How tough it is to get rid of socialism: Lessons from Venezuela

The eyes of America look towards Venezuela. Hundreds of videos flood social media showing the world the fierce and courageous struggle of Venezuelans to regain their freedom. Despite the fact that dozens of people have already been killed by the regime, and hundreds detained, thousands of Venezuelans, in different parts of the country, are in the streets defending the electoral results that show the regime's opponent, Edmundo González, to be the winner.

Venezuela has been submerged for decades in a socialism that has taken the country from being one of the richest in the world, to become one of the poorest. It has one of the highest inflation rates in the world and a high crime rate. During the last few years Venezuelans have tried several times to overthrow the tyranny of Nicolas Maduro, the struggle has been long, painful, and even today they are still fighting for their freedom, trying to remove the successor of Hugo Chavez from power.

Venezuela opened the door to this tortuous path in 1998 when they voted in Chavez, a socialist who in his first years managed to gain wide support especially in the popular sectors of the country. Chávez used the oil bonanza that Venezuela experienced to build a whole network of public servants bought by his government so that they would profess total loyalty to him. He also gained the support of millions of people by giving subsidies and extending social programs. But as always happens, after a few years, the consequence of socialism is misery.

Falling into socialism is very easy. It only takes one election to deliver a country, which can be as prosperous as Venezuela was back in 1998, into the hands of those who will not only destroy it but will cling to power no matter what they have to do. Venezuela today reminds the world how dangerous it is to trust socialists, how careful we must be when it comes to voting, and how difficult it is to overthrow a regime.

Through all these years in which Venezuelans have tried to remove Maduro from power, we have also learned that, no matter how cruel and brazen a regime acts, it is very difficult for the international community to decide how to effectively to intervene in a country. We have seen dozens of communiqués from institutions, organizations and governments condemning tyranny, but very few actions that actually move to achieving freedom for Venezuela.

Beyond the ideas that anyone has about international politics, it should be clear that it is very difficult for the international community to intervene in an effective way to help liberate a country. The people have to be clear at the time of voting that their future is in their hands and that nobody will save them if they make a bad decision. And the "aid" they will receive, for the most part, will have no real effect.

Another issue that Venezuela and its years of struggle has taught us is the importance of the right to bear arms. In Latin America, unlike the United States, many countries do not even understand the importance of bearing arms and the issue can even be seen as taboo. The Constitution of this country makes clear the importance of citizens enjoying the right to bear arms, so that in the event of a tyranny seizing power, the people can pursue freedom.

Venezuelans have been brave and have taken to the streets en masse, not only this time, but on various occasions over the years, but it is very difficult to face criminals who have squads of armed thugs, while the only thing the people have are their cries and their desire for freedom.

Venezuela is in the streets again today, seeking its freedom. It is an example of courage for all those who watch the videos of what is happening in the country, but the struggle and suffering of the Venezuelans has to make those of us who watch from the outside reflect and still have the opportunity to prevent our countries from falling into the bottomless pit of socialism.