Members of the Venezuelan community in Aruba gathered at Plaza Bolívar on Saturday, October 17, in a demonstration calling for democracy in Venezuela and issuing an urgent appeal to the international community.
The protest, led by opposition and civil-society figures, demanded a fixed date for free, fair, transparent and verifiable presidential elections in Venezuela, along with the immediate release of all political prisoners. Demonstrators also expressed their backing for María Corina Machado and president-elect Edmundo González Urrutia, 24ora reported on October 18.
Manifesto and speakers
During the demonstration, activist Carlos Sanabria of Vente Venezuela and the ‘Con Venezuela’ campaign command read an official manifesto setting out the demands of the movement.
Civil-society representative Luiz Zarraga said the Venezuelan diaspora in Aruba was joining the international day of protest, adding the island’s Venezuelan community to a worldwide show of support for democratic change in their home country.
A local event with a global cause
The demonstration was a Venezuela-focused event held on Aruban soil, reflecting the presence of a large Venezuelan community on the island and its continued engagement with events in their homeland.
Source: 24ora
