Part of the Chavista demonstration marching near Los Cortijos, eastern Caracas. Photo: Twitter/@PartidoPSUV
During the celebration of Youth Day in Venezuela, on Saturday, February 12, President Nicolás Maduro made an emotional call to the revolutionary youth of the nation, and assured that he and the Bolivarian government are committed to the fight against corruption, bureaucratism and criminality. The president made these remarks in a meeting with young people in Caracas, who marched from Petare (east Caracas) to Miraflores (center) to celebrate Youth Day.
“I have come to ask you, the youth, for help in the fight against corruption, crime, and bureaucratism,” said the president in his speech. “A sour, bitter fight.”
He lamented that every time someone whom one has known and trusts becomes corrupted, one feels bitterness and sadness. “But I say: in the face of rot and corruption, more Revolution,” President Maduro said.
President Maduro also called on the young people of Venezuela to deepen education and training to strengthen the Bolivarian Revolution and consolidate political power. A depoliticized people is an easy prey for right-wing oligarchic manipulation, he added.
“I am saying this today so that you all can get educated in ethical and political training, in the values of Bolivarianism and of the roots of Chavismo, of 21st-century socialism,” the president stated.
Historical awareness
President Maduro also addressed the leaders of middle school students to promote the resurgence of the youth, from which new leaders of the Bolivarian process will come up for the future of the nation.
He had a similar message for university students, inspiring them to innovate, create and strengthen the assemblies and student centers in each campus of all universities in the country.
At the event, the president also recognized the leadership of the revolutionary youth in the battles that the people have faced in recent years, in the conquest of new victories and in the construction of the nation’s future.
Mentioning that more than 80% of the students in secondary and university education study in the public, free and quality system, President Maduro asked for the strengthening of the organizations of the student movement.
“A new time is coming, a better time is coming, and it belongs to you, young people of Venezuela,” said President Maduro, addressing the youth gathering.
He also congratulated the minister of youth for the successful organization of the National Sports Games, in which the states of Miranda, Carabobo, and Caracas obtained the first three places.
Two demonstrations in Caracas
President Maduro gave his speech at the end of a Chavista demonstration, in which thousands of young people marched from the east to the west of Caracas. In parallel, there was another very small gathering of anti-Chavista forces called for by former deputy Juan Guaidó, in Chacao, east Caracas. Even the right-wing international media outlet, AFP, was forced to recognize that the Chavista march was huge while the opposition march was a failure.
🇻🇪 Miles de chavistas marcharon este sábado en Caracas para reiterar su respaldo al presidente Nicolás Maduro, mientras un grupo más reducido de opositores se concentró atendiendo el llamado del líder Juan Guaidó que abogó por la unidad y la renovación de liderazgo #AFP pic.twitter.com/oJWXT9oy73
— Agence France-Presse (@AFPespanol) February 12, 2022
“Thousands of Chavistas marched this Saturday in Caracas to reiterate their support for President Nicolás Maduro, while a smaller group of opponents gathered to respond to the call of ‘leader’ [quotation marks are ours] Juan Guaidó, who advocated for unity and the renewal of leadership,” wrote the French news outlet on its Twitter account.
Below are several tweets showing the size of the Chavista demonstration:
¡A esta hora! 🙋🏼🙋🏼🙋🏽♀️🙋🏻♂️
Así se encuentra el muro de Petare, punto de salida de la Marcha en el Día de la Juventud. #JuventudLealYPatriota pic.twitter.com/OYdIltTtxu
— PSUV (@PartidoPSUV) February 12, 2022
Today our revolutionary and heroic youth walked the streets of Caracas.
Just like 208 years ago in the Battle of La Victoria, we are still at the forefront defending the Homeland and our Revolution.#JuventudLealYPatriota@nicolasmaduro@PartidoPSUV pic.twitter.com/Mdm6E7s1qQ
— Erika Farias Peña (@ErikaPSUVn_) February 13, 2022
Hoy las calles son de la juventud patriota y leal, no de la oligarquía que los atacaba en la Cuarta República, se desbordó la Marea Roja #JuventudLealYPatriota pic.twitter.com/yVtRMxLu0f
— Julio Riobó VTV (@JRioboVTV) February 12, 2022
Marcha #JuventudLealYPatriota organizada por el @PartidoPSUV a su paso por Los Ruices este #12Feb pic.twitter.com/qHTG9Fv7tq
— Luigino Bracci Roa 🔧🚂 (@lubrio) February 12, 2022
#FOTOS 📸
Tomamos la avenida Francisco de Miranda 👇🏼
➡️ Nuestro destino: Esquina de San Francisco. #JuventudLealYPatriota pic.twitter.com/Ev0zd4lnGb
— PSUV (@PartidoPSUV) February 12, 2022
#12Feb Some photos from today's Chavista march in Caracas celebrating the country's youth day pic.twitter.com/mvoHDpqOV9
— Venezuelanalysis (@venanalysis) February 12, 2022
Here are some of the tweets on the demonstration led by former deputy Guaidó:
Hoy #12Feb nos reencontramos en las calles para honrar a la juventud, homenajear a las víctimas y dar un mensaje muy claro:
A pesar de la persecución de la dictadura y las amenazas
¡Aquí estamos y vamos a estar hasta ver libre a Venezuela!#12FSalvemosVenezuela pic.twitter.com/dZoRohi9ne
— Juan Guaidó (@jguaido) February 12, 2022
Former Chavista minister, now an active anti-Chavista, Rodrigo Cabezas, became a trending topic in Venezuela as he joined Guaidó and his very few followers in the gathering that they organized in Chacao. In February 2019, Cabezas had met Guaidó, together with other anti-Chavista and liberal Venezuelans, just a few hours after Guaidó had proclaimed himself “interim president.” Along with Cabezas were Pedro Lander (a liberal academic), Gonzalo Gomez (from news outlet Aporrea.org), Nicmer Evans (from the defunct Marea Socialista political movement), among other turncoats from Chavismo.
DE LA MANO EL CHAVISMO AZUL Y EL G4 #12Feb Rodrigo Cabezas, exministro de Finanzas de Hugo Chávez causante de la destruccion de 🇻🇪, junto a Juan Guaidó en la actividad convocada por el G4 por el Día de la Juventud a la cual sólo concurrieron integrantes de los partidos políticos pic.twitter.com/HlGEYj5OBG
— Sol Rojas (@Sol651) February 12, 2022
#Ahora Militantes de partidos políticos de oposición se concentran en la plaza Bolívar de Chacao para caminar hasta la calle Monseñor Juan Grilc, donde habrá un encuentro con Juan Guaidó, con motivo del Día de la Juventud. #12Feb pic.twitter.com/Zuq87Hqf6f
— Efecto Cocuyo (@EfectoCocuyo) February 12, 2022
National Assembly Deputy Winston Vallenilla made fun of the size of the opposition demonstration, saying that it was full of imaginary people:
La concentración imaginaria para apoyar al gobierno Narnia imaginario de @jguaido estuvo imaginariamente full..
No cabía más gente imaginaria..🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/x8xPodCXuJ— Winston Vallenilla (@vwinstonv) February 12, 2022
Featured image: Part of the Chavista demonstration marching near Los Cortijos, eastern Caracas. Photo: Twitter/@PartidoPSUV
(RedRadioVE) by José Manuel Blanco Díaz, with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SC
