Guest Post From a Venezuelan Activist

I am Venezuelan, professional, hardworking and I deeply love my country. My country at the end of the 90s was the most prosperous country in Latin America (we produced more than 3,500,000.00 barrels of oil per day, we were self-sufficient in rice, grains, vegetables, proteins, etc.).

​The electric service was one one of the best in the region, the universities were first-rate, the health system was good with certain limitations, the purchasing power was one of the best in the region, the currency (the Bolivar) was one of the strongest in the world, we had immigration from all over the world for the quality of life that my nation offered, we had as partners all the democratic countries of the planet. ​​

One day a communist military man tried to carry out a coup in my country and that coup failed, being defeated by the democratic military forces.

That military man was tried with humanitarian treatment and with due defense as ordered by the justice of that time. In 1994, that communist soldier named Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías was pardoned by the president of that time, Dr. Rafael Caldera.

At that time, there was less growth in the economy and an environment of collective unrest was created which was taken advantage of by populism (characteristic of communism) that and the differences that were created between the democratic forces (divisions) gave rise to that in the year 1998 the dictates that gave the coup (now as a candidate for the presidency) will win the presidency of the Republic...

That was the beginning of the hell that Venezuelans now live.

That coup leader who was now president changed the constitution, expropriated companies, separated himself from all democratic countries and joined CUBA, CHINA, RUSSIA, IRAN, TURKEY, NORTH KOREA, GADAFI'S LIBYA and all the countries that accepted his system government criminal.

It made sure to control all democratic institutions (national electoral council, national assembly, prosecutor's office, supreme court of justice, etc.) and impunity, the violation of human rights, began to be blatantly noticed.

​And there was a systematic plan to impoverish the population in order to create social control.

The DOLLAR in 1998 (when the communist coup leader won the elections) was changed to 4.30 bolivars. Today one dollar is equivalent to 320000000000000.00 bolivars*.

(In Venezuela at this time the dollar is priced at 3,200,000 bolivares but that must be added to the 8 zeros that were removed from the currency (due to the monetary reconversion to make it viable). Example: a soda counted 320000000000 = $ 1. the collection machines did not fit that siphon. I give you official data below. Read more about when they removed 5 zeros from the currency in 2018)

I DON'T LIE, the salary does not exceed 8 dollars a month, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) fell by 78%, oil production does not exceed 400,000 barrels a day, all services are collapsing, there is no food production, etc.

If you protest, you are tried for hate crimes (the new law). To people who support the government or do not protest, this criminal government gives a box of food every two months (poor quality food). That is criminal social control. That explains why all Venezuelans are fleeing this misfortune in despair, emigrating to any part of the world to save their lives and that of the people they love.

Counting this reality that my country suffers, I expose my life but the world must know our suffering and take actions to stop this suffering.

​My name JUAN CARLOS ROMERO LABARCA.

One last piece of information. All the High Officials of the government are wanted by the US State Department for crimes against humanity and for drug trafficking and offer a reward for their capture of 1,500,000.00 USD (Source)



In his native words:
Soy venezolano, profesional, trabajador y amo profundamente mi patria. Mi país a finales de los años 90 era el país más próspero de America latina ( producíamos más de 3.500.000,00 barriles de petróleo diario, éramos auto suficiente en arroz, granos, vegetales, proteínas, etcétera), el servicio eléctrico era uno de los mejores de la región, las universidades eran de primera línea, el sistema de salud era bueno con ciertas limitaciones, el poder adquisitivo era de los mejores de la región, la moneda (el Bolivar) era de las mas fuertes del mundo, teníamos una inmigración de todo el mundo por la calidad de vida que ofrecía mi nación, teníamos como socios a todos los países democráticos del planeta. Un día un militar comunista trato de dar un golpe de estado en mi país y ese golpe de estado fracasó siendo derrotado por las fuerzas militares democráticas. Ese militar fue juzgado con un trato humanitario y con la debida defensa como lo mandaba la justicia de entonces. En el año 1994 ese militar comunista llamado Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías fue perdonado por el presidente de esa época el Doctor Rafael Caldera. En esa época hubo menos crecimiento de la economía y se creó un ambiente de malestar colectivo lo cual fue aprovechado por el populismo (característico del comunismo) eso y las diferencias que se crearon entre las fuerzas democráticas (divisiones) dio pie a que en el año 1998 el dictados que dio el golpe (ahora como candidato a la presidencia) ganará la presidencia de la República. Ese fue el inicio del infierno que ahora vivimos los venezolanos. Ese golpista que ahora era presidente cambió la constitución, expropió empresas, se desligó de todos los países democráticos y se unió a CUBA, CHINA, RUSIA, IRÁN, TURQUÍA, COREA DEL NORTE, LA LIBIA DE GADAFI y todos los países que aceptaran su diétela criminal de gobierno. Se aseguró de controlar todas las instituciones democráticas (consejo nacional electoral, asamblea nacional, fiscalía, tribunal supremo de justicia, etcétera) y comenzó a notarse descaradamente la impunidad, la violacion de derechos humanos. Y hubo un plan sistemático de empobrecimiento de la población con el fin de crear un control social. El DOLLAR el 1998 (cuando el golpista comunista gano las elecciones) se cambiaba a 4,30 bolívares. Hoy un dólar equivale a 320000000000000,00 bolívares. NO MIENTO, el sueldo no supera los 8 dólares mensuales, el Producto Interno Bruto (PIB) cayó un 78%, la producción petrolera no supera los 400.000 barriles diarios, todos los servicios están colapsándoselo, no hay producción de alimentos, etcétera. Si protestas te juzgan por crímenes de odio (la nueva ley). A las personas que apoyan el gobierno o no protestan les da este criminal Gobierno una caja de alimentos cada dos meses(alimentos de mala calidad). Eso es un criminal control social. Eso explica que todos los venezolanos estén huyendo de esta desgracia desesperados emigrando a cualquier parte del mundo para salvar sus vidas y la de las personas que aman. Contando esta realidad que padece mi país expongo mi vida pero el mundo debe conocer nuestro sufrimiento y tomar acciones para parar este sufrimiento. Mi nombre JUAN CARLOS ROMERO LABARCA.