From Venezuela to the world

This year, I really wanted to share my perspectives, thoughts, feelings, and uncertainties in writing through a blog #tumblrgirl

Today, I have a reason to write my first post: once again, Venezuela is in the hot seat.

This is the most toxic love we will ever have. It’s incredible how our country never stops surprising us—unfortunately, usually in negative ways.

Our country has seen news headlines that are completely absurd. From "A Dozen Eggs Now Costs More Than a Month’s Minimum Wage" to "Venezuelans Use Banknotes to Weave Handbags", "Maduro Orders Christmas to Start in October" and "Venezuela’s Zoo Animals Stolen to be Eaten due to food scarcity" Now, we have the most recent one: "Trump Announces U.S. Will 'Run' Venezuela Temporarily". This is just to name a few. The list of headlines and tragic stories we’ve had to live through and overcome in our Patria querida (beloved homeland) is endless.

But, how do we tell these stories? How do we refer to our own country's recent history? A friend recently told me that after a certain amount of time, the stories we tell become linear, because we have the tendency to set aside all the highs and lows we experienced. If we apply that theory to our country's recent history, I’m afraid people will start forgetting what brought us to this point.

For the vast majority of Venezuelans, there is only one way to tell our history, because we lived it. Our hands were the ones stained with the blood of our brothers and sisters while we defended our freedom. It was our mothers who cried and went to bed with empty stomachs because there wasn’t enough plata (money) or food. It was our children who were tortured, humiliated, and disappeared during long nights of darkness. We were the +8 million of people who had to leave the land where we were born in search of a brighter future. And there are still more than 20 million remain in Venezuela, living under repression and breathing in fear.

Today, Venezuela is in the eye of the hurricane, for better or worse. We honestly don't know if we should be happy. We are waiting to see what happens, but this isn't the first time we've felt this way. It’s also not the first time we’ve hesitated to feel joy over a historic event that could change positively our lives, because this dictatorship has made us strong, resilient, and hardened—unfortunately, a los coñazos (by force).

For those inside and those of us outside, the silence is experienced differently. Inside, you can't have an opinion, you are only allowed to lower your head. For those of us outside, life never stops, all we can do is hope for the best, we have to look calm on the outside while we are tense on the inside. Meanwhile, the world around us has something to say. But what is said? And more importantly, who is saying it?

Lately, I’ve seen many of my migrant venezuelan friends using the phrase, “Don’t explain Venezuela to a Venezuelan” and I find that very accurate.

Living in Europe—a continent that is mostly very critical of U.S. domestic and foreign policy—I have witnessed "White Savior" behavior in many people. It’s as if they think they know better than we do.

Personally, I am very proud to be Venezuelan, but I’ve never proactively sought to talk about my country. For a few months now, it’s been impossible to escape the question: "What do you think about what is happening in Venezuela?" That question causes mixed feelings. On one hand, I’m glad you know about my country, on the other, it means you probably have an opinion about it... mostly from a "White Savior" pov.

The last couple of days for a Venezuelan have been spent trying to overcome the shock of watching your city being bombarded, seeing the dictator finally captured, but having to emphasize that it doesn’t mean we are free yet. It has been watching Trump talk trash about Maria Corina (oposition leader and current Nobel Peace Prize) and seeing Marco Rubio’s facial expression during a press conference hours before Maduro arrives in NY. And on top of that, to put the cherry on the tres leches cake, we HAVE TO EXPLAIN OURSELVES TO THE LEFTIES ON THE INTERNET??!! Jesus! Give us a break.

So, FYI, yes, we are well aware that Trump and the USA have an agenda. We know they aren't the reincarnation of Mother Teresa and aren't doing this just because. We know our oil is the ultimate goal. But we also know we might finally have an opportunity to change our history—to use that oil, gas, gold, and other resources to provide food, healthcare, education, and dignity to our people.

For the past 26 years, that oil only brought us scarcity, death, humiliation, and repression. This isn’t the first time the USA will lead our oil industry. Back in 1920, when oil was first found, Americans were there to exploit it. The deals weren't the fairest, but their money and expertise transformed Venezuela from a country of "donkeys and campesinos (peasants)" to a global leader in energy, education, and infrastructure.

Could this "intervention" bring back wealth and infrastructure to Venezuelans in the long run?

Could it bring back +8 million Venezuelans and reunite our families?

Could it bring peace?

Could it bring freedom?

We honestly don't know—but neither do you.

Meanwhile, there is a latent and ever-present reality that continues in our country: there are many people who cannot wait a single day longer before they perish from torture, health issues, malnutrition, violence, or repression. What about them? Why aren't you talking about them? Is it due to your ignorance?

Well, I’m leaving a few links here with summarized and curated information on the subject that is available on Instagram, easy to consume = easy to share

And remember: you have to know when to be silent. Making more noise in the midst of uncertainty only breeds more chaos.