Londres – For those looking to understand clearly and coherently the tag #YoSoyVenezolano, I recommend the following:
Watch the interview with Yoani Sanchez by Jaime Bayly.
Read Cubanos y punto by Yoani, replacing cubans with venezolanos and Jose Marti with the prominent Venezuelan figure of your choice.
Watch the intervention of Gladys Ibarra at the artists’ meeting for Capriles.
After following these steps, even skeptics like me regain hope. The words of Yoani and Gladys, whether spoken or written, are so compelling that it’s practically impossible to dispute them. I identify with the genuine feelings expressed by both, one stating she is a Cuban of Jose Marti, and the other defending her stance, saying “I am Venezuelan.” We live in times of propaganda, noise, and deceit, with politicians lacking principles, amoral people, media outlets and journalists swayed by the highest bidder, empty institutions, and superficial societies. Within this chaos, where sensible voices are scarce, these two women embody a powerful truth, expressed humbly and without grandiose tones, effortlessly dismantling any arguments from those who have relinquished their free will.
I relate to Gladys and her point about the difficulty of carving out a space in unfamiliar societies, in languages learned as adults, while maintaining love for one’s homeland, without adopting petty attitudes toward those from there. It feels surreal to have to defend one’s opinions among our own, as one no longer resides in the neighborhood.
I connect with Yoani when she says that even though she has settled in Switzerland, she continues to live in Cuba. She still thinks about Cuba, and sees it in all her daily interactions. This isn’t just her experience; it’s shared by all who have emigrated. Those who criticize us often have never left and don’t understand what it’s like to feel exiled.
Hearing the voices of Yoani and Gladys fills me with hope, and I remind myself, “not everything is lost when women like these are among us.” These women, not Diosa Canales, should be the standards of our societies, our moral bastions, and our guides. They should be the role models that all future generations aspire to emulate, as that would finally put an end to the relentless proliferation of perfect idiots in Latin America, like the late one or her Cuban idol.
These women can positively influence the creation of a new identity, shaping the meaning of #yosoyvenezolano according to their moral standards. An extraordinary power they hold, which will undoubtedly lead us towards respect, dignity, and progress.
Yoani dreams of a new Cuba where the government is an extension of society, not an omnipresent totalitarian entity. Who could disagree with that? Venezuela, the one that Gladys cries for, is all of us; there are no classes of Venezuelans, more or less dignified, more or less Venezuelan. In #yosoyvenezolano, there’s room for everyone. Even the deceased…
The entry #yosoyvenezolano first appeared on El Faro del Morro.