Leaders of social and community movements in Venezuela ratified their support for the president of the republic, Nicolas Maduroand their commitment to the defense of the homeland, during the International Meeting for the Defense of Human Rights (DDHH) and Sovereignty organized by the Josefa Joaquina Sánchez Movement of Movements.
At the event, several participants shared their stories after being attacked following the presidential elections on July 28, says one note of the Ministry for Women and Gender Equality.
“We are facing a foreign offensive that aims to seize energy resources and destroy the hope that Venezuela represents that another world is possible. Our commitment is to the active defense of peace, democracy and justice; we remain mobilized against any threat that puts Venezuela at risk. Honor and glory to our heroines!” said lawyer Gisela Jiménez.
For her part, the sole authority for Women in the state of Miranda, Andreína Tarazón, indicated that some 4,500 testimonies of harassment have been documented. and attacks against heads of the Local Supply and Production Committee (CLAP), Bolívar-Chávez Battle Units (UBCH), promoters and activists, so far.
“For the sole crime of claiming to be Chavistas, we therefore ratify our denunciation of the use of paramilitary and criminal groups in these acts of violence that sought to frighten the political forces of Chavismo,” he declared.
He also stressed the importance of human rights organizations “devoting themselves to finding out the truth about a besieged people.”
Attacks on women
Dalismar Karina Palacios, from Yaracuy state, said during the meeting that she and her sister were celebrating the election results when they were attacked on July 29.
“A group of commandos approached the square with sticks and stones, shouted slogans and attacked us,” he said, adding that “they will not silence us.”
“Here we are, women at the forefront, because we are that strong arm, because we are daughters of Bolívar, daughters of Chávez,” she said.
Iris Guacarán, from Guárico state, was also one of the victims and urged everyone to work together for the harmony of the country. “We had to confront those who wanted to knock down our voting centers, but we women came out to fight, committed to the revolutionary process and to President Nicolás Maduro,” she stressed.
United for peace
In turn, leader Mercedes Gutiérrez reiterated that Venezuelan women are not calling for war, but rather “we are fighters for peace, for love, for our free exercise as working women.”
Orailene Macarri, a member of the National Movement of Rural, Agro-urban and Fisherwomen Women, stated that “we are the vanguard of virtue, we call on Venezuela and the world to march together and united for peace, which is the commitment to our liberators.”
Likewise, Diana Salgado from the Juana Ramírez La Avanzadora Women’s Oil Workers Front declared that “we have come to give a message of peace to the world, we have practiced people’s diplomacy and we support our leader of victories, Nicolás Maduro.”
