Durante los últimos años, y quizás como un mecanismo de supervivencia, decidí alejarme de lo que ocurre diariamente en mi país de origen, Venezuela. Asumo mi decisión, y lamento que con ello me haya alejado de algunos de mis seres queridos, pero, resulta simplemente demoledor hablar constantemente de una situación que no mejora y que cada vez parece caer más y más profundo en un abismo sin fin.

A pesar de esto, y especialmente desde hace unas semanas, es imposible poder ignorar lo que sucede en Venezuela. Para explicarlo en simples términos: durante casi dos décadas de “gobierno revolucionario,” el Poder Ejecutivo ha secuestrado todos los poderes del Estado, hasta el punto que el Poder Judicial ha despojado de sus funciones al Poder Legislativo, tan sólo por el hecho de estar conformado mayoritariamente por opositores a Nicolás Maduro. Lo que ha ocurrido como consecuencia de este golpe a la institucionalidad, ha sido algo sin precedentes.

Miles de personas se han volcado a las calles diariamente, tomando su frustración y petición de elecciones como únicas armas. Mientras tanto, el gobierno despliega a fuerzas del orden público para impedir que quienes protestan lleguen a las oficinas del Estado, o a donde quiera que se hayan propuesto llegar. Barricadas, tanques de agua, nubes de gas lacrimógeno y agentes policiales reprimiendo a civiles se han convertido en el día a día en las ciudades más importantes del país.

Del otro lado de la pantalla, en el mundo paralelo en el que viven quienes siguen al gobierno, todo se trata de un intento desestabilizador de poderes extranjeros, ante lo cual el presidente y sus más cercanos colaboradores responden bailando. Sí, bailando, así como se baila en una celebración o festejo de algo alegre, mientras lo que sucede en la realidad no tiene nada que ser celebrado.

El ambiente polarizado que hay en Venezuela desde la llegada de Hugo Chávez al poder en 1999, ha dado cabida a dos mundos paralelos. Dos países paralelos que viven en un mismo territorio, en el que la tolerancia es un concepto ajeno para la mayoría y en el cual, el reconocimiento de posturas diversas es una debilidad y no una fortaleza. Sin embargo, con la crisis que atraviesa el país, todos, sin importar tu tendencia política se enfrentan a la realidad de que no hay medicamentos, o que la escasez de productos básicos se trata de algo palpable, nadie escapa del crimen y por más dinero que ganes parece no alcanzar para vivir dignamente.

A pesar de mi preocupación por lo que ocurre en Venezuela, parece no haber una salida clara a la crisis, o a que el gobierno chavista acepte que su mala gestión es responsable del oscuro presente económico y social. A veces analizando escenarios, pensaba que una convocatoria a una Asamblea Constituyente podía servir como un mecanismo para medirse y si la oposición contaba con una mayoría, se reflejaría en nuevas reglas de juego y la apertura de un nuevo episodio en la vida Republicana de Venezuela. Pero no sucedió así, el gobierno de Maduro decidió jugarse la carta de la Constituyente, pero en sus términos, sin abrir la posibilidad de que se elijan abiertamente a quienes redactarían una nueva Constitución, dandole una nueva patada al orden institucional y creando una Asamblea Nacional paralela que no tiene como objetivo crear una Constitución, sino estar por encima de la actual.

Las consecuencias de toda esta situación está por conocerse, sin embargo lo único que parece cierto es que hay un pueblo en la calle, que no quiere dejar esto en las manos de alguien más, o de esperar otra década por un cambio que es inevitable, y que parece ser el único obstáculo frente al progreso, la esperanza y la libertad. 

Before moving to the U.S. I had always followed the elections–like many people does abroad–with a certain detachment and a sense of distance. Although I moved to the U.S. during the first term of Barack Obama, I will always remember his 2008 Election Night speech from Chicago. I could barely realize that day how his presidency and his leadership would inspire me in the years to come.

The first campaign in which I was involved in the U.S. was Obama’s 2012 reelection. I volunteered in Miami, and then in Washington, D.C. where I had moved in the summer of that year. I remember vividly his inauguration in 2013–he and Michelle walking down Pennsylvania Avenue, with myself standing only a few feet away. Some of us tried to run alongside them, from the other side of the fence, just to make that moment last a few more seconds.

Later on, as a Fellow with Organizing For Action (OFA), while at a screening of a documentary about a group of young immigrants, so called ‘DREAMers’ —immigrants by choice of their parents, who found out that they were undocumented in a country they recognize as home I felt inspired by their stories and determination to fight for their dreams, and committed myself to support our Latino community in every way possible.

Fast forward to April 2015: after working for a while for Univision, I joined their Network News Elections Team and went all hands on the preparation for the coverage for the 2016 cycle. The start of the campaign was earlier than usual, some said, it was my first time breathing election news day in and day out. Exciting times!

As the candidates stated to roll in, it was more and more evident in both parties that this election was nothing like ever before. When Donald Trump announced his candidacy with his anti-Latino and anti-PC rhetoric, many of us thought–wrongly–that his candidacy was nothing but a bad episode of reality TV. I remember being present at the announcement of other candidates such as Jeb Bush in Miami, and during the official campaign launch by Hillary Clinton in New York City. From all of these, with the exception of Trump I can remember that they every candidate had a vision of the country that even if it didn’t resonate with me, had a valid reason to exist.

The next step in the campaign were the primary debates. All the attention was on the first debates for both Republicans and Democrats. Debates tend to help narrow the field, said pundits all over the TV shows. It was a great opportunity to hear them talk directly to voters and show their credentials to become presidential candidates. At that point of the campaign, Trump had dominated the airwaves. He was covered extensively, maybe for those polemic “ratings-fueling” comments or just by the interest generated by such an unusual presidential candidate. Nonetheless, the scrutiny and challenge he received from the media wasn’t comparable to the type of coverage received by Hillary Clinton’s emails as Secretary of State —a story that became a cloud over the campaign that never fully cleared.

The first Republican debate in Cleveland was in August, 2015. I remember how the Media Filing Center had people from all over the world, waiting to see and hear what Donald Trump had to say. Many said that without proposals and policy plans, it would be difficult for voters to have a favorable view of him after the debates.

Wrong again.

When Trump was asked during the debate if he would pledge to support the Republican Nominee, he responded that he would only support the Republican nominee only if he was the Nominee, causing everyone in the Media Filing Center laugh. Moments after this, Megan Kelly pointed out his mistreatment of women and he started a feud that lasted for months. At that point I remember many considered it only a matter of time that the Republican field would narrow, and Donald Trump would certainly be kicked out soon. In the Democratic race, Senator Bernie Sander was able to “break the internet” and make himself more and more appealing to millennials and young voters with his anti-status quo messaging.

The first Democratic debate was in Las Vegas in October, 2015. The expectation generally shared among pundits and other analysts: Hillary Clinton would easily make herself the winner of this encounter, given her experience debating and practicing for these events and the field would narrow from five to at least three candidates. Bernie Sanders made headlines when agreeing with Hillary and saying “People are sick and tired of hearing of your damn emails” after she responded to a question on the subject trying to talk about her platform.

At Univision, we fought hard to get the opportunity to present all candidates to Hispanics. As you might know now, neither the RNC nor the majority of candidates would give interviews for Spanish language networks. I remember meeting with some Republicans to discuss possible ideas to get through the candidates and how the RNC could support in any way our efforts. Only one of those ideas came to reality and only one candidate, Jeb Bush, agreed to participate in a two-minute long video focused on personal questions, with no immigration questions called “Take Ten.” Democratic candidates, on the other hand, were far more open to exchanges with Univision; our relationship with the main contenders was more fluid, with even an official DNC debate in Spanish scheduled right before the Florida primary, on March 9th.

2015 ended with me with going from one side of the country to the other, with a Republican Debate in Las Vegas, followed by a Democratic Debate in New Hampshire. For this last one, I remember it was freezing, I had a cough and I wanted to go home and pack for a trip I had planned for the day after. I went on vacation, hopping to get better, and rest for what was expected to be a hard-fought primary season on both sides.

For many, the 2016 election cycle will be always remembered, but not for the best reasons. For me, the years 2015 and 2016 will always be a part of my vivid memories; some of these memories won’t go away easily. It’s been difficult to process the unexpected defeat in the presidential election of the most qualified person who has ever run for president, who happens to be a woman, former FLOTUS and Senator –Hillary Rodham Clinton.

My involvement in the campaign came through my employer at the time, the leading Hispanic Broadcast media organization in the U.S., Univision. After working with the Digital News team for a year and a half, I started working with the Elections Team in April 2015, at the moment that primary candidates started to come up. Without knowing it, I ended up covering the entire Election Cycle, involved with both Democrats and Republicans, going to almost all debates.  In the end, I was fortunate enough to be present at the official campaign launch events of candidates such as Jeb Bush in Miami, and Hillary Clinton in New York.

Hillary Clinton has always been a public figure that held my interest, at least since I can remember. In 2008, I thought that the U.S. was far more ready to break the highest glass ceiling before electing the first African-American as POTUS––I was wrong. Nonetheless, the nomination of Barack Obama and his presidency make me feel proud of the outcome of the 2008 cycle. From my small part as a volunteer for his re-election campaign, and as a Fellow for Organizing for Action in Washington, D.C. I completed what I consider my initiation in American politics.

Fast forward to 2016: I quit my job as part of the Elections Team at Univision, to become the Florida Hispanic Press Director for Hillary For America. A job transition for some; a life-changing experience for me. After being MIA from this blog for a while, in the upcoming days, I will share my journey during the 2016 Election Cycle. Stay tuned!