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We won the Referendum!
I'm incredibly proud and happy today!
As many of you know, I'm Venezuelan. At the moment we are having a difficult political situation where society is divided into those who support the government and those who don't. This is not as clear cut as rich vs. poor (like out president would have you believe) as rich people have benefited from his regime and many poor people are disappointed as poverty in Venezuela has *increased* even though the price of the oil has *risen* because there are no adequate social programs aimed at sustainable development (Chavez's idea of support is giving money to those who support him and no one else).
I'm with the opposition and a member of the student movement that seeks to keep the president from carrying out his authoritarian agendas. We endorse peaceful civic disobedience, we march on the street, we give people pamphlets... and then we are attacked with teargas by the national guard, injured by the falling tear-gas bombs and the subsequents attempts at fleeing. (I twisted *both* my ankles in may).
As a rescue worker I have had to help many of my fellow students get to medical services.
BUT IT WAS ALL WORTH IT!!!
*does a happiness dance*
EDIT: I put some pictures of the student protesters in the comments.
As many of you know, I'm Venezuelan. At the moment we are having a difficult political situation where society is divided into those who support the government and those who don't. This is not as clear cut as rich vs. poor (like out president would have you believe) as rich people have benefited from his regime and many poor people are disappointed as poverty in Venezuela has *increased* even though the price of the oil has *risen* because there are no adequate social programs aimed at sustainable development (Chavez's idea of support is giving money to those who support him and no one else).
I'm with the opposition and a member of the student movement that seeks to keep the president from carrying out his authoritarian agendas. We endorse peaceful civic disobedience, we march on the street, we give people pamphlets... and then we are attacked with teargas by the national guard, injured by the falling tear-gas bombs and the subsequents attempts at fleeing. (I twisted *both* my ankles in may).
As a rescue worker I have had to help many of my fellow students get to medical services.
BUT IT WAS ALL WORTH IT!!!
WE WON THE REFERENDUM AND THE NEW CONSTITUTION THAT WOULD MAKE CHAVEZ ALL POWERFUL WAS REJECTED!!!
*does a happiness dance*
EDIT: I put some pictures of the student protesters in the comments.
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But I'm so glad my vote counted for something!
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"Voter "oui", c'est voter Chavez, voter "non" c'est voter George Bush", avait-il insisté.
That's the sort of thing he sais. He twists the truth and claims thing like "the CIA is paying the students to protest", but I have yet to see any money on my bank account.
Even more, he has imported thausands of people from Africa and other Latin American countries, given them Venezuelan IDs and have them vote for him.
In the last presidential elections, Chavez's supporters were ferried with buses from one voting center to the other where the proceeded to vote several times using different IDs!!! Many people observed and reported this, but since the Head of the Electoral Council is now the Vice-president (!!!), you can guess that they did nothing about it.
We must really have a strong opposition if we won anyway.
:D
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I put some pictures in the reply to Mona in case you want to see.
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*dances some more*
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(I teared up a little at reading "But street protests started by university students put paid to those ambitions, growing into the grassroots opposition movement that eventually vanquished him at the polls.")
Anna, you're awesome! All of you are!
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Four our civil disobedience, we tried to find new ways to oppose Chavez's ideas.
Instead of violence, we chose peace. The symbol of the Venezuelan Student movement ia a palm print, preferably white, meaning "our hands are empty, we mean you no harm".
Paz = Peace
The upside down flag and the black flag of mourning.
The students:
Libertad = Freedom
Scans from Rumbacaracas.com magazine, a youth magazine that usually reports on clubs and discos.
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Also, I love the white hand as the symbol. Will link to this post.
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I'll try to keep updating on the things happening over here, still, my journal is my happy place, where I can pursue my art and my writing and I normally use it to escape the bad situation in my country. I want my journal to be cheerful and not a whine feast, and there so very little political *good* to post about. You wouldn't believe the *shit* we have to put up with.
Hopefully there will be even better things to report!
!!!
SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!
Re: !!!
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Congratulations.
\o/
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You and your friends are the heroes - I'm so happy to see that your efforts bore fruit.
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It is so strange for me to think people actually accomplish stuff in other countries by writing letters, here it would never have an effect. I mean, even the press reports on all the shady dealings of out government and *they don't care*!
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Thank you!
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Yay! Thanks!
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Way to go for getting involved and trying to make a difference :)
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And good on you for taking such a an active role in politics too, even with such hazards as you get from your protesting.
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This is our first mayor victory and hopefully the beginning of the end for a president that has succeeded in dividing society, increasing poverty and criminality rates and about a 700% inflation since he came to power in 1999.