These past 26 years, and the disasters caused by the actions or inactions of the Venezuelan opposition and the regime is why I do not believe in any Venezuelan politician, no matter who they are, where they are, and what they say.
That said, I’m aware many still believe in what few politicians with reputation (relatively speaking) still remain up in the board, and although I don’t agree with that sentiment, who am I, who fled the country, to go around party pooting in this day and age. The lack of solid, actual political leadership is why so many have looked upon the past for guidance, to shape themselves and fight for what they believe in right.
I, who have always lived in the fringes and wasn’t fully part in Venezuelan culture despite being Venezuelan (or Italian culture now for that matter) have no aspirations of power, nor do I consider myself to be educated enough to offer proper and much-needed solutions to Venezuela’s woes — starting with the obvious one: getting rid of the narco-socialist regime of Nicolás Maduro and the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, and the “opposition” too while at it.
What I know for a fact is that deep down, away from the superficial noise of the daily political diatribe, the headlines, the social media outrage, and the chaos there are good people left in Venezuela, some of whom were born after I did. While they cannot just simply oust a regime and throw the opposition in a trash bin, they’re working towards a better Venezuela, little by little, organizing within their own families, communities, or circles of influence.
It might seem meaningless at first, but through good deeds, faith, hard labor, and a few jokes here and there is how the spirit of Venezuela can endure and flourish on the morrow, where better days for the country await. That I am sure of, even if it’s in a future in which I won’t be around to see them.
I say this because, despite how much of a loner and outcast I am, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting several such individuals in recent years, who are fighting for what they believe in, and working towards achieving goals greater than they are.
I am no doctor, and I cannot save lives in the same way my mom used to do in life. Her 16 years of hard labor and effort leading the Pain and Palliative Care unit of Miguel Perez Carreño seemed to have been for naught when the unit was almost shut down after cancer forced her departure, something that caused her much grief in 2016.
Six years later, in 2022, one of the doctors that she trained carried out her labor, and before I left Venezuela he was on track of getting the unit expanded — a plan first presented by my mom, and thwarted by her cancer diagnosis and the collapse of Venezuela.
By working towards their dreams, they’re making things better for themselves, their friends, family, and loved ones — which I believe is a good place to start to fix the Venezuelan disaster at its most fundamental level. Over time, things should work out for the better, won’t you agree?
The circumstances of my “niche internet microcelebrity status” allowed me to experience similar people beyond the borders of Venezuela. People connecting with like minded individuals towards pursuing greater solution-finding goals, building ways and mechanisms to genuinely help others to even the most pure form of bringing joy that I know: by being the local hero and making others smile.
If God blesses me with the opportunity and the means, I aspire to contribute towards a better tomorrow too — by creating something good, something that inspires others to do good perhaps.
Like I said, I have no aspirations to attain power or fame of any kind, whatever may come from my actions is whatever God has in store for me. Now that I think about it, I’ve immunized myself from ever being a Venezuelan politician since I’m now a dual-citizen and therefore ineligible to run for public office as per Venezuelan law states, another of those hidden blessings in my life.
I do need to repay the world all the help I’ve been given these past years — and at the same time hope that people do not repeat the mistakes we’ve committed as a whole, and that includes my own personal mistakes. These records, based on notes from an incomplete book project, are a way for me to put some of the past behind me so that I can finally work towards a future.
Who knows, maybe I accidentally meme my way into being able to do all of that and more, it wouldn’t be the first time I meme my way into something awesome.