Venezuela and Cuba: a similar past and a common future

Last week marked the one-year anniversary of the public demonstrations that shook the Cuban regime on July 11, 2021 but, unfortunately, it did not lead to change. A story similar to that of Venezuela, a country that so many times has been on the verge of conquering its freedom but is still subdued by tyranny.

The struggle is one of dreams, stones, sticks and ideas against bullets, cruelty, fire and ignominy. But, in spite of everything, every now and then the hope of the people is reborn and a group ignites the flame of passion with which many join the struggle to recover democracy.

The example of Cuba has always worried Venezuelans. The inhabitants of the island have been subjected to the arbitrariness of their dictators for more than 60 years. Today, Venezuela is a political copy of what happens in Havana. Between the arrival of Chavez to power and Maduro, almost 24 years have passed since the people of Simon Bolivar witnessed the destruction of institutions and freedom. But ideas and dreams never expire, they do not go out of fashion and sooner or later they can be rescued and raised by men and women with a firm commitment to justice.

In Venezuela, many of the politicians who called themselves opposition were the same ones who contributed and contribute to keep Chavismo in power. They played to tire the people in countless marches, always with the same scheme: when tempers flared, they sought to disperse the popular momentum by sending the people home, and then summoning them again days later, again and again, to decimate the effervescence of emotions. These are the same leaders who later made pacts and dialogued with the regime.

Although the future of Cuba and Venezuela seems dark and uncertain, the commitment of millions of citizens remains unwavering, the desire for a better tomorrow and the construction of freedom has not diminished. Better times will come, when democracy will be recovered in these two sister nations with a similar past and with much to do to shine again as they once did.