By Elias Jaua Milano – May 24, 2020
As foreign aggression increases, motivated by the evident despair of those who rule in the White House and their supporters from Voluntad Popular and others, we can see how the feeling of national dignity begins to manifest itself publicly from broad opposition sectors to government of President Nicolás Maduro and from the traditional anti-Chavismo.
The recent and reprehensible armed incursion, with American war criminals at the helm; the announcement by the Trump administration to militarily prevent the arrival of Iranian tankers, loaded with fuel to alleviate the current situation of shortages that affects the entire population; the suspension, as a result of unilateral and therefore illegal sanctions, of the main satellite television service in Venezuela, affecting nearly 10 million people; the news of the judicial confiscation of CITGO, a Venezuelan-owned fuel refining company in the United States, today illegally managed by the failed parallel government of Juan GuaidĂł, with the endorsement of the Donald Trump government; paradoxically are forging a common ground for broad sectors around the rejection of armed intervention, illegal sanctions, and the loss of our heritage assets as a Nation.
RELATED CONTENT: Henrique Capriles Returns From the Ashes and Seeks to Displace Juan GuaidĂł
Increasingly, with patriotic sentiment, I read, see and hear opposing voices from all spheres of political, economic, social and cultural life, slipping away from ignominy. With courage and bravery, political leaders, journalists, businessmen, academics, among others, face the blackmail of being singled out as “collaborators of the regime”, when in truth they are moved by an authentic feeling of defense of their homeland, our homeland; of the right of the people to live in peace and to promote a democratic and transparent political agreement. To them, I give my recognition as a Venezuelan.
For us, the Chavistas, these voices should motivate us to reflect that allows us to understand that beyond the patriotic, popular, revolutionary and democratic force that we are, there are millions of Venezuelans who oppose the government of President Maduro, but that are not willing to endorse a republic becoming a colony.
This positive phenomenon comprises a challenge. We cannot continue doing politics and discourse just to confront the extremist, pro-violent and violent sectors. All the extremists together are a minority, very dangerous indeed, for that reason it is necessary to speak and develop actions that summon the great patriotic and democratic majorities, in this crucial hour for republican life.
RELATED CONTENT: First Iranian Tanker Fortune Already in Venezuelan Territorial Waters
A foreign aggression like the one we are suffering is more difficult to face from a sectarian vision of the party, than if it is confronted from a true spirit of national unity, of all those who deeply love this country and are willing to defend their dignity and to isolate the violent herd for foreign intervention and subordination and find, between Venezuelans, the mechanisms of sovereign, democratic and peaceful regulation of the political conflict.
It is necessary to elevate the discourse, each word and the ways in which the messages are transmitted and how one acts, are important to connect with the large majorities won for the preservation of independence and national self-determination; of oil and economic sovereignty in general and of the right to live in peace as a nation.
Let us listen to those voices, that from all corners of a nation burdened by the effects of internal confrontation and foreign harassment, rise up in favor of the dignity of Venezuela. These days I heard one of those voices say: “Ultimately we are responsible for this Republic. We feel pain for our homeland, a great deal.”
We still have time to stop the war, the destruction, the death. In other times we could not, other peoples could not. In any case, the republic cannot be lost in the hands of this generation of Venezuelans. The fatherland will win!
Source URL: Horizonte en Disputa
Translated by JRE/EF
Elias Jaua Milano
ElĂas JosĂ© Jaua Milano is a Venezuelan politician and former university professor who served as Vice President of Venezuela from January 2010 to October 2012.He was Minister of Foreign Affairs since January 2013. Jaua obtained a Sociology degree from the Central University of Venezuela. In 2000 he was part of the ComisiĂłn Legislativa Nacional and Minister of the SecretarĂa de la Presidencia from 2000 to 2001.
He was nominated as Venezuelan Ambassador to Argentina in 2002. Jaua served as Minister of Agriculture in President Hugo Chávez's government before being appointed as Vice-President in January 2010, while remaining Minister of Agriculture. On 15 December 2011, following a major reshuffle of the Venezuelan political leadership, President Chávez proposed Jaua to be the PSUV candidate for governor of the state of Miranda (reported in El Universal).
He resigned the vice presidency on 13 October 2012 to compete in the election and was replaced by Nicolás Maduro. He lost the election on 16 December 2012 to the former governor Henrique Capriles who had stepped down in June 2012 to unsuccessfully challenge Hugo Chávez for President. Jaua succeeded Nicolás Maduro as Minister of Foreign Affairs on 15 January 2013.
