Unions, social organizations, and families of political prisoners called this Thursday for a new day of protest in Caracas demanding wage improvements, an end to repression, and a faster transition to democracy in Venezuela. The gathering took place at Alfredo Sadel Plaza, in the Las Mercedes neighborhood: from there, a delegated group set off towards the United States embassy, located relatively close, in Valle Arriba. The protesters also demanded “transparency in the management of resources” administered by Washington over the national income following the military attack on January 3, in which the dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were arrested.
The demonstration constitutes a new attempt by autonomous opposition groups to highlight the terrible social and economic setbacks experienced by the majority of Venezuelans, which had become chronic during Maduro’s years. At the event, many people carried flags of Venezuela and the United States ―a complete heresy in local politics until very recently―, making explicit calls to the president of this country, Donald Trump, to fully take charge of the longed-for transition process to democracy in Venezuela. Some participants carried signs that read: “SOS, President Trump: I earn less than one dollar a month.” Or: “Mr. Trump: you already have the oil, now fulfill your promise to Venezuelans: elections now!”
“For there to be prosperity in Venezuela, there must be investments,” said Carlos Salazar, from the National Union Coalition and one of the organizers of this protest. “It is unjustifiable that so many thousands of dollars are spent on Nicolás Maduro’s defense in New York. The money used for his defense should be invested in wage improvements, in payments to Social Security pensioners, in student scholarships, in schools and public infrastructure.” Besides many activists close to families of political prisoners, well-known union leaders who have just endured harsh prison conditions, such as Rubén González, linked to the steel unions of the south of the country, could be seen at the gathering.
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Several family members of political prisoners who have not benefited from the Amnesty Law ―almost 500 people in total― and who continue to endure harsh detention conditions in prisons such as El Rodeo and Fuerte Guaicaipuro took the floor. All speakers criticized the acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, for refusing to carry the announced amnesty through to its final consequences, and for repressing last week’s demonstration with police force.
The protesters announced that, for the next April 30, one day before Labor Day, May 1, the date on which the wage increase announced by Rodríguez will be implemented, they will call for a new day of protest, whose goal is to “reach Miraflores,” the Government Palace, where it is almost impossible to reach with a protest demonstration.
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