However, the logic behind Venezuela’s republican institutions fell apart some time ago. The referendum, which the government did not sanction, was not constitutionally based, and the government paid the referendum with no thought, promising to push forward in the direction of this controversial proposal in spite of the overwhelming discontent of the people.
Opposition leaders are calling for the call for a 24-hour protest to maintain pressure.
The vote on July 16, as well as the strike in general, are both an attempt to create rules for the exercise of the masses of democracy. It is a signal that Venezuelans haven’t yet sunk into this system of governance despite the increasing incivility that has resulted in more than a hundred people dead in less than three months of continuous protests.
The perverseness of life here isn’t just limited to the saga of the lack of resources, medication shortages, or rising criminality. In Venezuela, there is a social contract that has been dismantled.
Venezuelans have slipped away from the nightmare to an unreal reality like they were they were living in the magical fact that is Jorge Luis Borges, where all things are possible and are possible to create.
The absurdity of the chronology
In these turbulent times, even the political disputes in Venezuela have become postmodern, resulting in something like anarchy in the streets.
Every day, impromptu and without a clear leader, conflicting factions in cities across Venezuela could (or might not) stop streets on their own will, invade the university campuses, and take down their adversaries, trampling upon the fundamental principles of social coexistence.
Youth demonstrators dressed in masks fight with police forces of the state and demolish urban infrastructure, ranging from street lights, sewers, and lighting to public transportation systems.
The state then reacts in a way that is overreactive, using disproportionately police force and judicial repression in order to stop discord. Human Rights Watch estimates there are currently around 400 prisoners of political dissent within Venezuela.
There isn’t much to be certain about Venezuela except that Venezuela is currently undergoing an unintentional war.
On this important civic day, the hordes of shouting protesters rushed into the chamber, inflicting threats to strike, kick, and bleed several individuals from opposition parties. Staffers of the Congress, journalists, and several diplomats were held for a long time.
The terrifying event portrayed in vivid detail the kidnapping of the republican spirit of Venezuela.
Civilisation versus barbarism
Anyone familiar with Latin American literature will recall the fascination of the region in the postcolonial era on the issue of barbarism versus civilization.
These same forces are back in Venezuela. In the face of the unruly forces of barbarism, the citizens oscillate between anger, hate, and ignorance, with no worry about any consequences for their behavior.
Venezuela has been stripped of its modern trappings.
No one is immune to blame. The public erroneously put their hopes on populism, and the nation has fallen to inaction, waiting for their next leader to come along.
In the meantime, there is a sense that the Maduro government is mired in inefficiency and corruption and is more focused on the survival of its government than the direction of a weak and spineless nation to a better future.