The hopeful cries and yells for peace have subsided in the wake of an offer for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to engage in a dialogue with those who oppose him. The Maduro regime has denied the Venezuelan people their most fundamental rights by restricting food and medicine.
A project launched last semester by the Venezuelan Student Union (VSU) partnered with “Acción x Causa” donated more than 320 pounds of over-the-counter medication and medical supplies. The supplies donated by the VSU have been distributed to more than eighty-two religious organizations in Venezuela.
Student Government Association President Daniel Gazzani is also an active member of the VSU. Gazzani has helped connect the VSU to representatives that have raised awareness of the events unfolding in Venezuela.
Ricardo Hausmann is a professor of the Practice of Economic Development at Harvard University and the current Director of the Center for International Development.
According to Gazzani, Professor Hausmann will be speaking on awareness and what is happening currently in Venezuela.
“His wife, Ana Julia Jatar, a human rights activist, will be speaking about how she is fighting for her brother who was unjustly imprisoned,” said Gazzani in an interview in The Suffolk Journal.
Gazzani spoke in praise of the VSU’s and hopes the club can continue its charitable actions
Alexandra Aparicio, vice president of VSU and advertising major, said she has enjoyed being part of the EBoard and hopes she can continue helping the VSU, which has represented Venezuelan pride and has given her country a voice from abroad.
“The VSU also stands for being a glimpse of hope and to provide help toward the people suffering the current humanitarian crisis,” said Aparicio. “The VSU is well represented in the university even though we just started last semester. Anyone who is interested in our message is more than welcome to join.”
According to a Venezuelan newspaper, “El Universal,” President Maduro said there have been at least a hundred meetings with both pro and anti government groups, which began in 2016. Maduro agreed to meet with the opposition on Sept. 27 when six countries: Chile, Mexico, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Paraguay and the Dominican Republic will become a part of the discussion to form an agreement.
“Acción x Causa” has partnered with numerous universities around Boston such as Suffolk University, Boston University, Northeastern University, Bentley University, Emerson College, and Wentworth according to the official website.
“We sent it to an organization (Ayuda Humanitaria para Venezuela) who is in charge of distributing it to the provinces that need it the most in the Venezuelan territory. We know that our supplies have been successfully given to families and organizations throughout the territory,” said Aparicio.
The VSU hopes to launch the same project again this semester, as well as introduce new objectives and deliver different goods, such as starting a toy drive during the holiday season, according to Aparicio.
“I would like for the VSU to partner with Accion x Causa again. The organization is growing in the greater Boston area, therefore, people can relate our club at Suffolk to what Acción x Causa does on a greater scale,” said Aparicio.
