The Venezuelan people, from the arrival of the Spanish and European invaders, were never at peace; 300 years of colonization were not a paradise, insurgency was ever-present. Rebellions of Indigenous people, Black people, and other common folk, or silent resistance with great sacrifices—all these popular movements required planning and, at the beginning of the 19th century, were intertwined with the independence revolution.
The insurgency has not ceased; the forms of oppression have changed, as have the forms of resistance. But no one in their right mind would suggest that a people acts like a hurricane or an earthquake, unless it's used as a literary metaphor; behind popular actions there is planning, thought, and reflection.
In this historical continuity of insurgency, there have been moments of social peace, in which the people and their leaders have achieved structural objectives in accordance with the social project. Or, the elites have made pacts and repressed the rebellion, not only with brutal methods, but also with that underlying ideological foundation of a colonized mentality of contempt for the people and their identification with those who despise them.
The Bolivarian Revolution has produced an awakening of consciousness both among the people and their leadership, and that mentality undergoes changes, although it is always lurking.
The United States' attack has created an unprecedented situation at a time of structural weakness in our nation, induced by unilateral coercive measures. More than a decade of resistance and deteriorating living conditions, unprecedented emigration, blatant corruption (both from the opposition and government officials), a pandemic, political actors provoking destabilization, parallel powers, media warfare, stateless calls for invasion, and, to top it all off, a double earthquake have plunged us into a national emergency.
This is a time for reflection, not for following the outbursts of "pure revolutionaries" who tear their clothes from their gaming chairs or libraries.
Criticism is necessary, especially if we conceive of critical thinking as that which is situated in the place of the oppressed and in the moment of danger.
To regain sovereignty and revive the people's project, we must deepen our reflection and collective organization. For this, we must live, move beyond mere survival. This must be the leadership's priority.
