Personal Narrative: The Venezuelan Revolution

Racial Profiling As I walk to the store to pick up snacks for the next half of the super bowl, I am trying to make it quick. I finally arrive at the store and quickly get my two favorite items, skittles and an ice tea. Thinking to myself that this is all I need, not knowing that it would be my last meal. On the walk back home, I have a feeling that I am being followed. I speed up. I turn around to find that a grown Hispanic man, mid-age, and heavily built is in fact, following me. In my head, I just want to make it home safely. Every move I make, he makes the same moves. Finally I turn around, quite nervous, to see if there was a problem. Next thing I know, we are on the ground fighting. Here I am, seventeen years old, up against a man

Would you say that life has any sense? Or Is there an answer for everything in life? Three years ago I was completely messed up about this. Gustavo Adolfo Parra Chassaigne that’s how my parents called me and I was born in Maracay a little city next to Venezuela’s capital, Caracas. I used to be the first student of all my high school, also one of the first in tennis of my state and everybody said that my family was “perfect”. So, What did happen to me?

Venezuela, located in the Latin American region, is a country that has been characterized by its abundance of oil reserve. A natural resource that has shaped the history and development of the country, affecting its economic, social and most important is political spheres. For many years Venezuela was controlled by authoritarian regimes. The country, being very important in the sense of geo-politics due to its abundance of oil, has been a key player in the international arena and most important, to those that for many years kept the country under their regime. It was not until 1958 that Venezuela experienced the change to democracy and a stable democracy was kept between the two main political parties of the time, Accion Democratica (AD)

Sonia Sanchez taught me that it’s possible to not let my pain hold me from being the best that I can be. She taught me to take my past full of pain, make it great and use the talents that I have now to change this planet and become a creator of social values. I learned to have an unshakeable strength, a persevering courage and to be a fighter. I learned that I am capable of achieving the greatest things if I put my mind to it. How well I do is in my hands not in a past that can drag me down. Just like Sonia asked her teacher if she had any talent, and the teacher answered saying: “Yes, you have talent, now let’s see whether you are going to do anything with it”. She answered to the call and I am determined to answer the call too. She changed

“On February 11th, 2015 I infiltrated the cartel as a low level coke pusher. Within a few weeks I had worked my way up to the leader of all operations in southeastern California. This quick progression caught the attention of my superiors which was exactly what I wanted. The plan was to meet all of them and take them all down at one time. But that changed when right before the first meeting, some new intel came in that they were small fish compared to who we could get. So, at the meeting no team came in to arrest them and I continued my work of moving up in the cartel. A year after that I was meeting the man in charge Ismael Garcia. We were meeting in an old warehouse to discuss our growth and budget. I had contacted the FBI with all the details and I was simply to stall so they could set up a perimeter. It’s still a mystery to me today how but somehow they got wind that they were setup. Their response was to kidnap me on the way to the meeting. As I turned into the warehouse lot, two vans pulled up next me, opened my door and put a bag over my head. The next thing I know I’m sitting in a dark room with in empty chair in front of me. About five minutes later a guy comes in threatening me with a gun to my head saying they knew I was the rat, and so I said , “No, no it wasn’t me. You guys know me. I’ve been here for two years you really

The article, "Thousands of Protestors In Venezuela, Demand End of Dictatorship," is about the clash between the citizens of Venezuela and the government. Since April 2013, when Nicolas Maduro became president of Venezuela, the country has faced catastrophic economic/social disasters. Although there has been building political unrest in the country for months now, tensions finally peaked when allies of Maduro blocked any chance of a re-election, forcing Venezuelans to remain under his regime. The opposition party voted to put Maduro on trial, but electoral authorities prevented it. This is a political issue as it deals with the distribution and implementation of power. Under Maduro's presidency, inflation has skyrocketed into the triple digits, while poverty and healthcare have drastically decreased. Many people lack proper sanitation and electricity. The people of Venezuela are deeply dissatisfied with the state of their government, as it is clear that they government does not have their social/economic well being in mind. One protestor said, "I'm going hungry! If you're going to shoot me because I'm hungry, shoot me" (Goodman). Unfortunately, the way in which

The concentration of power under President Hugo Chávez has taken a heavy toll on human rights in Venezuela. School students and people are getting assaulted everyday, there is definitely a lack of fairness or human rights. It is in human nature, when we get more power we tend to abuse

"Democracy is impossible in a capitalist system, capitalism is the realm of injustice and tyranny of the richest against the poorest' (Chavez, 2000) – This statement was made by Hugo Chavez president of Venezuela in a BBC1 interview. The president of Venezuela from 1999-2013 leader of the ‘Bolivarian Revolution' a socialist political program leading the fight for independence for Latin America. Chavez vision was to free the interference of foreign power with revolutionary Marxist ideology. Chavez strived to create a Latin American alliance to expel U.S. influence to compete politically and economically with the European Union. Chavez died on 5th March 2013 at the age of 58. Throughout his rain, Venezuelan people were deeply divided with the

supported Carlos Andres Perez but the Venezuelan people feared him because he had the military kill of anyone that would go against him. Also under the reign of Perez, the "Caracazo" happened. “The wave of protests, riots, looting and ensuing massacres happened due to gas prices going up and bus riders having to increase the price of transportation” (Metoyer). Eventually in the year 1992 Junior officers like Chaves rallied together to try and overthrow Perez but their attempt failed. Chavez ended up being incarcerated for two years. Then a year later, President Carlos Andres Perez was summoned to court because of money robbery from the government. Finally in 1998, Chavez was elected president of Venezuela and to most Venezuelans he was the solution for prosperity and the end of chaos. “Chavez had won with a 56% of the votes as the candidate of the MVR” (Metoyer). During his fist year as president, he promised the people of Venezuela reforms that would raise the living standards of the poor, enhance democracy, and share oil wealth amongst the masses. Unfortunately, the United States did not support Chavez and by 2002, “the United States was more concerned with Chavez and how he's not running a democratic

(Applause) Thank you. I would like to take a moment to thank the former President, Nicolas Maduro, the Vice President, Jorge Arreaza, and the rest of the executive board but especially all the citizens of Venezuela who supported me all along. Our country, exquisite in history, has suffered in bounteous aspects, but we have remained strong. This suffering will assuredly reach its end. As the newly elected President, I will take any action in my power to aid our country. Certainly, it will be difficult but it is possible and achievable in merely a matter of years. We have to progressively reconstruct our country thus, I will work with my board to accomplish our objectives. We will not solely be the Venezuela we once were but evolve as a country.

On Thursday August 4, 2016, I was at work. I was informed that there was a young man asking for my work schedule (what days I worked and time) and what car I drove. After no information was given out to him (Tala Toilolo) left my work location in which shortly after Johnnie contacted a former co-worker and a current employee. He asked for the same information. Someone came to my job before my shift was over to watch out for me and inform me of everything she had heard Johnnie and affliates were after. This person warned me to "watch my back, to never be alone, and that whenever I go out whether it was work or anywhere else to not leave anywhere until I made sure my ride arrived ." If someone overhears all this and is friends with

I was forever changed when I joined Revolution Lacrosse in the summer of 2010. I owe this all to the founder of Rev, Lukas Cash. Lukas is known for his inspiring speeches and ability to change one’s perception of the world. After hearing many of his speeches, I too was inspired. I was changed with the words, “Some people are given the opportunity and just look past it. Others are never given the opportunity but always seek it. Today you are given an opportunity for greatness. How will you react” This quote is everything to me. From that day forward, I made a promise to myself to take every opportunity that I could. I promised to be a leader, in hopes of giving others the opportunity as well. The next few years, I continued this idea with the

Due to the fact that our security system was so complicated, they started firing a warning shot in the air. In an attempt to enter in our house. For some reason, they did their homework before their unforgivable crime. They knew my brother was sick and they took advantage the situation. I remember one of them saying in a very large voice” if you don’t open the f***** door we will kill the sick boy first”. When my mother knew my older brother which was recently discharged from surgery and unable to defend himself, she complied immediately by gaveling the password to the rubbers. The moment they got the password all I could hear was a gunshot all over the place. They were firing AK47 and some guns I did not here about in my game. Their boss had a sticky bomb in his hand. I remember the sticky bomb from my game. It was one of my favorite weapon to kill my enemy in the game. I was not too afraid of the AK47 except for the sticky bomb. Whenever I used the sticky bomb in my game everybody die. At that point, I realize that we were in danger.

When one thinks of legitimacy Russia probably isn’t their first thought, however despite all the political oppression and controversy surrounding the methods of Putin they are more legitimate than some countries like Venezuela. What I will examen in this paper is how Russia has increased and maintained their legitimacy throughout

One's dream and aspirations to supersede in life must be stronger and greater than limitations set forth by others. The experience that were bestowed to me during my short life has elevated me to the woman I am today. Please walk with me as I give you