Escuchar
They say that where there are Venezuelans there is always a party. And this Sunday was no exception on Avenida Dorrego or in Plaza Intendente Seeber, where hundreds of them celebrated a historic day of elections, crucial for their future. As the initial count began, a crowd remained together to the sound of honking, chants and colored smoke, supporting the opposition with a great slogan that resonates in the air: the expectation of returning to their homeland.
According to the electoral authorities, 1,127 people participated but The scrutineers will not be able to open the ballot boxes until the first official report is made in Venezuela. In the early hours of the morning it was learned that Maduro had won, according to the official figures of the National Electoral Council. There was anger, dismay and unrest.
Before that news, people were waiting anxiously. 15 minutes from there, in Plaza Intendente Seeber, Hundreds of Venezuelans danced the traditional dance of Venezuelathe joropo, as they began to speculate about the exit poll results.
Laura Martínez and Marta had their eyes swollen from crying so much. Since 6 in the morning they were in a corner on the sidewalk, in front of the Venezuelan embassy on Luis María Campos street at 170. Unlike Marta, who was not allowed to register to vote due to her expired passport, Laura has already cast her vote. She was one of the “privileged” ones, as they referred to her. the 2638 Venezuelans who were “lucky” enough to be able to register.
“Now everything is in God’s hands. We did everything in our power to make this change happen. Now we have to trust in him,” he told THE NATION Martinez, who was wearing a cap, a T-shirt and earrings with his country’s flag on his ears. “We’re going to be here all day, It will be an unforgettable day, a day of changes, in which we will finally win.”.
Laura Martínez and Marta, two Venezuelan friends who were present today at the Venezuelan embassy in Buenos Aires.
Luis María Campos street was filled with Caribbean accents, tricolor flags of yellow, blue and red, and songs full of hope On a historic day for these expatriates, who, after years of distance and difficulties, see this Sunday’s election day as an opportunity to influence the future of their country from abroad.
At the close of the polls 1127 people had votedaccording to Daniel Ramírez, the electoral liaison officer for the Venezuelan command in Argentina. “The day was calm. The witnesses all arrived at 5 in the morning. At 6:30 they opened the doors and Since then everything flowed quickly and orderly.“, said to THE NATION. On the role of the embassy, he said that it had done its job correctly. “It did what it had to do,” he said.
Asked about his expectations for the evening, Ramírez responded in a protocolary manner: “We hope it will be a very important day for Venezuela.” After a brief pause, he lowered his voice a little and added: “A day of change.”
More than 2,000 Venezuelans were expected to vote this Sunday; they were the “privileged” ones who managed to register to vote, Unlike the other 217,362 residents who were left halfway due to the obstacles imposed by the Nicolás Maduro regime. These obstacles included short registration periods, poor service, power outages at establishments, slow processes and a number of requirements, such as having a permanent ID, a valid Venezuelan ID card and a valid Venezuelan passport.
On the streets, The sounds of the drums, the honking and the singing reflected one thing: the hope that after 25 long years, the duo of Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia and Maria Corina Machado will defeat Chavismo and, finally, many of these people will return to their country to meet their families again.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), More than 7.7 million Venezuelans have left their country to dateThis mass exodus, one of the largest in recent Latin American history, was driven by a combination of devastating factors but especially by the economic crisis, insecurity and political repression under the regime of Nicolás Maduro, which led many to seek asylum and refuge in neighboring countries and beyond.
“Maria Corina Machado brought us a tool: she made us believe in God again“Laura said excitedly. To her left, Marta nodded. When it was her turn to speak, her voice faltered. She said she was frustrated because she couldn’t vote but was “signature here supporting”. “Stronger than ever,” she said, crying. They hugged each other for a long time, repeating “we will achieve change, we will achieve it.”
Laura and Marta hug each other excitedly after voting.
Some had been lining up since 5 a.m. “It was dark when I arrived,” said with a smile Carlos Gutierrez, one of the thirty Venezuelans who sang the national anthem at the door of the diplomatic headquarters an hour before the polls opened.I tell it and I get goosebumps, I swear. It was an unforgettable moment, it will be an unforgettable day. We are nervous but with many expectations.”.
At that point a 73-year-old woman interrupted the conversation. “What expectations? We are going to win! We are going to get out of this and be free again,” she told THE NATION with a voice on the verge of tears. “That’s how it will be. That’s how it has to be.”
“The process was spectacular, very fast, I think there were no Chavistas in there because everything was very friendly and very nice.“, she added ironically.
Ana Caberoa was leaning against a police car outside the embassy, looking calm and relaxed. After casting her vote, she was confident that the opposition would win by a landslide.
Hundreds of Venezuelans gather outside the Venezuelan embassy in Argentina on the day of a historic election.
“Everything was very smooth and fast,” he told THE NATION“I thought I wouldn’t be able to vote because my passport expired in May and I was a week away from expiring when I went to register. I remember it was a day of strikes, when there were hardly any buses. I left my house and said: ‘If the buses don’t come, I won’t go. ’ I think the only bus in the whole city came by. I got on, came here and managed to register even though the embassy people told me I wouldn’t be able to vote.”
Ana had a great illusion: “I think the victory will be so overwhelming that they [el chavismo] They won’t be able to do anything.”
Fernando Borjas He held a ballot in his hand to explain to people what the voting process is like; to prevent them from making mistakesBorjas knew that everyone there was anti-Chavez, so he was more committed to the cause.
Fernando Borjas helps Venezuelans in the voting process.
The poster had the face of Nicolás Maduro, Edmundo and other candidates. Fernando explained to a group of people who had just arrived that it was very It is important to paint the circle and not make a cross, as this could invalidate the vote. Laughing, he said that one must be very careful because any little thing can make the vote worthless. Although he does not vote, Fernando has been waiting since dawn. He left Venezuela seven years ago.
Fernando, who identified himself as a politician, told THE NATION who was beginning to be persecuted by the regime and had to flee. “My expectation is that we will achieve the victory that we have been longing for for 25 years. And that is what will happen,” he said with determination.
At Plaza Intendente Seeber, people began to arrive at 3 p.m. to participate in an event in support of the opposition. A speech by María Corina Machado was heard on the loudspeaker with Venezuelan music in the background, then the music began to play. “Hope color” by Diego Torres and the audience began to chant “Long live freedom, dammit,” in reference to the famous phrase of the Argentine president, Javier Miley.
“We are here now, but we are already preparing to meet our relatives there”Dayana Barrios told the audience. After a pause, she asked the most anticipated question: “Are we going to return or are we not going to return?” The audience chanted an emphatic “yes,” And behind him a man began to cry. He was holding the hand of his five-year-old son, who has not yet visited Venezuela.
She was crying and holding her son’s hand tightly, as he had a Venezuelan flag hanging on his back. “Freedom hits me like this”said to THE NATION as she wiped away tears. “I want to be reunited with my family, I want him to see a free Venezuela.”
Amidst the crowd, one sign stood out among all the others: “I want to know the Venezuela that my mother talks so much about”He was supported by a young woman who, like many there, had not yet seen her country outside the control of Chavismo.
Meanwhile, another man on stage was moving the audience with his words. “I imagine everyone is talking to their families there.”he said, and immediately received a standing ovation. He has lived in Buenos Aires for eight years, He says that he got used to the cold here and that the Argentinians were the best hosts he has ever had in his life. “We have to thank Argentina because they welcomed us in a very cordial manner. We will be eternally grateful. We will give Argentina eternal applause,” he said. “Thank you for everything, but I’m going back to Venezuela.”
As she was about to share her expectations about the results of these elections, Rosa Charo was interrupted by her daughter Antonia and her niece, aged six and seven. “I want to get to know the country again,” said Antonia, who came to Argentina with her mother when she was three years old and, therefore, has almost no memories of Venezuela. “I have a lot of family there, I want to know my country, I want to come back”he insisted.
Her mother smiled and looked at her tenderly, adding that she felt a mixture of hope and anxiety. “The ideal is that we win, that they leave, let us be happy and that we can return,” she told THE NATIONMeanwhile, her daughter exclaimed excitedly: “Be free again!”.
Minutes later it was his turn to speak. Wilfredo Ustariz Acosta– representative in Argentina of the opposition coalition Democratic Unity“We have to thank the Argentine people who opened their doors to us. We have started families and friendships here, and we have even had Argentine children,” he says. In the audience a woman shouts: “Thank you, Argentinians!”
“Today I want us to copy a very special phrase that is very important for your democracy: Never more!“, Ustariz concluded.
Meanwhile, the cars on Luis María Campos Street were not moving. There were hundreds of Venezuelans waving their flags, singing songs and dancing. The polls have already closed, the gastronomic fair has handed out its last arepas and tequeños, while everyone anxiously awaits the results.
Conocé The Trust Project
