The reality of Venezuela’s situation

Linda Rios/Contributing writer

It’s no secret that what is going on around the world is devastating; from oil spills unaccounted for, to epidemics in third world countries and even financial difficulties affecting whole countries. Even though this information has not been hidden from the public, it should be questioned how much of the revealed information is truthful and how much of it is a lie.

Being born and raised in Venezuela, my family and I are well-aware of what is going on in our country and what the rest of our family, those who haven’t been able to get out, are going through every day. From fearing for their lives when stepping outside of their homes to not being able to go out at night due to the fear of being killed, these are only some of the things every Venezuelan has to go through every day in order to survive in the country.

Ever since I was little, my mother would tell my sisters and I how she thought everything was going to get better and how we would be able to fall in love with the country she grew up in, once it went back to normal. We’ve been told the same story for 18 years, ever since the late president of the country, Hugo Chavez, took charge the year before my youngest sister was born.

People my age who were born in Venezuela can relate to what I’m saying because we all went through it and still are. We were born in the generation when it all took a turn for the worse, with no way of imagining how everything used to be, prior to the destruction and fear we’ve had to endure since preschool.

For those of us who were able to get out of our country of birth, hearing from our relatives about the killings, kidnappings and robberies some friends of the family have suffered through, leaves an unbearable feeling of sadness and guilt. We constantly wonder why this had to happen and if something could have been avoided, in order to change the course of history.

Having been in numerous situations where people that I love could have been hurt only adds to the fear of what might happen to others. This has been happening for almost two decades; someone might have figured out that there is something wrong with the way the situation is being treated. Why is it just now that people are starting to realize the conditions the people in Venezuela are living is no way to live?

Being allowed to go to the supermarket only on certain days depending on their ID number, with no guarantee that what they need is being sold that day, is not something people should be going through. Especially considering they often stand in line for hours outside of the location with the possibility of getting robbed of their food, because there are others who cannot afford it. The worst part is that citizens of Venezuela cannot afford food, yet they can all afford gas.

With the ongoing elections, something that presidential candidate Donald Trump has asked multiple times is, why can’t immigrants just go back to their countries? What he doesn’t seem to understand is that the current situation that not only Venezuela, but also multiple countries are going through does not allow us to go back to where we’re from.

We, immigrants, are not invading the United States to make the country worse but to make it better. It is said that the U.S. is the “Land of Opportunity” and in the current situation, that is all we need, an opportunity to make a better future for our families and keep them safe from the ongoing horrors in our home countries.

The media has provided us with information about the most recent troublesome things that have happened throughout the world but if we’re truly interested in what is going on outside of our bubbles, we must be able to stand up for ourselves and ask for the whole truth of what has been going on in order to make a change, not only for ourselves, but for the future of our families.

The opinions presented within this page do not represent the views of FIU Student Media Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect individual perspectives of contributing writers and/or members of the University community
Image by Cristóbal Alvarado Minic, retrieved from Flickr: 

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