Venezuelan Students March in Defense of Democracy, Peace and Sovereignty

On November 21, thousands of Venezuelan university students flooded the streets of the capital Caracas to celebrate the University Students’ Day as well as the achievements made by the Bolivarian Revolution in the last 20 years.

Students from different public and military universities, in a civic-military union, marched in large numbers from the Plaza Venezuela and the Military Academy of the Bolivarian Army, to the Paseo Los Próceres monument, to reiterate their support for democracy, peace and sovereignty of the country.

Thousands of students from different public and military universities marched in Caracas to celebrate the achievements made by the Bolivarian Revolution in the last 20 years on November 21.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro received the youth at the national monument and thanked them for their impressive mobilization in support of the Bolivarian Revolution. The president commended the revolutionary spirit of young Venezuelans, highlighted the importance of the civic-military unity to defend the sovereignty of the nation and motivated them to continue fighting for socialism and against imperialism.

“Today our joyful, combative and deeply revolutionary youth who lead the country’s universities, exhibited a great show of their strength and dignity. They filled the streets of our beloved Caracas to celebrate University Students’ Day. I congratulate them all!,” wrote Maduro on his twitter later.

“Before Bolivar, Guaicaipuro, Zamora and Chávez*, our student leaders swore to build a free homeland, to fight for socialism and against imperialism. Defending the education and legacy of the Bolivarian Revolution. Long live the Venezuelan Youth!,” he wrote in another tweet.

On the occasion, President Maduro announced a number of socio-economic initiatives to support the young Venezuelans, which were previously requested as proposals by the university leaders. These included the approval of 200,000 new scholarships and an increase in the monthly stipend for university and secondary education students.

He also announced that soon the government would increase the budget to improve the supply and operation of cafeterias in the country. In this regard, he called on young people to join socio-productive projects and contribute to the advancement and development of the population. For this purpose, he announced the allotment of 35,000 hectares for agricultural production to universities throughout the country, where students can work voluntarily.

In addition, he invited students who support the opposition to work together in favor of educational improvements.

The national education coordinator, Nicolás Maduro Guerra, said that “the student youth who have food in their universities, in their high schools is present here. Even in the face of adversity, the national government has constantly provided social protection to young people in Venezuela”. Maduro Guerra added that “the United States does not forgive us for having a process of inclusion and that is why today we vindicate the achievements obtained in education sector during the 20 years of the Revolution.”

Rodbexa Poleo, general secretary of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela Youth (JPSUV), reiterated that despite the adversity, Venezuelan youth stand in defense of the national sovereignty, peace and solidarity. “We have not stopped delivering scholarships, uniforms, backpacks; schools, high schools and universities have not closed; we are marching for the claims of those who died at the moment. We are here in solidarity with the youth of Chile, to raise the voice of the youth of Ecuador, we are here for Bolivia,” said Poleo highlighting that young Venezuelans are on the streets not only in defense of Venezuela but for all of Latin America.

*The statues of Simón Bolívar, Guaicaipuro, Ezequiel Zamora and Hugo Chávez erected at the monument Paseo Los Próceres.