Venezuela Celebrates Independence Day under an Oppressive Regime

July 5th commemorated Venezuelan’s Independence Day.  Simon Bolivar Liberated Venezuela and four other nations, and in 1811 Venezuela became separated from Spain’s control.  

Simon Bolivar broke the chains in order to establish a new nation based on the premises of equality of individuals, ending of suppression and the right to freedom of expression. The Chavez regime and now the Maduro regime have purposely violated these democratic principals from which Venezuela was founded.

I find it ironic that Secretary of State John Kerry this past Thursday urged Venezuela's government and opposition to find a "peaceful resolution" to their disputes before the Dec. 6 parliamentary election. After 16 years of a failing government first under the Chavez, and Maduro regimes, it is unthinkable to believe that peace can be achieved with a government that allows high levels of corruption, economic devastation and death.

The Maduro regime under the controlling leadership of Diosdado Cabello, President of the Venezuelan National Assembly isn't interested in creating and atmosphere of peace and understanding for the December 6 Parliamentary elections. 

For the past 16 years the elections in Venezuela have been run under an atmosphere of dishonesty, threats, and confusion. The Venezuelans are not dealing with democratic individuals that believe in the vote as a mean for a democratic and peaceful government. Elections in Venezuela have been used to perpetrate the Chavista regime, and the tradition continues. The end to this madness may not be by a democratic voting means. The people of Venezuela must rise against this stifling government to regain control of their country and destiny.

Pope Francis and Raul Castro

I was disturbed by the welcoming treatment from Pope Francis to Raul Castro.  The Cuban regime has been in power for more than half century and has killed and jailed thousands, and is still in control of Cuba.  Opening the doors to a murder is insulting to the Cuban people that has suffered and continue suffering the brutality of this dictatorship.

The world is trying to forget that the Cuban regime under Fidel Castro and now under his brother has caused a lot of damages not only to Cuba but their neighboring countries as well.

I had the opportunity to meet a group of Cuban former political prisoners from the 60's, for my recent documentary entitled Celebrating Life in Union.  Their stories of abuses tortures, imprisonment, and death are heartbreaking. Somebody like the Pope should be more sensitive toward the Cuban people. They are the real heroes of this tragic Cuban story.

Farewell to my good friend Manuel Kohn

After a long battle with several illneses, our good friend Manuel Kohn died in Manhattan this past Saturday.  For those of us who knew him, we remember a man who loved Venezuela, his Country of origin and who, for the past 15 years, fought for its freedom and justice.

I met Manuel five years ago at the exhibit of one of my documentaries about the late Hugo Chavez of Venezuela. Since then we became very good friends. He inspired me to do a documentary about Cuban Political Prisoners. He believed that the Cuban tragedy has become the new Venezuelan tragedy. He called it the Cuban Holocaust.

Manuel was a brilliant man who took New York by a storm. He lived in the Big Apple with the love of his life, his wife Beatriz whom he met in high school back in Venezuela.

Manuel was a thinker but above he was funny. He made light of everything and whenever you were with him; you had to laugh. His big line was “don’t worry, be happy.” Manuel Kohn not only inspired me but also kicked me in the butt when he felt I doubted myself. 

I will miss you my friend because you made me laugh when I just wanted to cry. Thank you for being there for me and for your honest friendship. You didn’t have the chance to see a free Venezuela, but I have no doubt that your wishes will always follow us. 

Farewell to my good friend Manuel Kohn

After a long battle with several illnesses, our good friend Manuel Kohn died in Manhattan this past Saturday.  For those of us who knew him, we remember a man who loved Venezuela, his Country of origin and who, for the past 15 years, fought for its freedom and justice.

I met Manuel five years ago at the exhibit of one of my documentaries about the late Hugo Chavez of Venezuela. Since then we became very good friends. He inspired me to do a documentary about Cuban Political Prisoners. He believed that the Cuban tragedy has become the new Venezuelan tragedy. He called it the Cuban Holocaust.

Manuel was a brilliant man who took New York by storm. He lived in the Big Apple with the love of his life, his wife Beatriz whom he met in high school back in Venezuela.
Manuel was a thinker but above he was funny. He made light of everything and whenever you were with him; you had to laugh. His big line was “don’t worry, be happy.”

Manuel Kohn not only inspired me but also kicked me in the butt when he felt I doubted myself.
I will miss You, my friend because you made me laugh when I just wanted to cry. Thank you for being there for me and your honest friendship.  You didn’t have the chance to see a free Venezuela, but I have no doubt that your wishes will always follow us.

Venezuelans from around the Globe Stand with our Students in their Fight for Democracy

The frustration of Venezuelans living under democratic rules abroad runs high. Young brave students are getting abused, tortured and even killed by Nicolas Maduro oppressive regime   Since Maduro took office, his Bolivarian guards have murdered over 45 students, many others have disappeared, and hundreds are imprisoned and being tortured.  

Lying and deceiving the Venezuelan people about foreign plots against Venezuela was Chavez’s tactic to create fear and hold on to power. 15 years later Nicolas Maduro is using the same technique. Although this time, not even the Chavistas are buying it.

Maduro has taken the repression even further. He doesn't allow journalist to photograph the long lines and the empty store shelves. His inability to solve the Venezuelan economic crisis has left this rich oil producing country rapidly falling into an economic and social abyss.

The bravery of our young student protesters and their desire for a better nation have forced them to forfeit their dreams and confront the dictator with their only weapon: Protesting. The Maduro regime has decided to not only steal their futures with economic uncertainty, but also to take their lives for speaking out. In a perfect world, Nicolas Maduro should have been forced to resign by the international community, and be prosecuted for crimes against humanity.

Our Venezuelan students are fighting an unfair battle for wanting a better life. They want what other kids have abroad: freedom to express themselves, freedom to have a decent and productive life. We stand with our Venezuelan Students for their bravery, and we shame those neighboring countries that have aligned with Nicolas Maduro, for economic gain. History will remember this travesty and their disregard for human rights and dignity.

The oil plunges and Maduro’s future plunges with it

The falling of the oil prices combined with US green light to oil companies to export crude oil are going to create a further economic crisis for countries like Venezuela that primarily depends on oil production.

In 2013, Venezuela ranked as one of the countries with the highest misery, not only on the economic part but also on personal security matters.

The appropriation of businesses by the Chavez regime forced many companies to close down or stop production completely which has devastated the country’s economy, forcing his follower Nicolas Maduro to further devaluate the currency due to growing shortages of food and other basic goods in the country.

According with a BBC report the Venezuelan annual inflation roused  to 63%  in  2014 and 2015  brings even a bleaker picture, transforming Venezuela into the perfect backdrop for a booming black market.

The drop of the oil prices is in my view the last step needed for the collapsing of the authoritarian and inefficient Maduro regime, leaving a once rich and prosperous country like Venezuela into an economic devastation.

Leopoldo Lopez calls for unity to a Venezuela that is on a brink of collapsing

Venezuelan political leader Leopoldo Lopez, a husband and a father of two who has been imprisoned by the Maduro regime since February 18, 2013 is calling on the Venezuelan people to stand united and exercise their rights to peaceful protests as it is permitted by the Venezuelan Bolivarian Constitution.  Leopoldo Lopez was the victim of political persecution by the late president Chavez, and the persecution has systematically been continued by Nicolas Maduro.

The falling of oil prices brings a different panorama for Venezuela and perhaps for Leopoldo Lopez, and the dozens students, political prisoners, and the Maduro regime.  In a country where not only human rights are missing but also there is a lack food, a lack of products and above all a lack of security, the Maduro regime knows that their  time in power is threatened by Maduro’s inability to solve Venezuelan’s unsustainable economy.

Perhaps the Leopoldo call for unity and to stand for Venezuelan freedom will resonate today more than ever with the Venezuelan people, tired of hoping for peace and prosperity. 

Response: "With Cuba, Nothing Can Be Simple"

I recently read an article called "With Cuba nothing can be simple" http://time.com/3646803/cuba-decision/ written by Jean-Paul Renaud  which I found fascinating, even though his personal journey is very different from that of many of my other Cuban friends'. These men and women fought the Castro regime, and paid with their freedom.  For them, the U.S. negotiations with a brutal dictator is  not an option. 

There is a dilemma on both sides of the embargo lift - each completely justified.  For those who oppose lifting the embargo their argument is: How can you move forward without forgetting the pain and anguish, the humiliation, the torture and death that the Cubans have gone through, and are still going through under the Castro regime? 

For those who support lifting the embargo: Why not to move forward and put and end to this nightmare created by the Castro regime?  As the author said, "with Cuba nothing can be simple”  is very true, but I think that the duty of the Cuban people is to make sure that the Cuban Holocaust is NEVER forgotten.