Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
On february 12 2014
Venezuela's students took to the streets to protest against the profound economic
and social crisis of the country
They were met with a disproportionate violent response from the government
just for showing their discontent.
According to a study by the Venezuelan Observatory of violence
25.000 homicides were committed last year
in a country of fewer than thirty million people. In 1998,
the year before the current leftist regime came to power
that figure was under 5000.
Over ninety percent in these murders go unpunished
The country is severely impoverished. Staples are very hard to find.
According to official records, shortage rate is around 21%.
Whenevers staples are available, people have to queue for hours to get a
chance to purchase limited quantities of
these products. The Venezuelan government has tight control over currency exchange,
imports, exports, and prices.
According to Transparency International, it is perceived as one of the 15 most
corrupt governments in the world.
The annual inflation rate is over 56% and growing,
and the national currency is constantly being devalued.
The private sector has been reduced to virtually nothing.
This is not the first time that Venezuelans protest,
but this time around things, are different. Anti-government demonstrators,
armed only with flags and posters, are being brutally repressed and shot at
with live rounds by the National Guard
and heavily armed vigilante groups known as "colectivos".
Dozens are missing, hundreds are injured,
and there is an unknown but growing number of deaths.
Hundreds of students have been imprisoned, held uncommunicated,
and have been subject to severe beatings, torture,
and abuse.
These human rights violations are being dismissed by the courts
without further investigation.
Local TV channels provide no live coverage of the protests,
so Venezuelans have turned to social media to spread information.
The few reporters that have tried to cover the events have been beaten,
mugged, jailed or expelled by the government.
Leopoldo Lopez, one of the opposition leaders,
was sent to jail and is being indicted with charges that include terrorism,
arson and criminal incitement without proof,
witnesses or a public trial. The rest of the opposition leaders
are being threatened and persecuted.
The only means of communication that remain available
are social networks such as Twitter,
Facebook and Whatsapp. The government has censored online news outlets
and blocked certain apps and features,
such as Zello and Twitter images. We don't know how much longer will be able
to communicate with the rest of the world.
This is why we need your help.
The world is blind to what is happening.
We need you to help us recover our freedom.
The things that you take for granted, Venezuelans are fighting to recover.
We need you to help us create awareness. We need the global community
to form a network of aid and support.
You can help us by sharing our story with your family and friends.
You can help us by contacting your representatives
and demanding their support for the Venezuelan people
and their fight for justice and freedom.
You can help us by caring
We ask you to shine a light on us We ask you to spread the word.