Those within the Venezuelan leadership that continue to make a “ridiculous claim” over Guyana’s Essequibo Region do so at the risk of insulting the legacy of Venezuelan revolutionary, Simón Bolívar. Guyana’s Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, recently made this assertion during a press engagement.
Jagdeo said he observed the ‘vile rhetoric’ uttered in recent weeks by Venezuela’s Vice President, Delcy Rodríguez, about Guyana’s President and Commander-in-Chief, Dr. Irfaan Ali.
“She was calling President Ali names and saying ‘you are a shame to the people of [the] Caribbean with your submission to the imperial powers’, and ‘we are not afraid of him ever;’ ‘We are sons and daughters of Simón Bolívar,” the official recalled.
Venezuela VP says proud of armed forces at border, but paints Guyana as “aggressor” | OilNOW
The Vice President sternly rejected her comments, deeming it “pure nonsense.” The Guyanese official said, “Simon Bolivar was fighting against major imperial powers, not trying to bully a smaller country. Simon Bolivar, they claim they are the proponents and defenders of him, but really, they are a shame to him and what he stood for and the freedom [he fought to have for] oppressed people in this region.”
Simon Bolívar, revered as a national hero in Venezuela and across South America, was instrumental in the region’s struggle for independence from Spanish colonial rule. Known as “El Libertador” (The Liberator), Bolívar led military campaigns that liberated not only Venezuela but also Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. His vision also extended beyond mere independence; he fought for a united, democratic Latin America, free from oppression.
“We never threatened the peace; Venezuela has been the aggressor” – Jagdeo | OilNOW
While some Venezuelan officials may speak valiantly about representing Bolívar’s ideals of liberty, justice and national unity, Jagdeo said such positions are rendered hollow when claims are made for Guyana’s Essequibo Region.
The Guyanese politician also said Venezuela’s administration would not be able to speak with the same level of vigor and certainty when challenged to confront real issues such as finding food and jobs for its people.
According to the National Immigration Forum which was established in 1982 in the USA as a non-profit advocacy group, more than seven million Venezuelans have emigrated since 2015 due to ongoing economic and political turmoil.
The United Nations Refugee Agency has also researched the situation in the Spanish-speaking nation extensively, noting that the Venezuelan exodus represents the world’s second-largest refugee crisis.
