shaken” as a community freed “from the preoccupation with the pursuits of peace and prosperity that inevitably lead to war and turn it instead to the pursuit of the Good, the care of the soul” that is “living with a clear conscience, living in truth, or in far older terms, seeking first the Kingdom of God.” 

This solidarity of the shaken is not passive resistance but an active nonviolent resistance to injustice. Below are examples of solidarity by Cubans with Venezuelans struggling to be free.