The big cause on a big date

Relatives of political prisoners have been camping outside jails and prisons for 14 consecutive days. Leading Catholic priests stood alongside those outside El Rodeo (Miranda state), which is particularly meaningful following a recent accusation against the Archbishop of Caracas. Two veteran anti-chavista politicians have shown their faces after going into hiding since August 2024. Today, campuses in at least seven universities across the country woke up with banners calling for the freedom of all dissidents and the shutdown of El Helicoide and other detention centers. UCV student leaders led a protest next to the capital’s main highway to honor the 23E anniversary, joined by some human rights groups and trade union representatives.

This may not be enough to shake the dictadura and force concessions. Sustaining such pressure requires time and careful coordination with party structures and the wider Venezuelan population. But it is, without a doubt, a more than decent way to push for political freedoms on this weird, confusing anniversary. The sort of freedoms that other non-Venezuelan stakeholders will be much slower to demand.