Recent events in Venezuela show a lack of democracy and respect for human rights on behalf of the government. We need the international community to speak up and request your leaders to take a stance. Referrenced links: http://mashable.com/2014/02/19/venezuela-protests/ http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-venezuela-turmoil-20140223,0,6893958.story http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/18/venezuela-opposition-leopoldo-lopez-surrenders http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/11/us-venezuela-protests-idUSBREA1A19420140211 http://www.hrw.org/news/2014/02/21/venezuela-violence-against-protesters-journalists http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/13/us-venezuela-protests-colectivos-idUSBREA1C1YW20140213

1. SPEAK UP FOR
VENEZUELA
VENEZUELA IS IN THE MIDDLE OF A
CRISIS IN WHICH ITS CITIZENS HAVE
COME OUT TO EXPRESS THEIR
DISCONTENT TOWARDS A SERIES OF
OVERWHELMING PROBLEMS.

2. The facts

3. THE FACTS
Why are people protesting Venezuela?
(open links to view full stories)
•
Students started a wave of protests and rallies
where they publicly rejected life-threatening
crime in their schools and streets of their cities
•
Some of the first protesters were arrested,
leading to a national protest against political
persecution and repression on behalf of
government authorities
•
The protest caught on rapidly due to general
discontent from an alarming shortage of food
and products, criminality and one of the highest
inflation rates in the world

4. THE FACTS
11 civilian protest-related deaths

5. THE FACTS
The imprisonment without a proper legal process of
Venezuelans who have spoken up
Opposition leader Leopoldo López and a vast number of
students and ordinary citizens

6. THE FACTS
Human rights violations, including abuse of power,
aggression and torture of civilians on behalf of the National
Guard, National Police and other law enforcement agencies

7. THE FACTS
Government support and immunity to armed gangs who
attack opposition rallies, protests and homes

8. THE FACTS
Heavy media censorship:
• Removal of NTN24 TV station from all cable companies
• License removal, robbery and airport harassment to CNN
staff
• Blocking of Zello App
• General internet blockage in Táchira State

9. Even though citizens throughout the world have responded and
joined the cause, few world leaders have expressed their point
of view and some have even shown support to the government’s
actions, based on their economic and ideological interests.

10. This concern has to be taken to another level. The occurring
events in Venezuela need to be heard by every country in the
world and the government has to know that decent, peaceful and
democratic people condemn the occurring crimes.

11. How can we help?

12. HOW CAN WE HELP?
If you are a foreigner and wish to help our
cause:
1. Share this information with other citizens from your country
2. Organize a formal petition to the authorities of your
country, demanding a public statement from your leaders in
which they express their view on the occurring events in
Venezuela

13. HOW CAN WE HELP?
If you are a Venezuelan living in a foreign country:
1.
Share this information with the citizens of the country you are
currently living in
2.
Share this information with Venezuelans living in the same
country as you and invite them to make an effort to share and act
3.
Organize a formal petition to the authorities of your country,
demanding a public statement from your leaders in which they
express their view on the occurring events in Venezuela
4.
If you cannot find this message in the local language, translate it
and share it