Taking a stand!

Members of the Venezuelan community living in Barbados want more Barbadians to be aware of the situation and conditions being experienced in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

To raise awareness, members of the Venezuela Association of Barbados (VAB) held a peaceful protest yesterday in the area of Accra Beach.

The group, which comprised over 25 individuals, stood near the roadside displaying the Venezuelan flag. They also carried placards which revealed their support of the interim government and a call for “free elections”. They also distributed literature to locals and visitors who drove or walked by.

“We want people here in Barbados to appreciate what is happening, people here in Barbados to understand what is happening, ... to look at what this whole situation in Venezuela could do to the region if it goes to the extreme of what we are all hoping would never happen is an intervention in Venezuela. It is going to affect Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Trinidad, everyone, all of us. We as a region are a big community,” stated José Zerpa as he spoke to The Barbados Advocate.

He added, “We are asking the leaders of Barbados and we are asking the common, day to day person, hey guys, listen to what is happening in Venezuela and support us.”

Also speaking to the press, Maria Gloumeau said “We need Barbados to come on our side. We need Barbados to see the inhumanity that is going on in our country.”

Saturday’s peaceful protest comes on the heels of Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley’s separate meetings with representatives of the governments of the United States of America and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Barbados last Friday. These talks were another step by this country’s leader to see the peaceful resolution of the situation in Venezuela. (MG)