JULIO CÉSAR RIVAS

The dictator Nicolás Maduro has plunged, without remorse, into the darkest depths of infamy, ordering murders, arbitrary detentions, unimaginable torture, and the abduction of minors. He has marked houses with symbols of terror, incited his followers to spy on and denounce their own neighbors, banned free speech, censored media and social networks, expelled international observers, and detained journalists. How many more abuses will he commit in his desperate attempt to silence the voice that constantly echoes in his mind? A voice that screams: VENEZUELA DOESN'T WANT YOU! In his delusional quest to cling to power, Maduro believes that with a campaign of terror and enforced silence, he can remain in control indefinitely. But he forgets that the victory led by María Corina Machado and realized in the election of Edmundo González Urrutia was achieved amidst this same landscape of abuse and systematic violations of civil rights. And yet, with unyielding dignity, the br...

El dictador Nicolás Maduro se ha sumergido sin escrúpulos en las sombras más oscuras del oprobio, ordenando asesinatos, detenciones arbitrarias, torturas inimaginables, y secuestrando a menores de edad. Ha marcado casas con símbolos de terror, incitado a sus seguidores a espiar y delatar a sus propios vecinos, prohibido la libre expresión, censurado medios y redes sociales, expulsado a observadores internacionales y detenido a periodistas. ¿Cuántos abusos más será capaz de perpetrar en su desesperado intento de silenciar la voz que resuena constantemente en su mente? Una voz que le grita: ¡VENEZUELA NO TE QUIERE! En su delirante afán de perpetuarse en el poder, Maduro cree que con una agenda de terror y una imposición de silencio, podrá mantenerse eternamente. Pero olvida que la victoria liderada por María Corina Machado y concretada en la elección de Edmundo González Urrutia se materializó en medio de este mismo panorama de abusos y violaciones sistemáticas de los derechos civiles. Y ...

Reaching July 28 was a titanic task. I confess that, after having lived through many of the cycles of these more than two decades of struggle against chavismo on the front lines, my expectations were very low a few months ago. WHAT CHANGED MY MOOD? During the electoral campaign, we witnessed a growing civil and popular movement. Despite repression, arrests, abuse through raids, business closures, and confiscation of work equipment, humble Venezuelans steadfastly supported Venezuela's democratic leader, María Corina Machado, and filled the atmosphere with hope—something unimaginable in a society that had already fallen into a certain political apathy. I emphasize humble people because, unlike previous movements led by organized civil society, students, parties, or federations, this time the reality of the country pushed the most dispossessed to take the lead in this libertarian cause. That signal, that fear had disappeared, opened up an interesting scenario. It was t...

¿QUÉ CAMBIÓ MI ÁNIMO? Durante la campaña electoral, fuimos testigos de un movimiento civil y popular en crecimiento. A pesar de la represión, las detenciones, el abuso a través de allanamientos, clausuras de negocios y confiscación de equipos de trabajo, los venezolanos humildes apoyaban con determinación a la líder democrática de Venezuela, María Corina Machado, y llenaban el ambiente de una esperanza, algo impensable en una sociedad que ya vivía en un estado de apatía política. Hago énfasis en la gente humilde, porque esta vez, a diferencia de movimientos anteriores liderados por la sociedad civil organizada, estudiantes, partidos o federaciones, la realidad del país empujó a los más desposeídos a tomar la vanguardia de esta gesta libertaria. Esa señal, de que el miedo había desaparecido, abría un escenario interesante. Eran las señoras de las empanadas, las...

When I arrived in the United States, I was surprised by the number of young people in begging situations. With a slight prejudice, I thought that the good life had made them lazy. However, I discovered a much more complex background. Many of these homeless individuals had an even graver reality: they were addicted to opioids. Their behavior was striking: hunched over and completely disconnected from the outside world, they wandered through trains, stations, and concentrated in a specific area: Kensington in Philadelphia. On several occasions, I passed through this neighborhood, which was once famous for housing Rocky Balboa's house and even the gym where he trained. But since I arrived, the focus shifted to this apocalyptic reality, where thousands of humans roamed like zombies. Every day you saw an ambulance picking up a corpse of someone who died from an overdose. Traveling by car was already shocking, but the view from the city train was even worse. When you leave downt...

Cuando llegué a los Estados Unidos, me sorprendió la cantidad de jóvenes en situación de mendicidad. Con un prejuicio ligero, pensé que la buena vida los había vuelto vagos. Sin embargo, descubrí un trasfondo mucho más complejo. Muchos de estos sin techo tenían una realidad aún más grave: eran adictos a opioides. Su comportamiento era impactante: encorvados y con la mente totalmente desconectada del mundo exterior, vagaban por los trenes, estaciones y se concentraban en un sitio específico: Kensington en Filadelfia. En varias ocasiones pasé por este vecindario, que antaño fue famoso por albergar la casa de Rocky Balboa e incluso el gimnasio donde practicaba. Pero desde que llegué, la referencia se centraba en esta realidad apocalíptica, donde miles de seres humanos deambulaban como zombies. Todos los días veías una ambulancia recogiendo un cadáver de alguien que murió por sobredosis...

The alarming reality of more than seven million Venezuelans who have abandoned their homeland highlights the deep crisis facing Venezuela. Although internal crisis is the predominant reason behind this massive migration, it is important to recognize that the reasons vary across different spheres and stages. In the early days of Chavismo, many compatriots chose to emigrate in the face of imminent disaster, drawing parallels with the events in Cuba and recognizing the alarming similarities. This initial wave of migration headed towards developed countries, where they were welcomed with open arms due to their professionalism, entrepreneurial spirit, and adaptability. As the nation progressively declined, the reasons for emigration shifted from preventive to a matter of survival. The main cities were engulfed in waves of violence and crime, forcing many to seek refuge beyond the borders. Countries like the United States, Spain, and Chile emerged as preferred destinations for those wh...