Venezuela and its second independence

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After more than 200 years a new independence seeks protagonism

On April 19, 1810, a revolution began in Venezuela in search of the independence of the Spaniards. Almost a year later, on July 5, 1811, the act of independence was signed, where 7 out of 10 provinces ceased to be Spanish. This is how the American Confederation of Venezuela was born, being the first Ibero-American country to become independent.

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However, after 209 years, the long-awaited independence seems to no longer exist. The country, mired in a profound social, economic and political crisis has become the perfect geopolitical puppet for the great powers that see in the country a way out to demonstrate its superiority.

Venezuela is governed by two presidents: Nicolás Maduro, the successor of Chavez, and Juan Guaidó, self-proclaimed president since the end of January. They are each in the corner of the ring waiting for the start of the fight. So far the attacks have only been verbal, but his coaches (Russia, China, among others) support Maduro in his crazy regime that has generated one of the massive exoduses of recent times.

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On the other corner is Juan Guaidó, that politician who until this year managed to penetrate the memory of the whole world. Backed by the majority of the international community, and with a strong strategy to attract Venezuelans, Guaidó arrived to restore democracy, also supported by one of the most significant powers: the United States.

Each of them is in one corner waiting for the other's attack. Each one is waiting for the perfect moment to achieve, for the second time, independence. They are looking for that historic moment that will lead them to glory and in which they probably proclaim "independence" of the other party.

However, it would not be unreasonable to think that this struggle for independence should come soon since every day the needs of Venezuelans are more affected. The rationing of energy, of water, added to the disproportionate figures of inflation, plus the lack of food and medicines are the explosives that are about to detonate.

As happened more than 200 years ago, Venezuela needs its second independence to be reborn as a State; to reactivate its economy and attract the thousands of Venezuelans who fled the poor living conditions. However, that independence must be clever, because the idea is not that again the country falls into the hands of a colonizer, European or American, in one case or Russian or Chinese in the other.

The next days or months will be full of tension; both presidents will be attentive to the actions of the other willing to do anything to end oppression and criticism and thus claim their second independence. Let us celebrate the independence of April 19 as an incentive to the other independence that we will soon be celebrating.

LatinAmerican Post | Laura Viviana Guevara Muñoz

Translated from "Venezuela y su segunda independencia"