From the state of Guayana Esequiba, the Minister of Education, Héctor Rodríguez, participated in the “Great Pilgrimage United for a Venezuela Without Sanctions and in Peace.” This event, held throughout the country, aims to demand the lifting of the economic blockade against Venezuela.
She said that the acting president is calling on all Venezuelans to "walk together."
"It is necessary that we unite, that we travel throughout Venezuela to defend our right to have the shackles removed, the weight that prevents us from moving at the speed that the people of Venezuela can," Rodríguez said.
He said that the people of Venezuela are hardworking, go-getters, and that they "grow stronger in difficulties."
She recalled that the interim president has invited Venezuelans to unite beyond their political and ideological differences. "If Venezuelans are able to unite for the common good, if we are able to unite for a common cause, if we are able to unite to fully recover services, the economy, and our future, the world will have to listen to us; it will have to definitively lift the blockade and the sanctions."
He stated that if the sanctions are lifted, the country's recovery process will definitely accelerate.
“This is not a time for hatred, this is not a time for division; it is a time for unity, for joining forces to build a future of shared prosperity for all Venezuelans. That is why, from here, from a state as important for the future as Guayana Esequiba, I join the call and ask all the Venezuelan people to join the call of Interim President Delcy Rodríguez for unity and mobilization for a country free of sanctions,” he emphasized.
He recalled that, thanks to the Bolivarian Revolution and Commander Chávez, the highest levels of income, wages and quality of public services had been achieved.
He also noted that a fundamental effort is being made in the Essequibo region to contribute to national stability: “We are contributing to the country's economic recovery and to the income of Venezuelans; an improvement that we have been progressively consolidating after the debacle caused by the sanctions and the blockade.”
The people have been facing precarious situations
The minister recalled that the population has faced extremely precarious conditions. “You must remember the years 2016 and 2017, when income was minimal and the shelves were empty. Thanks to the efforts of miners, fishermen, farmers, teachers, and the entire working class, we have gradually recovered,” he stated.
However, Rodríguez acknowledged that there is still a long way to go to restore social well-being, especially in areas such as water, transportation, electricity, and the health system.
He maintained that progress will continue through work and production, although he warned about external obstacles: “We all know that we have a brake that prevents us from advancing at the desired speed. The fact that we are blocked makes international purchases of inputs for agriculture, mining, hospitals, and technology more expensive.”
He further explained that the sanctions force the country to accept lower payments for the sale of oil, minerals, and manufactured goods. He added that, while the blockade has not stopped the people, it has made daily life more difficult, reaffirming Venezuela's right to freedom.
“It is necessary to lift the blockade to recover the quality of life that the people deserve. We were told that this would only affect a few, but after these years we have seen that the sanctions do not discriminate based on race, skin color, or political affiliation; they affect the salaries and services of all Venezuelans,” he concluded.
