TST in English: We will finish when the government accepts our requests, says Andres Durán about the situation in Venezuela

Andres Torres Durán, a 29 year old IT engeneer from San Christobal, Venezuela, had participated in the current uprising in Venezuela. While the world is occupied by the Russian invasion to Ukraine, Venezuelan people are protesting against their government led by president Maduro, who was appointed as his successor by Hugo Chavez. Nicolas Maduro won the elections, that some say was manipulated, in April 2013. Now, the country has 56% inflation, is rotten with corruption and people suffer from shortage of such a basic comodities as toilet paper.

Why did the protests started at all?

The protest began due to a rapist attempt at the Universidad de Los Andes (ULA) located in San Cristobal,Tachira State, just on the west border with Colombia. When this happened, the University started to protest and demanded more security, but the National Guard and the state police attacked them with tear gas and bird shots. Due to this the other three universities in San Cristobal joined the protests.

The protests became violent as the students went to the governor's house and protested in front of it. The National Guard started to shot again tear gas and bird shots but the students didn't leave the place. They began to throw rocks and molotov bombs and they even reached the governor's house.  All this occurred only in San Cristobal, but it was the spark that made all other universities in the country join the protests. Then the rest of the people who are against this government joined as well.

Was there a tension even before these protests broke out?

There has always been a tension against this government, since Chavez died. Maduro was named by Chavez as the new interim president but according to the constitution, the only who was able to took the presidency was Diosdado Cabello. Chavez named Nicolas Maduro as his successor because he knew that he would die. And according to our constitution if somebody who is too ill to take a public work that is chosen by the people by vote can't participate in elections as Chavez did before he died.

How did the protests go so far?

The protests has been made every day by blocking the streets. San Cristobal and Merida are the two cities where has been the most intense protests. But we are sorrowfully counting fifteen dead in six states, most of them in Caracas. All of this dead people have been killed by National Guard or "colectivos" (pro-government armed groups). Also some days the students demand the government to fix the problems or leave the power.

Who is participating in the protests? And where they mostly take place?

There are students, older people, worker people who want a change. In Caracas, the protests took place in a zone that isn't under governmental control, but is a commercial and residential zone. In San Cristobal the protests are everywhere. 

Did you participated in those protests? Have your family or friends done so?

Obviously I've participated, the National Guard attacked us with expired tear gas in residential zones. My cousins, brother and sister, aunts and uncles, almost all my family in Caracas, San Cristobal, Merida and Maracaibo have also participated.

What do the protestors want?

We demand a real security, not just an illusion of it. Only during last year we had more than 25.000 dead by guns or knife. We demand a solution to our inflation that the last year was about 56.2 %. We demand a solution to the shortage. We have to wait (if we know where we can find it at all) about one or two hours to buy toilet paper, we have a so extreme shortage that even that is out of stock.

We demand a solution for the corruption in this country. That is ranked as the most corrupt country in Latin America and is ranked 164 of 178 in the corruption rank. We demand the pro-government armed groups to be disarmed.

We demand a better health system. The doctors in the public hospitals doesn't have  even alcohol or gauze, all the materials that have to be given by the government are searched and paid by the people who go to the hospital. The medicines to treat cancer, AIDS or diabetes are in shortage.

What was the government's reaction to the protests?

The government said in their network media that they are the victims or they didn't say anything. We have no independent media who show what is happening. It's really sad for me to learn about my country only by an international channel. The local channels are making auto censorship. And the newspapers have a lack of paper for print the news just because the government has not granted money to the newspapers to buy more paper.

How many people died in the demonstrations?

15 till now.

What do you think about the role of social media in the protests? BBC for example shows that some pictures on Twitter are fake… 

Social media are the only media we have to be informed on time. Well, about the false pictures, you have to check what you are posting. I made a mistake with this, I shared a pic of a human chain in Barcelona, Spain, which I belived was taken in my hometown. About seven followers told me and I removed it.

How many people are still supporting the government?

I have to say that according to the presidential elections, Venezuela is divided in two. But that was last year and that election was manipulated. I can say that right now there are more people against the government than last year, but there are too many people who are afraid of them.

What is the reaction of neighboring states?

The other states are speechless, because the Maduro government give them help or gifts in money that they don't want to stop receiving.

Do you think the protests could spill out to other countries of South America?

There are already protest in other countries, the Venezuelan in the other countries are protesting in each Venezuelan embassy.

How do you think the protests will end?

This will finish when the government accepts the requests of the protestors or when they leave the power.

Bottom line: Did you know about the current situation in Venezuela or have you been concentrating only on Ukraine?