Belarusian In Caracas: People Are Very Tired, Nothing Seems To Scare Them

The protests in Venezuela through the eyes of our compatriot.

Venezuela is shaking with large-scale anti-government protests: thousands of people in the country took to the streets in different cities. During the clashes with security forces, more than 20 people have already been killed by gunshot wounds. Belsat talked with the Belarusian, who is now in Caracas.

The protests are taking place against the backdrop of a disastrous economic situation in Venezuela. Nicolás Maduro, who recently took over the second presidential term, is to blame for that. During the demonstration in Caracas on January 23, which gathered thousands of people, the opposition leader Juan Guaydo declared himself the new president, after which clashes between protesters and the police occurred.

According to the Venezuelan Criminal Forum, a non-governmental public organization, in the whole country, the death toll reached 23 people as of the first half of January 24, hundreds were injured and over 200 were arrested.

The journalists contacted Belarusian Veranika Andrasiuk, who lives in the Venezuelan capital with her family. She notes that the protests have not greatly affected her and her family, but neighbors and acquaintances are actively involved in them.

“All friends are in the street, very shocked and very worried. People have hope that something will change, the political situation will change. Now it is very ambiguous. There were already many protests, and they usually end in the same way - forceful suppression by the authorities,” says Veranika.

In her opinion, the main reason for which Venezuelans took to the streets is the economic crisis.

“In fact, people are very tired, nothing seems to scare them. They are tired not so much of the Maduro regime, but of the standard of living to which everything came under the current government. Venezuelans were driven into a situation where prices are rising every day. Everyone asks: how can we continue to live, if you could buy five products yesterday, and today only one? ”, said the interlocutor.

As for the opposition leader Guaydo, who proclaimed himself a president, the Belarusian states: “I think Venezuelans are now ready to follow any leader who promises improvement.”

Juan Guaydo already has the support of leaders such countries as the USA, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Guatemala, Colombia, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Peru, Honduras. He was also recognized as the legitimate president by Georgia, Chile and Ecuador. Cuba, Mexico, Bolivia, Uruguay, Turkey remain on the side of the Maduro government. Maduro’s legitimacy has been recognized by Russia. Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the events in Venezuela an “attempt to usurp supreme power” in the country. According to him, this contradicts and violates the principles and basis of international law. He also added that in the Kremlin “they are concerned about the statements on the interference of third countries in the internal affairs of Venezuela”.