By Maibe Ponet
01 Aug 2024, 10:40 AM EDT
I was trying to come up with the most accurate way to describe how Venezuelans are feeling this week, when these words arrived on my WhatsApp from Caracas:
“With hope at a thousand… despite everything.”
That’s where we are. Clinging to hope, despite everything, while we wait for Nicolás Maduro to revoke the fraud and recognize his colossal electoral defeat.
In Venezuela we all knew that the road to overthrow this regime so entrenched in power would be long and demoralizing.
But knowing it is one thing, living it is another. It’s only been a few days since the election, and I must admit that this struggle feels like an uphill battle.
What if we don’t achieve anything this time either?
This is the voice of fear that they want to sow in us, and that we need to collectively calm.
That is why we need your encouragement and support to continue demanding that the results of this election be recognized, even though the regime openly tries to undermine us with lies and silence us with violence.
Don’t tell us that it can’t be done, that autocrats don’t fall with votes or nice sayings, that why did we vote if we knew this was going to happen.
What we need is for everyone to raise their voice, wherever and however they can, to denounce the blatant electoral fraud that has occurred in Venezuela.
In this campaign everything counts: Every message of support on X, every post on Instagram or Facebook, every word of encouragement.
What happened in Venezuela on July 28 should inspire all of Latin America.
In an environment of extreme intimidation and repression, millions of Venezuelans organized themselves — without resources and without access to traditional means — not only to get people out to vote, but to protect and document their votes.
Such social mobilization and civic unity is impressive, unprecedented, and very moving in a nation historically divided by deep classism and structural racism, which this regime knew how to take advantage of to create more polarization.
But if our differences characterized us before, now Venezuelans are defined by our similarities. Venezuela has changed. The good people, who are the great majority, are united behind strong leadership and in the vision of a free nation that allows family reunification. We want to return, spend December with our families, and above all we want to close this chapter of suffering and pain.
Despite our determination, fear visits from time to time to remind us that while we fight for the truth with records in hand, they fight with the military and armed groups.
Yes, it is very scary. But that fear also forces us to continue. There is no other option because Maduro will only be able to govern this people who so bravely dared to challenge him on Sunday with more militarization, repression and violence.
So, even though it may sound trite, it must be repeated as many times as necessary: This is until the end.
Tense and difficult days are coming for Venezuela. Please raise your voice and join this cry to denounce electoral fraud. Every word, every repost counts. Help us achieve this change that, although they want us to believe is impossible, is closer than ever.
Maibe Ponet is a Venezuelan social communicator and former Opinion Editor of El Diario. @maibeponet