Residents burn a hanging "Judas" with a sign in Spanish that reads, "The Corrupt," in Caracas, Venezuela, April 9, 2023. Photo: AP/Ariana Cubillos.
On Easter Sunday, the traditional burning of “Judas” that takes place on every year was carried out in different parishes of Caracas and in various provinces throughout Venezuela. This traditional celebration involves burning a character chosen to represent Judas Iscariot, the apostle who betrayed Jesus Christ and revealed his location, leading to his execution. The celebration symbolizes ridding oneself of evil and beginning the new year in purity.
In the Santa Rosalía parish, specifically on César Rengifo Boulevard, the figure of the dollar was burned. Community culture coordinator Belkis Hernández pointed out that “this is the dollar that has brought many problems for our economy.”
Hernández explained that the entire community participated in the construction of the evocative icon. Different cultural and recreational activities were carried out simultaneously by the citizens during the burning of the dollar.
In the El Cementerio sector of Santa Rosalía parish, inhabitants of the community chose the “corrupt” to represent Judas in this year’s burning.
Juan Loaiza, president of the Judas Del Cementerio Association, said that “corruption is an evil that is eating away at our citizens on the national level … unfortunately in Venezuela, as in other countries, we also have our corrupt.”
Loaiza explained that the construction of the “corrupt” figure that was burned began last Holy Thursday, April 6. The figure was constructed by lining an iron structure with fabrics and artificial pyrotechnics, then dressed up and given final touches for the ceremony. The Judas Del Cementerio Association was declared in 2022 as a cultural heritage of Caracas.
The burning of Judas has a symbolic meaning representing popular justice; through this tradition, the people are able to express their complaints and discontents regarding political events and the behavior of public figures, and it simultaneously represents the end of Lent.
The original motive was to commemorate Judas’s betrayal of Christ and symbolically alludes to the betrayal of the character chosen to be Judas to their people, community, or even the country, reports the Venezuelatuya portal.
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The aforementioned “Judas” is usually a doll made with cloth, old clothes, and rags, stuffed with fireworks provided by the participants in each community. These fireworks are then detonated once the Judas is hanged and burned.
Generally, once the full-length doll is assembled, it is then dressed in used shoes and suits, glasses, gloves, and different accessories, provided by the members of the community.
Opposition burning their own “Judas”
In some parts of Caracas and throughout Venezuela, many communities, including a group in La Candelaria parish, opted to burn a “Judas” representing corruption but adorned with the faces of former President Chávez, former VP Tarek El Aissami, and other Chavista figures.
Este #9Abr #DomingoDeResurreccion desde el centro de #Ccs con mis vecinos de #LaCandelaria desafiamos a la tiranía realizando nuestra creativa #quemadeJudas donde incineramos la #corrupciónenchufada personificada en @TareckPSUV,@NicolasMaduro,@gestionperfecta y @vladimirpadrino. pic.twitter.com/6Oy9kKKao7
— Carlos Julio Rojas (@CarlosJRojas13) April 9, 2023
In Maracaibo, the capital of Zulia state, opposition supporters opted to burn a Judas representing corruption in the PDVSA, dressing the Judas with the uniform of regular oil company workers.
Este 08 de abril la población venezolana se prepara pa la quema del Judas del año 2023.
PDVSA ahora robamos todos.#Venezuela #08Abr #SemanaSanta #Maracaibo #PDVSA pic.twitter.com/81YpRqP2tl
— Javier Silva (@jsilvanavarro) April 8, 2023
Citizens of Guatire and Guarenas burned a Judas dressed representing the Ministry for Education (MPPE) to express the discontent of many teachers who have been demanding better salaries and higher quality education for over a month.
Docentes, padres, representantes y vecinos de #Guarenas, #Guatire y #Araira por una educación de calidad, DDHH laborales y #SalarioConstitucional (art. 91, CRBV).
Lugar: Redoma de la Libertad, Nueva Casarapa.
HOY #9Abr, 4:00 p. m.#MagisterioVE pic.twitter.com/ljrgCaKFzx— Muévete Guarenas (@MueveteGuarenas) April 9, 2023
(Últimas Noticias) with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/KZ
