Peaceful demonstrations yesterday by Venezuelans and local Muslims waiting to see Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro near the Diplomatic Centre, in St Ann’s, turned frantic when police blocked Maduro from their view—and him from seeing their placards—by suddenly parking two buses in front of them just as Maduro arrived.
About 100 Venezuelans and 36 local Muslims had gathered at the venue since 9 am, and hadn’t strayed from behind police barriers on the pavement from the time they arrived. The Venezuelans were lobbying for Maduro to call a referendum in crisis-ridden Venezuela. The Muslims were lobbying for release of five T&T nationals detained in Venezuela since 2014 on suspicion of terrorism.
They stood in sun and rain holding placards, the Venezuelans beating pots and chanting, waiting.
But when Maduro’s entourage began approaching the visitors’ entrance to the Diplomatic Centre after noon, police suddenly drove two buses crossways across the road—cutting off any view of Maduro—and inciting the groups to come out from behind the barriers to rush to find spaces to see him and hold up their placards.
Confronted with that development, police then had to try and keep demonstrators back by forming a human chain. They subsequently herded the groups back behind the barriers.
Police block
Islamic Front leader Umar Abdullah, among Muslim members on the scene, began shouting, “Remove the buses! We’ll go back behind the barriers once they remove the buses. They made us believe we had freedom of expression, but they took it away by blocking our messages—remove the buses, remove the buses.” The crowd picked up the chant. Bitter complaints followed about the police’s action, which had turned the scene from a measure of order behind the barriers (albeit with noisy pot-banging) to brief chaos.
Venezuelan-born TT-based activist Yesenia Gonzales compared the police’s intervention to protests in her homeland and security forces’ action there. “This is worse than what’s happening in Venezuela...we have no gun, we not pelting no bottle...The police had no right, to block us ... Maduro can run but he can’t hide,” she said.
“The police can do their job but I cannot appreciate them grabbing me as hard as they just did to break my hand. I have no gun...I’m talking for my life, for my country, for democracy! Everyone’s messages is getting across to the world right now. We’re tired, Venezuela has no food, no medicine, no toilet paper! Maduro must call a referendum now!”
Gonzales said her arm was hurt when police forcibly restrained her from trying to lie on the pavement—with the Venezuelan flag draped over her—near where Maduro’s car was to pass. Gonzales held up a large crucifix throughout the demonstration, saying she had predicted catastrophe for Venezuela. One woman, overcome with emotion at being thwarted in efforts to get Maduro to see their messages, burst into tears.
Demonstrators outnumbered
The episode was the climax of a long morning for the demonstrators, who were outnumbered three to one by police, soldiers (beneath a tree on the adjoining field), plainclothes officers, Special Branch officers, police and army vehicles circling frequently, and helicopters overhead.
Dressed in their national colours, the Venezuelans waved flags, chanting for a referendum. Placards bore messages including “Fuere Dictador,” “Maduro God Forgives You—just be humble and leave Venezuela!” and the most prevalent, “Referendum Now!”
Also holding placards were the Muslim members who stood quietly, lobbying for the release of Wade Charles, Dominic Pitilal, Asim Luqman, Andre Battersby and Lesley Daisley, who were detained in Venezuela since 2014.
Pitilal’s wife appealed for his release. His mother and three little sons, ranging in age from eight to two, stood in the rain, unprotected, one holding a placard saying, “I miss my Daddy—Please come Home.”
Luqman’s wife and children stood alongside Charles’ mother, Valerie, and his brother. Present also were Enterprise mosque leader Taulib Searles and attorney Nafeesa Mohammed, who has spearheaded the lobby to free the men. Several police took pictures of the Muslim members.
Large number of groups
Calypsonian Crazy, who displayed a picture of his Venezuelan-born mother, urged T&T and other regional states to assist Venezuela. Antonina Parrios and Endrys Razaack, of the Venezuelan Opposition Accion Democratica party, said their request for asylum in T&T after fleeing Venezuela had been turned down. They said they had been harassed in their country, their houses raided and families persecuted.
Several pro-Maduro OWTU/JTUM members who came to see him stayed away from protesters. They went near the President’s Office to catch a glimpse, boasting Maduro would talk to them. But that never happened. A handful of Steel Workers Union members with JTUM said they didn’t support Maduro, but came to make a statement to T&T and Venezuelan leaders that Venezuelan protests could happen here if the Government didn’t manage things properly.